Episode 4 Late Kick Off East

The cold snap but did his best to get the better of us, but it is

What a difference a week makes. Ipswich fans are up in arms again,

this time, for all the right reasons. It shows the fighting

spirit we haven't the team. Still one of a kind. Tackling the

game at's big taboo, we meet the woman fighting discrimination in

memory of her famous uncle. And how sponsorship it started on

our doorstep. Good evening and welcome to Late

Kick Off. Perry Groves is with me as usual.

Alongside him s Simon. I do not know how to introduce you. I'm a

sponsorship manager. As ever, you are more than welcome to join him

and have your say on anything to do with football in this part of the

Our resident expert Perry Groves said that Ipswich had two weekends

in which to turn their season around. We said that they would be

tested physically and mental and they have come through that test

with abundance. They matched West Ham in every single department.

was a great start. Tommy Smith won the first. What a strike there. And

then he scored again. His fitness is up, what a fantastic night.

thing that stood out for me is the way that the -- the way that they

battled against a West Ham. Yes, it was important that we kept the ball.

We needed a decent performance in front of our home plans. And then

to travel to Coventry at the weekend. The Ipswich fans travelled

in their numbers. A real sense of optimism are amongst them. The

where -- they were in good voice. Why can to the producer that every

week? If that we get this one, it will give us confidence for the

rest of the season. We need to get a run, consistency has been our big

problem. You were there. After seven games without a whim, two on

the trot. This was always going to be a tough game. They are fighting

for their lives. It is more than just the goal. Michael Chopra their

early on. The supporters are mentioned consistency. It shows why

Coventry are bottom of the leak. -- of the league. And he has the

confidence to have a shot. Then it is a handball. That was a great

spot by the referee. A Stonewall penalty. And it is a good finish as

well. But a good decision by the referee. Yes, he was very sharp all

day. And then become again. -- then they come up. But you have to stop

conceding goals. What did Paul Jewell say at half-time? He was

encouraging Michael Chopra. He did not let that worry him. I knew that

their game was not over. In this, you cannot push people. Was it

inside or outside of the box? that he can give is what he sees.

Advocate Michael Chopra again. On his toes. That is someone who is

anticipating that they keeper is going to say that and he is first

to react. Jason Scotland has been doing really well. But I thought

that he was ready when I saw him in training. That was a great,

glancing header. Look at the celebrations. That is about time.

We have been on the end of that so many times this season. To actually

finish like that was great. players are really appreciated the

number of fans that came. We give away two sloppy goals. But it shows

the biting character that we have in the team at the moment. There

are a lot of points put to be played for. But we have had two a

good result. He is not getting carried away at all. Marcus Evans

has relate back to him. Yes, we all know that he does not court

publicity. But he has been at the training ground twice in the last

few months. He has addressed the playing and the coaching staff

together. He has assured that he is here for the long run. He wants to

be successful. I think the message to the players is if we are not

successful with this team, more players will come in. And he has a

youth policy as well, Paul Jewell. Thomas with has come back into the

team. It seems to be working at the moment. And Thomas is starting to

show the form that everybody thought he had. A bit of leadership

and some direction. The manager is not going anywhere, so the players

have to pull their fingers out. did not get much in terms of that

transfer window. We know that he bid for three players at Portsmouth.

But he was not able to get anyone in. We have got Ryan Stephenson in

from Hearts and I think he will be a big edition. But there is still a

lot of work to do. Let's see the bottom of the table. They are

bottom of the table. They are keeping a way from Doncaster. The

teams at the bottom have got no point out of the last few games.

We played really well at Birmingham and at Blackpool, we played really

well for 65 minutes against Leeds. There has been a turn informer. No

substitutions on Saturday. The whole team played for the 90

minutes. Level on points with Peterborough. It was a great.

Against Birmingham. This was a brilliant finish. Their final ball

was just a little bit lacking. They dominated the game and they should

have done better. They hit the post. But then they get all we a sloppy

goal. -- they gave away. The nobody made a tackle. It is pretty brutal,

but you have to bring him down. Bring him down before he gets into

the box. I think Darren Ferguson would have been angry, but there

have been a no defeats. What do you make of the sale of Ryan then it --

Bennett? I thought his attitude was great. But when he was younger, it

might have been different. Fair play. He admitted that when he was

coming through the ranks at Ipswich Academy, his attitude was

questionable. He was released, went to Grimsbury -- Grimsby. Now he is

in the Premiership. Play into more still to come. So

close up, but so far. -- are plenty more.

The crucial role that sponsorship place in the modern game.

That is all still to come. But next, the campaign to tackle an age old

problem in football. Clubs are being encouraged to join the fight

against homophobia in football. Amal Fashanu, model, TV presenter

is I dunked lady on a mission. She was just 10 when her uncle, Justin

Fashanu, committed suicide. He was the first, and so far, they only

professional footballer to admit Welcome to the Football verses

homophobia or! I feel that this campaign can give hope to others.

It was coverage of the launch which led to Amal Fashanu presenting a

documentary. For the first time, a genuine big name footballer was

going to talk on TV. The programme came about thanks to

your clip and the following day I did a short interview on the

internet. The youngest of my uncles is gay. I interviewed people like

Gerry Barker and -- Joey Barton his uncle is gay. He was speaking

without fear or about homophobia in football. I a said, I love you for

you, not just because you are gay, I love you because you why you.

Joey has encouraging words. If more footballers were like him, we would

get further along. There is no problem speaking about a form of

discrimination so why do not see why it would be a problem for a

footballer to speak about it. Barton's views are in struck --

stark contrast to those of Amal Fashanu's father, John, when his

brother declared his sexuality. has come out publicly and said his

sexual preferences. It is no deals's business and I have to

suffer the consequences. Or Amal Fashanu confronted her father about

his lack of support. I don't think in two decades of football, I do

not think I have witnessed the abuse thick your uncle received.

His view was critical and harsh at the time. But we changed. He does

not feel the same way as he did back then which is a good thing.

is fair to say society has also changed. No other professional

footballer has followed Fashanu's lead. Two years ago Welsh

international rugby player Gareth Thomas announced he was gay.

personally admire Gareth Thomas. I realise he will be similar to my

uncle in the way that he is a brave man. He told me he has never felt

more liberated in his life. I think for those players who are gay and

cannot express it and tell people who they are, it must be a whole

different story. Yd feel there has been a lot of success in combating

racism in football but not homophobia? The clear answer is

race is something you can see. Being gay is something you can hide.

All I can say with that is if you are black, you are black and no

matter what, you are a black footballer. If you are gay, you

could be a black gay footballer and hide it. I think that could be one

of the main reasons. If you missed that programme, Britain's gay

footballers is available on the BBC iPlayer.

5,000 professional footballers, the odds are some Ardgay, why haven't

they come out? If 1% is gay, that would be 50 footballers. I do not

think it is a big deal in modern society of being gay. In a dressing

room, it would not bother me. All he would be worried that is can

they do their job on Saturday and make the right decision on the

pitch? In other sports there is not the tribalism that follows football.

I would worry about away fans and how they would react. Do you agree

with that, Simon? It is the media. Dressing room wise, it is not a

problem. But the media, away fans, getting the spotlight on someone

who came out, I think it would be a tough time for someone. What are

the prospects of someone coming out? Five years ago we said in five

years' time they will. I think in the next five years, someone will

come out who is playing football and is openly gay. I hope it is a

high-profile footballer because if there is a homophobic reaction it

will be highlighted but if it is in Division One or two, it will be

difficult. If you get an ambassador, it will encourage other people to

come out. If there was homophobic chanting, you should be arrested.

We have done it with racism. It took 20 years to try and eradicate

that. We could be the Trail Blazers for homophobia. I hope you are

right. Into League One, the MK Dons faced a tricky tie at Huddersfield

but came away with a valuable point. Yes, a difficult place to go.

Huddersfield started well with a bit of a deflection. The Dons are

in red. It is their away kit. was a bad time to concede a goal at

survived at the weekend that they had under floor heating. All he was

doing was putting that in. touch, the keeper is looking at

anyone who is coming across, the keeper was a bit embarrassed about

that, I think. Alan Smith, what did he bring to the party? His attitude

was good. He got booked and then hooked. He has not played many

games for years. They did not want him to be sent off. He has engaged

himself with the MK Dons' players. It must be windy. The keepers are

getting caught out. Going back to Alan Smith, he will give everyone a

lift by going there. He wants to play. MK Dons were well worth their

point. A decent point. Bay for managers have been linked with

Leeds. I would love to see one of those managers get a chance at a

big club. I'm fed up with the older managers on the merry-go-round

getting the big jobs. A thing Lee Clark was more interested than what

Karl Robinson was. What have you made of Karl Robinson's job? He has

linked we -- be linked with so many clubs. Young, English managers,

they will do well. Go back to Leeds, their 10th in the lead, four points

of the play-off and the manager has lost his job. Let's have a look at

to get themselves out there, MK Dons. Stevenage are in 6th. They

are hoping to play tomorrow. They have fans on the pitch to clear the

snow. There is a 10:30am picture inspection. If you get the snow off,

you get a free ticket. And date signing for Colchester -- assigning

for Colchester. All the Premiership clubs now, great big squads, people

have to get out and play. Into leaked two, Southend have had

a bit of a wobble but the only game in League two to survive. They

started off really well, dominated the game. This is an horrendous

mix-up between the goalkeeper and the centre-half. It is a lost cause

and he puts their 1-0 up. When you want to get promotion, you need

more than that. There will be happy to get there but now as long as

they finish the season well. If you have there, you have still got time.

You do not want to be giving too many 2-0 Leeds away. Paul

Sturrock's old club, of course. will be disappointed with that.

They cannot get the ball away. The Chadwick shot, hit the post,

substitute Alex MacDonald comes on and get a 2-2 draw. As Paul

Sturrock said, they want to win our home games and trying get something

away from time. Or do you think of the job Paul Sturrock has done and

Southend's chance of getting promoted? We played them pre-season.

They are a difficult side who need to get themselves up again. They

have been up and down, up and down. It is so tough at that level to get

a team out at any League. They have got to see the season out now. They

should be a confident team. He said at the top of League One there are

a lot of good teams and likewise at League Two. Swindon with the money

they have got, Crawley Town with the money they have got. In second

position they have got a chance? Crawley Town will come into it as

well. And they can afford to turn down a good player. A another one

of our teams, Northampton signed Clarke Carlisle. He played well at

what that. I keep saying it, the lad wants to play. The dressing

room, people Kissane, you have got a good player who will help your

calls. And a big game on Saturday, Dagenham & Redbridge. Yes, probably

the closest they get to a local derby. They had been yielding gilts

and they have got to get a clean sheet. They have got to get their

home form back. You need an organiser, someone who has done it

and give everyone a lift. That organisation could be the

difference between winning and losing games. We all know it can be

a battle to survive, especially in the lower leagues. Sponsorship is

In the Football League, sponsorship is a competitive, almost ruthless

business. Forget the January transfer window, when it comes to

big bucks, this is where it is at. But I always say, the biggest

fixture in football is income verses expenditure and sponsorship

is a massive part of trying to formulate that. Every penny matters

to a club of our size and we need every penny from everybody who can

put that money in. Forget the millions currently

garnered from sponsorship in the Premier League and the Football

League, back in the mid-70s, sponsorship was a dirty word for

football fans. It took one man to change the face of that, Derek

Dougan of Kettering Town with a simple idea, as shirt sponsorship.

It kicked up a fuss. He brokered a deal with a local company based in

Wellingborough in 1984 -- 1974. I think it went to Parliament. It

went to the League secretary, Ted croaker in his day. There is League

clubs were not happy with sponsorship on football shirts,

probably because they had not thought at first. Perhaps something

like that in 1974 was all but a criminal offence. While the Premier

League appears to be swimming in sponsorship revenue, every pound is

crucial for the Football League. At League two Northampton Town, it is

20 % but in League One, MK Dons, it is as much as 40 % turnover.

would generate 30 million - a �30,000 a year. In the Premier

League it is close to a million. With sponsorship and selling

tickets, it is all-important. you add it up, it is massively

important, especially at a club like ours. We have a smaller fan-

base than 90 % of other clubs in the championship, so we need to

work even harder. The further down the chain you go, it becomes

critical. You're talking about existence, survival. Sponsorship

means that much to football clubs. Shirt sponsorship has been one of

the biggest revenue raisers of the lot and yet, it is also one of the

most difficult to sell. Peterborough United Powley have a

two-year deal with a local firm, described as one of the best in the

championship. But last season they could not agree a deal with anyone

so offered their shirt sponsorship to a local charity. At that time,

the recession was just biting. We are having to lay people off and

make people redundant, we cannot be seen to be spending money in

football terms when you are laying people off. It is a hole in the

Budget which is irreplaceable. are these firms who have -- in fest

in clubs with limited television exposure but pay six-figure sums?

lot of companies throw money at the Premier League clubs but football

is a game which consists of many divisions. It is not just about the

top tier of the Premier League. For many people, the clubs are

inaccessible anyway. At a lower league, it is more community-based.

It is important for us that we feel part of the overall Milton Keynes

business community and this has allowed us to do that. You do not

need a lot of cash to make sponsorship pay. Nick cockerel runs

a building firm and pays �1,000 a year for sponsorship. People

probably get a bigger kick of sponsoring Fernando Torres because

you can have your picture taken next to him. I am quite happy and I

am really pleased when I have my picture taken with Liam McLoughlin,

our reserve goalkeeper. There is one last gift at the club's

disposal. Stevenage and Colchester have already renamed their stadium.

The Dons are not ruling it out and Peterborough could be next. It will

always be London Road because physically we are in London Road.

When we are speaking to people about potential naming rights,

there's an element to us that would be looking to potentially keep that

name as part of the whole thing. It is a level of revenue which cannot

be brought in at any other way at that level particularly, because

you are speaking about big-money, potentially into millions of pounds

worth of revenue over a period of time. It has always got to be

considered. The shirts are sold, the boxes are full and you have

named your stadium. As clubs look to make money wherever they can,

they might just find there is nothing left to sell.

Nothing left to sell! Do you agree with that? There will be the

crossbar or the post or the corner flag used to get a lot of exposure

when I was shooting. Simon, in your job as Academy sponsorship manner -

- manager, had difficult is it to attract sponsorship money? People

love the academy. People love their home-grown players coming through.

Every Academy team has a different sponsor. One of the sponsors of the

under sixteens is Kieron Dyer. It is his way of putting something

back in the team which brought him three. His name is on the front of

the shirts. A big game on Saturday? Massive. We have been doing well in

the top six. That is one we are looking forward to. I would love to

see three games on the trot. your big game? I would say London

wrote. Peterborough. And it is a sellout as well. That time of year

when every game is important? game against West Ham, corporately,

we went round all the areas, there was nothing left to sell on the day.