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Sports - September 2009
It has been an unbelievable year for athletics and sport in general, despite the global recession and accompanying doom-mongering. In the trade, all sorts has happened to the multiples, culminating in the decision by the Serious Fraud Office to investigate JJB Sports and Sports Direct for their alleged involvement in a ‘cartel' involving the sale of sports good. Goodness knows what the result of this will be, and frankly it could take years for this to bear any fruit, whether it be sweet or sour. And in the meantime, there's another World Cup coming in just nine months or so, and the opportunity to not sell any England shirts because the multiples have them at such vastly reduced prices, the independent can't compete without cutting their own throats.
This must be what life is like for the hundreds of ‘small' football clubs out there, when one of the big boys comes knocking for their players. But as Chelsea found out, even the ‘smaller' clubs are not without protection. So fingers crossed - if any wrong-doing has been perpetrated by these companies, let's hope the punishment is swift and just.
Jon Bruford, Editor
01584 877177
