Why Relegation Needs To Stay

Simply put - the abolition of top-flight relegation would be the abolition of competitive English football. It would kill not only the Premier League, but the whole Football League. Ignoring the excitement that a final-day relegation battle provokes, it would kill off any ambition below the big 20. The reward for success in the Championship would be....... another season in the Championship. I don't know about you, but as a footballer in that situation I would give it up and take an office job.

We would not have had stunning success (and then failure) stories such as Blackpool and Hull, or more sustainable, Stoke. And we would not have such spectacular recent implosions as Leeds, Charlton and Southampton. The threat of relegation, and reward of promotion, act as an unbelievable motivation, and must surely heighten the joyous feelings when success is attained.

It is a ludicrous suggestion - one on the level of a 39th game abroad, or on a more tongue-in-cheek note, the "added time multi-ball" that we have all seen on television. It is one that I can't believe even made it into the arena of public debate. Interestingly, whoever made the suggestion seems to not want to peek his head above the parapet, as I am yet to discover who uttered the remarks. The phrase "some foreign owners" doesn't exactly lead me to believe they have much faith in their opinion.

In fact, that's all I have to say on the matter. It's not worth another word.

Gerard Walton