Football refunds - Who else deserves their money back
24 Nov 2009 - 11:39:03
Yesterday it emerged that Wigan Athletic players, led by Captain Mario Melchiot, would be refunding the fans who made the 400 mile round trip to London on Sunday to witness their side's humiliating 9-1 defeat to Tottenham.
Melchiot said: 'We feel that as a group of players we badly let down our supporters yesterday and this is a gesture we have to make and pay them back for their tremendous loyalty.'
Latics fans who attended the game can apply for a full refund on the price of their ticket by applying to the club's box office by close of business on Friday 4th December.
The Wigan players are under no obligation to refund the fans and despite their mega-wages, it is still a well-considered and generous gesture, especially at a time when many players are accused of being out of touch with the public that support them every week.
But it also begs the question - who else deserves a refund on their ticket?
I followed Everton to Highbury in 2005 and saw us go down 7-0 to Arsene Wenger's men, but did I see a penny after such a miserable defeat? No I didn't.
Should I have received my money back? It was, after all, an abysmal display from a team who had secured fourth place just a few days previously.
Or do football fans enter into an agreement when they buy a ticket? No matter how bad the performance is, you will not be seeing your money again, end of story.
Wigan's gesture seems more like the promotion slogan for a new item on the shelves of your local supermarket than the reaction of a top-flight club after a defeat 'If you're not completely satisfied, we'll give you your money back!'
So who else might think they're entitled to a few quid?
Would Beckham and co pay out for England's recent international failings? What about Rio Ferdinand and the boys after the below par display in Rome against Barca?
Or maybe the Geordies should receive a welcome cash injection after watching Newcastle drop into the second tier of English football. The list is endless.
Although I agree with the thought behind the refund, it does make you wonder where it could lead in the future and to what extent clubs might use it to keep the fans sweet when results are not going their way.
Why not set a margin of defeat after which the fans are entitled to a refund by either the club or the players? If you lose by anymore than five goals then you get your cash back - that seems fair to me.
When you're still paying out for travel costs, parking and merchandise as well as food and drink, going to football is still expensive even without the price of a match ticket.
Although there's been a negative response to the gesture by some sections of the media, I take my hat off to Roberto Martinez's men.
It might not make up for Sunday's 9-1 hammering but at least they can afford to watch their side only lose by a couple this weekend.
- Joe Strange
