Osborne Pledges £50M To Make English Football 'best In The World'

[Stainless Sam]

I can't see what the problem is. It's just a continuation of the policy of giving tax payers' money to idle barstewards who've already got mountains of the stuff and won't be paying any tax. Whatever you say about Osborne, at least he's consistent.

If he needs any advice on how to spend it here's my two penn'orth ............. build a dirty great walled penal colony somewhere with an icy wind (maybe Benbecula?) and lock up every English footballer earning more than £50k there with no TV, no entertainment and nothing to do but kick a ball around until it goes dark. Let them out on Saturdays for the match and then send them straight back. I reckon standards would improve no end. Oh, and anyone who dives for a penalty gets a week breaking rocks.

[porca misèria]

Dammit, is that Osborne-land or Torygraph-land where it's April 1st?

If there was ever a rival to Sir Fred for the most overpaid in the country

[TheCountOfNowhere]

Will this mam ever stop his cutbacks.

[Northerner]

This is what he was actually seeing

Unfortunately this is what he was seeing (so not much of a difference, I suppose) ...

[Byron]

Notice he kept this back until after the Scottish referendum.

[winkie]

First for the supporters......or the money behind it?

[pig]

Meanwhile back in the real world player wages and values inflate to infinity on the back of Sky subscriptions and rising ticket prices - you could buy 1/2 a Gareth Bale for that money.

Genuinely baffled by this. Is this meant to be a vote winner ? Is there some practical reason why this has to happen ?

[“Nasty Piece of work”]

It is the slime ball's equivalent of our Tony's drinking from a mug. A pitiful attempt at getting down with the kids / Great Unwashed. Scum.

[otters]

I agree, I don't really watch any sport nowadays and I don't support any teams. The last time I watched any sport (in a pub), I couldn't really understand why people got so excited. I did use to enjoy watching sports but can't remember what I thought was good about it now! I must be getting old!

Actually, I think it is more the case that I rather be trying to doing something myself, sport or otherwise, then watching someone else doing it!

Yes, I'm in the same vein.

There is too much money in sport now, most sports have been caught out fixing things, and corruption is rife. So much so Osborne wants to plough more money into it.

Still the great unwashed can sit in, overflowing their armchairs, swigging tinnies and stuffing their faces, when getting off their butts and doing something would be a better option.

[Northerner]

It is the slime ball's equivalent of our Tony's drinking from a mug. A pitiful attempt at getting down with the kids / Great Unwashed. Scum.

It can backfire ...

[EUBanana]

Clearly we can do some more cutting - I'd begin with the Department of Media, Culture and Sport.

This sort of crap isn't what taxation is for IMO.

[Rare Bear]

No chance of me voting Torie again now. I can't stand football, or rather can't stand being force fed football at every turn and now I'm expected to contribute to it?

[Bruce Banner]

No chance of me voting Torie again now. I can't stand football, or rather can't stand being force fed football at every turn and now I'm expected to contribute to it?

My sentiments entirely.

My bank once sent me a Visa card with a picture of a football on it, no way was I having that, fortunately they managed to find me another one.

[DarkHorseWaits-NoMore]

Headline grabbing (Wow!), too many would not comprehend the difference between it pledging £50m or £50bn, easily spun.

[Byron]

Well, how much is he going to spend on Welsh, Scottish and N.Irish football?

[Wrighty]

Well, how much is he going to spend on Welsh, Scottish and N.Irish football?

Nothing! Unless England also gets free prescriptions, or free student tuition fees, to bring them into line with the oh so hard done by mini nations... ?