0:00:00 > 0:00:10The cold snap but did his best to get the better of us, but it is
0:00:10 > 0:00:17
0:00:17 > 0:00:23What a difference a week makes. Ipswich fans are up in arms again,
0:00:23 > 0:00:32this time, for all the right reasons. It shows the fighting
0:00:32 > 0:00:38spirit we haven't the team. Still one of a kind. Tackling the
0:00:38 > 0:00:48game at's big taboo, we meet the woman fighting discrimination in
0:00:48 > 0:00:48
0:00:48 > 0:00:51memory of her famous uncle. And how sponsorship it started on
0:00:51 > 0:00:59our doorstep. Good evening and welcome to Late
0:00:59 > 0:01:08Kick Off. Perry Groves is with me as usual.
0:01:08 > 0:01:15Alongside him s Simon. I do not know how to introduce you. I'm a
0:01:15 > 0:01:19sponsorship manager. As ever, you are more than welcome to join him
0:01:19 > 0:01:29and have your say on anything to do with football in this part of the
0:01:29 > 0:01:29
0:01:29 > 0:01:37Our resident expert Perry Groves said that Ipswich had two weekends
0:01:37 > 0:01:41in which to turn their season around. We said that they would be
0:01:41 > 0:01:46tested physically and mental and they have come through that test
0:01:46 > 0:01:56with abundance. They matched West Ham in every single department.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00
0:02:00 > 0:02:06was a great start. Tommy Smith won the first. What a strike there. And
0:02:06 > 0:02:15then he scored again. His fitness is up, what a fantastic night.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21thing that stood out for me is the way that the -- the way that they
0:02:21 > 0:02:27battled against a West Ham. Yes, it was important that we kept the ball.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32We needed a decent performance in front of our home plans. And then
0:02:32 > 0:02:36to travel to Coventry at the weekend. The Ipswich fans travelled
0:02:36 > 0:02:46in their numbers. A real sense of optimism are amongst them. The
0:02:46 > 0:02:47
0:02:47 > 0:02:51where -- they were in good voice. Why can to the producer that every
0:02:52 > 0:02:58week? If that we get this one, it will give us confidence for the
0:02:58 > 0:03:07rest of the season. We need to get a run, consistency has been our big
0:03:07 > 0:03:12problem. You were there. After seven games without a whim, two on
0:03:12 > 0:03:17the trot. This was always going to be a tough game. They are fighting
0:03:17 > 0:03:27for their lives. It is more than just the goal. Michael Chopra their
0:03:27 > 0:03:37early on. The supporters are mentioned consistency. It shows why
0:03:37 > 0:03:38
0:03:38 > 0:03:46Coventry are bottom of the leak. -- of the league. And he has the
0:03:46 > 0:03:52confidence to have a shot. Then it is a handball. That was a great
0:03:52 > 0:03:57spot by the referee. A Stonewall penalty. And it is a good finish as
0:03:57 > 0:04:07well. But a good decision by the referee. Yes, he was very sharp all
0:04:07 > 0:04:12
0:04:12 > 0:04:22day. And then become again. -- then they come up. But you have to stop
0:04:22 > 0:04:25
0:04:25 > 0:04:29conceding goals. What did Paul Jewell say at half-time? He was
0:04:29 > 0:04:36encouraging Michael Chopra. He did not let that worry him. I knew that
0:04:36 > 0:04:46their game was not over. In this, you cannot push people. Was it
0:04:46 > 0:04:49
0:04:49 > 0:04:54inside or outside of the box? that he can give is what he sees.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Advocate Michael Chopra again. On his toes. That is someone who is
0:04:57 > 0:05:06anticipating that they keeper is going to say that and he is first
0:05:06 > 0:05:13to react. Jason Scotland has been doing really well. But I thought
0:05:13 > 0:05:19that he was ready when I saw him in training. That was a great,
0:05:19 > 0:05:24glancing header. Look at the celebrations. That is about time.
0:05:24 > 0:05:33We have been on the end of that so many times this season. To actually
0:05:33 > 0:05:40finish like that was great. players are really appreciated the
0:05:40 > 0:05:46number of fans that came. We give away two sloppy goals. But it shows
0:05:46 > 0:05:50the biting character that we have in the team at the moment. There
0:05:51 > 0:06:00are a lot of points put to be played for. But we have had two a
0:06:01 > 0:06:02
0:06:02 > 0:06:06good result. He is not getting carried away at all. Marcus Evans
0:06:06 > 0:06:10has relate back to him. Yes, we all know that he does not court
0:06:10 > 0:06:17publicity. But he has been at the training ground twice in the last
0:06:17 > 0:06:22few months. He has addressed the playing and the coaching staff
0:06:22 > 0:06:27together. He has assured that he is here for the long run. He wants to
0:06:27 > 0:06:32be successful. I think the message to the players is if we are not
0:06:32 > 0:06:39successful with this team, more players will come in. And he has a
0:06:39 > 0:06:44youth policy as well, Paul Jewell. Thomas with has come back into the
0:06:44 > 0:06:51team. It seems to be working at the moment. And Thomas is starting to
0:06:51 > 0:06:56show the form that everybody thought he had. A bit of leadership
0:06:56 > 0:07:03and some direction. The manager is not going anywhere, so the players
0:07:03 > 0:07:08have to pull their fingers out. did not get much in terms of that
0:07:08 > 0:07:15transfer window. We know that he bid for three players at Portsmouth.
0:07:15 > 0:07:21But he was not able to get anyone in. We have got Ryan Stephenson in
0:07:21 > 0:07:26from Hearts and I think he will be a big edition. But there is still a
0:07:26 > 0:07:33lot of work to do. Let's see the bottom of the table. They are
0:07:33 > 0:07:41bottom of the table. They are keeping a way from Doncaster. The
0:07:41 > 0:07:51teams at the bottom have got no point out of the last few games.
0:07:51 > 0:08:12
0:08:12 > 0:08:18We played really well at Birmingham and at Blackpool, we played really
0:08:18 > 0:08:22well for 65 minutes against Leeds. There has been a turn informer. No
0:08:22 > 0:08:28substitutions on Saturday. The whole team played for the 90
0:08:28 > 0:08:38minutes. Level on points with Peterborough. It was a great.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Against Birmingham. This was a brilliant finish. Their final ball
0:08:45 > 0:08:51was just a little bit lacking. They dominated the game and they should
0:08:51 > 0:09:01have done better. They hit the post. But then they get all we a sloppy
0:09:01 > 0:09:05
0:09:05 > 0:09:13goal. -- they gave away. The nobody made a tackle. It is pretty brutal,
0:09:13 > 0:09:23but you have to bring him down. Bring him down before he gets into
0:09:23 > 0:09:24
0:09:24 > 0:09:34the box. I think Darren Ferguson would have been angry, but there
0:09:34 > 0:09:37
0:09:38 > 0:09:45have been a no defeats. What do you make of the sale of Ryan then it --
0:09:45 > 0:09:54Bennett? I thought his attitude was great. But when he was younger, it
0:09:54 > 0:09:58might have been different. Fair play. He admitted that when he was
0:09:58 > 0:10:08coming through the ranks at Ipswich Academy, his attitude was
0:10:08 > 0:10:09
0:10:09 > 0:10:13questionable. He was released, went to Grimsbury -- Grimsby. Now he is
0:10:13 > 0:10:23in the Premiership. Play into more still to come. So
0:10:23 > 0:10:28close up, but so far. -- are plenty more.
0:10:28 > 0:10:34The crucial role that sponsorship place in the modern game.
0:10:34 > 0:10:41That is all still to come. But next, the campaign to tackle an age old
0:10:41 > 0:10:51problem in football. Clubs are being encouraged to join the fight
0:10:51 > 0:10:52
0:10:52 > 0:10:58against homophobia in football. Amal Fashanu, model, TV presenter
0:10:58 > 0:11:06is I dunked lady on a mission. She was just 10 when her uncle, Justin
0:11:06 > 0:11:16Fashanu, committed suicide. He was the first, and so far, they only
0:11:16 > 0:11:20
0:11:20 > 0:11:28professional footballer to admit Welcome to the Football verses
0:11:28 > 0:11:34homophobia or! I feel that this campaign can give hope to others.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39It was coverage of the launch which led to Amal Fashanu presenting a
0:11:39 > 0:11:45documentary. For the first time, a genuine big name footballer was
0:11:45 > 0:11:50going to talk on TV. The programme came about thanks to
0:11:50 > 0:11:58your clip and the following day I did a short interview on the
0:11:58 > 0:12:03internet. The youngest of my uncles is gay. I interviewed people like
0:12:03 > 0:12:10Gerry Barker and -- Joey Barton his uncle is gay. He was speaking
0:12:10 > 0:12:15without fear or about homophobia in football. I a said, I love you for
0:12:15 > 0:12:20you, not just because you are gay, I love you because you why you.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25Joey has encouraging words. If more footballers were like him, we would
0:12:25 > 0:12:28get further along. There is no problem speaking about a form of
0:12:28 > 0:12:33discrimination so why do not see why it would be a problem for a
0:12:33 > 0:12:39footballer to speak about it. Barton's views are in struck --
0:12:39 > 0:12:45stark contrast to those of Amal Fashanu's father, John, when his
0:12:45 > 0:12:51brother declared his sexuality. has come out publicly and said his
0:12:51 > 0:12:57sexual preferences. It is no deals's business and I have to
0:12:57 > 0:13:03suffer the consequences. Or Amal Fashanu confronted her father about
0:13:03 > 0:13:07his lack of support. I don't think in two decades of football, I do
0:13:07 > 0:13:13not think I have witnessed the abuse thick your uncle received.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17His view was critical and harsh at the time. But we changed. He does
0:13:17 > 0:13:22not feel the same way as he did back then which is a good thing.
0:13:22 > 0:13:27is fair to say society has also changed. No other professional
0:13:27 > 0:13:31footballer has followed Fashanu's lead. Two years ago Welsh
0:13:31 > 0:13:36international rugby player Gareth Thomas announced he was gay.
0:13:36 > 0:13:41personally admire Gareth Thomas. I realise he will be similar to my
0:13:41 > 0:13:45uncle in the way that he is a brave man. He told me he has never felt
0:13:45 > 0:13:50more liberated in his life. I think for those players who are gay and
0:13:50 > 0:13:55cannot express it and tell people who they are, it must be a whole
0:13:55 > 0:14:00different story. Yd feel there has been a lot of success in combating
0:14:00 > 0:14:04racism in football but not homophobia? The clear answer is
0:14:04 > 0:14:08race is something you can see. Being gay is something you can hide.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12All I can say with that is if you are black, you are black and no
0:14:12 > 0:14:16matter what, you are a black footballer. If you are gay, you
0:14:16 > 0:14:21could be a black gay footballer and hide it. I think that could be one
0:14:21 > 0:14:26of the main reasons. If you missed that programme, Britain's gay
0:14:26 > 0:14:29footballers is available on the BBC iPlayer.
0:14:29 > 0:14:365,000 professional footballers, the odds are some Ardgay, why haven't
0:14:36 > 0:14:41they come out? If 1% is gay, that would be 50 footballers. I do not
0:14:41 > 0:14:45think it is a big deal in modern society of being gay. In a dressing
0:14:45 > 0:14:48room, it would not bother me. All he would be worried that is can
0:14:48 > 0:14:53they do their job on Saturday and make the right decision on the
0:14:53 > 0:14:57pitch? In other sports there is not the tribalism that follows football.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03I would worry about away fans and how they would react. Do you agree
0:15:03 > 0:15:08with that, Simon? It is the media. Dressing room wise, it is not a
0:15:08 > 0:15:12problem. But the media, away fans, getting the spotlight on someone
0:15:12 > 0:15:16who came out, I think it would be a tough time for someone. What are
0:15:16 > 0:15:20the prospects of someone coming out? Five years ago we said in five
0:15:20 > 0:15:25years' time they will. I think in the next five years, someone will
0:15:25 > 0:15:29come out who is playing football and is openly gay. I hope it is a
0:15:29 > 0:15:33high-profile footballer because if there is a homophobic reaction it
0:15:33 > 0:15:37will be highlighted but if it is in Division One or two, it will be
0:15:37 > 0:15:43difficult. If you get an ambassador, it will encourage other people to
0:15:43 > 0:15:48come out. If there was homophobic chanting, you should be arrested.
0:15:48 > 0:15:54We have done it with racism. It took 20 years to try and eradicate
0:15:54 > 0:15:59that. We could be the Trail Blazers for homophobia. I hope you are
0:15:59 > 0:16:05right. Into League One, the MK Dons faced a tricky tie at Huddersfield
0:16:05 > 0:16:11but came away with a valuable point. Yes, a difficult place to go.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16Huddersfield started well with a bit of a deflection. The Dons are
0:16:16 > 0:16:26in red. It is their away kit. was a bad time to concede a goal at
0:16:26 > 0:16:33
0:16:33 > 0:16:38survived at the weekend that they had under floor heating. All he was
0:16:38 > 0:16:41doing was putting that in. touch, the keeper is looking at
0:16:41 > 0:16:48anyone who is coming across, the keeper was a bit embarrassed about
0:16:49 > 0:16:53that, I think. Alan Smith, what did he bring to the party? His attitude
0:16:54 > 0:16:58was good. He got booked and then hooked. He has not played many
0:16:58 > 0:17:05games for years. They did not want him to be sent off. He has engaged
0:17:05 > 0:17:10himself with the MK Dons' players. It must be windy. The keepers are
0:17:10 > 0:17:20getting caught out. Going back to Alan Smith, he will give everyone a
0:17:20 > 0:17:26lift by going there. He wants to play. MK Dons were well worth their
0:17:26 > 0:17:31point. A decent point. Bay for managers have been linked with
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Leeds. I would love to see one of those managers get a chance at a
0:17:35 > 0:17:39big club. I'm fed up with the older managers on the merry-go-round
0:17:39 > 0:17:46getting the big jobs. A thing Lee Clark was more interested than what
0:17:46 > 0:17:51Karl Robinson was. What have you made of Karl Robinson's job? He has
0:17:51 > 0:17:56linked we -- be linked with so many clubs. Young, English managers,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02they will do well. Go back to Leeds, their 10th in the lead, four points
0:18:02 > 0:18:12of the play-off and the manager has lost his job. Let's have a look at
0:18:12 > 0:18:21
0:18:21 > 0:18:26to get themselves out there, MK Dons. Stevenage are in 6th. They
0:18:26 > 0:18:33are hoping to play tomorrow. They have fans on the pitch to clear the
0:18:33 > 0:18:43snow. There is a 10:30am picture inspection. If you get the snow off,
0:18:43 > 0:18:44
0:18:44 > 0:18:49you get a free ticket. And date signing for Colchester -- assigning
0:18:49 > 0:18:53for Colchester. All the Premiership clubs now, great big squads, people
0:18:53 > 0:19:03have to get out and play. Into leaked two, Southend have had
0:19:03 > 0:19:07a bit of a wobble but the only game in League two to survive. They
0:19:07 > 0:19:17started off really well, dominated the game. This is an horrendous
0:19:17 > 0:19:22mix-up between the goalkeeper and the centre-half. It is a lost cause
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and he puts their 1-0 up. When you want to get promotion, you need
0:19:25 > 0:19:31more than that. There will be happy to get there but now as long as
0:19:31 > 0:19:36they finish the season well. If you have there, you have still got time.
0:19:36 > 0:19:44You do not want to be giving too many 2-0 Leeds away. Paul
0:19:44 > 0:19:51Sturrock's old club, of course. will be disappointed with that.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56They cannot get the ball away. The Chadwick shot, hit the post,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59substitute Alex MacDonald comes on and get a 2-2 draw. As Paul
0:19:59 > 0:20:05Sturrock said, they want to win our home games and trying get something
0:20:05 > 0:20:10away from time. Or do you think of the job Paul Sturrock has done and
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Southend's chance of getting promoted? We played them pre-season.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19They are a difficult side who need to get themselves up again. They
0:20:19 > 0:20:26have been up and down, up and down. It is so tough at that level to get
0:20:26 > 0:20:31a team out at any League. They have got to see the season out now. They
0:20:31 > 0:20:34should be a confident team. He said at the top of League One there are
0:20:34 > 0:20:40a lot of good teams and likewise at League Two. Swindon with the money
0:20:40 > 0:20:45they have got, Crawley Town with the money they have got. In second
0:20:45 > 0:20:53position they have got a chance? Crawley Town will come into it as
0:20:53 > 0:21:00well. And they can afford to turn down a good player. A another one
0:21:00 > 0:21:08of our teams, Northampton signed Clarke Carlisle. He played well at
0:21:08 > 0:21:13what that. I keep saying it, the lad wants to play. The dressing
0:21:13 > 0:21:19room, people Kissane, you have got a good player who will help your
0:21:19 > 0:21:25calls. And a big game on Saturday, Dagenham & Redbridge. Yes, probably
0:21:25 > 0:21:30the closest they get to a local derby. They had been yielding gilts
0:21:30 > 0:21:36and they have got to get a clean sheet. They have got to get their
0:21:36 > 0:21:41home form back. You need an organiser, someone who has done it
0:21:41 > 0:21:46and give everyone a lift. That organisation could be the
0:21:46 > 0:21:50difference between winning and losing games. We all know it can be
0:21:50 > 0:22:00a battle to survive, especially in the lower leagues. Sponsorship is
0:22:00 > 0:22:12
0:22:12 > 0:22:16In the Football League, sponsorship is a competitive, almost ruthless
0:22:16 > 0:22:24business. Forget the January transfer window, when it comes to
0:22:24 > 0:22:28big bucks, this is where it is at. But I always say, the biggest
0:22:29 > 0:22:32fixture in football is income verses expenditure and sponsorship
0:22:32 > 0:22:37is a massive part of trying to formulate that. Every penny matters
0:22:37 > 0:22:45to a club of our size and we need every penny from everybody who can
0:22:45 > 0:22:48put that money in. Forget the millions currently
0:22:48 > 0:22:53garnered from sponsorship in the Premier League and the Football
0:22:53 > 0:22:58League, back in the mid-70s, sponsorship was a dirty word for
0:22:58 > 0:23:03football fans. It took one man to change the face of that, Derek
0:23:03 > 0:23:11Dougan of Kettering Town with a simple idea, as shirt sponsorship.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17It kicked up a fuss. He brokered a deal with a local company based in
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Wellingborough in 1984 -- 1974. I think it went to Parliament. It
0:23:21 > 0:23:24went to the League secretary, Ted croaker in his day. There is League
0:23:24 > 0:23:29clubs were not happy with sponsorship on football shirts,
0:23:29 > 0:23:34probably because they had not thought at first. Perhaps something
0:23:34 > 0:23:39like that in 1974 was all but a criminal offence. While the Premier
0:23:39 > 0:23:45League appears to be swimming in sponsorship revenue, every pound is
0:23:45 > 0:23:51crucial for the Football League. At League two Northampton Town, it is
0:23:51 > 0:24:0020 % but in League One, MK Dons, it is as much as 40 % turnover.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03would generate 30 million - a �30,000 a year. In the Premier
0:24:03 > 0:24:07League it is close to a million. With sponsorship and selling
0:24:07 > 0:24:11tickets, it is all-important. you add it up, it is massively
0:24:11 > 0:24:15important, especially at a club like ours. We have a smaller fan-
0:24:15 > 0:24:20base than 90 % of other clubs in the championship, so we need to
0:24:20 > 0:24:24work even harder. The further down the chain you go, it becomes
0:24:24 > 0:24:30critical. You're talking about existence, survival. Sponsorship
0:24:30 > 0:24:34means that much to football clubs. Shirt sponsorship has been one of
0:24:34 > 0:24:38the biggest revenue raisers of the lot and yet, it is also one of the
0:24:38 > 0:24:42most difficult to sell. Peterborough United Powley have a
0:24:42 > 0:24:46two-year deal with a local firm, described as one of the best in the
0:24:46 > 0:24:50championship. But last season they could not agree a deal with anyone
0:24:51 > 0:24:56so offered their shirt sponsorship to a local charity. At that time,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59the recession was just biting. We are having to lay people off and
0:24:59 > 0:25:04make people redundant, we cannot be seen to be spending money in
0:25:04 > 0:25:08football terms when you are laying people off. It is a hole in the
0:25:08 > 0:25:15Budget which is irreplaceable. are these firms who have -- in fest
0:25:15 > 0:25:18in clubs with limited television exposure but pay six-figure sums?
0:25:19 > 0:25:23lot of companies throw money at the Premier League clubs but football
0:25:23 > 0:25:29is a game which consists of many divisions. It is not just about the
0:25:29 > 0:25:33top tier of the Premier League. For many people, the clubs are
0:25:33 > 0:25:37inaccessible anyway. At a lower league, it is more community-based.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41It is important for us that we feel part of the overall Milton Keynes
0:25:41 > 0:25:45business community and this has allowed us to do that. You do not
0:25:45 > 0:25:51need a lot of cash to make sponsorship pay. Nick cockerel runs
0:25:51 > 0:25:55a building firm and pays �1,000 a year for sponsorship. People
0:25:55 > 0:26:00probably get a bigger kick of sponsoring Fernando Torres because
0:26:00 > 0:26:05you can have your picture taken next to him. I am quite happy and I
0:26:05 > 0:26:10am really pleased when I have my picture taken with Liam McLoughlin,
0:26:10 > 0:26:15our reserve goalkeeper. There is one last gift at the club's
0:26:15 > 0:26:20disposal. Stevenage and Colchester have already renamed their stadium.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23The Dons are not ruling it out and Peterborough could be next. It will
0:26:23 > 0:26:26always be London Road because physically we are in London Road.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31When we are speaking to people about potential naming rights,
0:26:31 > 0:26:36there's an element to us that would be looking to potentially keep that
0:26:36 > 0:26:40name as part of the whole thing. It is a level of revenue which cannot
0:26:40 > 0:26:46be brought in at any other way at that level particularly, because
0:26:46 > 0:26:49you are speaking about big-money, potentially into millions of pounds
0:26:49 > 0:26:54worth of revenue over a period of time. It has always got to be
0:26:54 > 0:26:57considered. The shirts are sold, the boxes are full and you have
0:26:57 > 0:27:01named your stadium. As clubs look to make money wherever they can,
0:27:01 > 0:27:06they might just find there is nothing left to sell.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Nothing left to sell! Do you agree with that? There will be the
0:27:10 > 0:27:16crossbar or the post or the corner flag used to get a lot of exposure
0:27:16 > 0:27:22when I was shooting. Simon, in your job as Academy sponsorship manner -
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- manager, had difficult is it to attract sponsorship money? People
0:27:25 > 0:27:30love the academy. People love their home-grown players coming through.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Every Academy team has a different sponsor. One of the sponsors of the
0:27:34 > 0:27:38under sixteens is Kieron Dyer. It is his way of putting something
0:27:38 > 0:27:45back in the team which brought him three. His name is on the front of
0:27:45 > 0:27:51the shirts. A big game on Saturday? Massive. We have been doing well in
0:27:51 > 0:27:56the top six. That is one we are looking forward to. I would love to
0:27:56 > 0:28:01see three games on the trot. your big game? I would say London
0:28:01 > 0:28:09wrote. Peterborough. And it is a sellout as well. That time of year
0:28:09 > 0:28:13when every game is important? game against West Ham, corporately,
0:28:13 > 0:28:19we went round all the areas, there was nothing left to sell on the day.