By J Bateman
November 14 2002

Just look what ITV Digital has done to English football , Ipswich have made a loss of £3.3 million and are really struggling, and Watford are relying on outside help to survive. Ipswich have been reported to have lost a massive £3.3 million over the last financial year , and are the latest team to suffer from Laurel and ITV.

After dropping out of the top division last year the club are really suffering in this football depression, and even a great run in the UEFA Cup the situation is dire.

"The financial consequences of relegation have been dire with a drop in television income of about £14m," said chairman David Sheepshanks.

He added: "Relegation has caused severe financial pressures for the current season.

"However, as a result of a number of prompt and decisive actions taken by the board, the club's economy has been stabilised."

Ipswich are just one of a number of clubs in trouble and down at Vicarage Road , Watford are coming to terms with being in debt to the tune of £7.2 million and plans are under way to wrestle with the finicial worries , they recently had to sell there ground after losing money through ITV Digital.

New chairman Graham Simpson has plegded to put £6 million into the club but that's way short of the debt owed and will undergo fund raising schemes to recover the lost money.

It's a sad site in football with Ipswich , Watford both teams that have had success in the top flight over the years to be in this mess , looking across the first division as well the likes of Derby , Leicester and Nottm Forest all massive clubs in the East Midlands are also in trouble.

Leicester have been in talks with former Fox Gary Lineker in putting money in the club , Leicester have started raising money ,they hope peoples genorosity during home games will go along way to helping the situation a little by having people around the Walkers Staduim collecting money , also players are in negoiation in taking wage cuts to help as well.

Nottm Forest are having to sell players just to survive but look to be winning the war , Derby are massivly in debt and have looked into releasing players like Horatio Carbionare , Brankar Strupar and Fabrizio Ravenelli just to say money through wages.

Which brings me to the end of the rant and begs one last question , Football has been killed by one of the massive TV companys in the world and do they care about it NO.

THANKS VERY MUCH ITV DIGITAL , I HOPE YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING YOU MIGHT KILL OFF CLUBS DUE TO YOUR STUPID APPROACH TO BROADCASTING.