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Vanity projects in football clubs/clubs run for the sole benefit of conglomerates

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    #51
    Sheriff Tirasapol would be my clear nomination. The football club of the Moldovan secret police, that rose to become the dominant force in the national game, then took over a load of national industries, then annexed its region from Moldova and set up its own country. All this under the rule of two ex-KGB associates.

    Some would list their greatest achievement as losing twice to Spurs, but I’d say it would be having the tackiest club badge to ever grace the Europa league.

    Also, when I visited, my mate got hospitalised with food poisoning from a margarita pizza.
    Last edited by Big Boobs and FIRE!; 16-05-2019, 04:15. Reason: Removal of a graphic description of the mate with food poisoning shitting down his trouser leg in the Romanian customs office.

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      #52
      Originally posted by Nesta View Post
      Also which Celtic is meant
      Stalybridge

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        #53
        Originally posted by Big Boobs and FIRE! View Post
        Sheriff Tirasapol would be my clear nomination. The football club of the Moldovan secret police, that rose to become the dominant force in the national game, then took over a load of national industries, then annexed its region from Moldova and set up its own country. All this under the rule of two ex-KGB associates.

        Some would list their greatest achievement as losing twice to Spurs, but I’d say it would be having the tackiest club badge to ever grace the Europa league.

        Also, when I visited, my mate got hospitalised with food poisoning from a margarita pizza.
        Bizarrely, there is an article today on BBC Sport about all of this (well, not the food poisoning) ;

        Trans-Dniester: The disputed 'smuggler's haven' ruled by Moldovan 'football kings'

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          #54
          Cheers Ray, an interesting read.

          I shared it with my travelling companion from the visit who reminded me the away side we saw were Dinamo Bender, who sound like one of the Inbetweeners fantasy football team.

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            #55
            Given the current split of Belenenses in twain, is the current Primeira Liga faction now a vanity project?

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              #56
              Given that they can't use the name or logo of the original club and were drawing one tenth as many fans, I would say yes.

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                #57
                Originally posted by Sean of the Shed View Post
                Red Bull's franchise of clubs are a prime example. I notice that Bragatino in Brazil have become the latest to join the stable.
                Bragantino are currently top of Série B, 8 points ahead of second-placed Sport and 14 points ahead of fifth-placed América-MG so with just 9 games left they are virtually assured of promotion. It will be their first appearance in Série A for 22 years.

                Though the standard in Série B is pretty awful, they are an impressive team and I expect them to be competitive in Série A next year.

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                  #58
                  Just reading this months WSC,Pique's FC Andorra must belong in this thread.

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                    #59
                    Do universities count as conglomerates? Cardiff Metropolitan in the Cymru Premier are an artificial club in terms of how they are basically full time without being full time.

                    Airbus Broughton, new to the Cymru Premier, were originally a works team. I don't know how much Airbus invests in them these days.

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                      #60
                      Poor form of me not to mention Stewart Day's tenure at Bury here. We're floundering towards the foot of League One in the latter stages of 2016/17. Which battle-hardened player will get us out of this mess? Why, Jermaine Pennant of course!

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                        #61
                        Last night, Red Bull Bragantino duly clinched Brazil's Série B title with a 1-1 draw against Criciúma.

                        I have mixed feelings about about this as Red Bull produce teams that play progressive, attractive football but they have effectively bought a place in the top division. A year ago they were playing in Série D as Red Bull Brasil before moving to take over Bragantino and their place in Série B.

                        This year it looks like the top two divisions in Brazil, possibly for the first time, will be won by the teams with the most money.

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                          #62
                          Surely Billingham Synthonia has to be the UK archetype?

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                            #63
                            Now that we are looking historically, it is worth mentioning the original New York Cosmos, who were very much a vanity project for Steve Ross of Warner and the Erteguns of Atlantic Records (the A in WEA). Including cross promotion that was 40 years ahead of its time



                            There is, of course, a long tradition of this in US football, with many of the most storied clubs of the "golden age" of the American Soccer League being used as promotional vehicles by the likes of Bethlehem Steel or the Fall River Marksmen, who were very literally named after their owner Sam Mark.

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                              #64
                              Olt Scornicești are one of the best examples of vanity projects of this type. And these days Puskás Akadémia.

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                                #65
                                The "national strongman's village teams" are worthy of their own wing of this edifice.

                                They have certain similarities with the likes of Dynamo Berlin or Steaua, but are also distinct.

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                                  #66
                                  Was ASL the first football league anywhere to use mascots and cheerleaders?

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                                    #67
                                    The NASL?

                                    Mascots maybe.

                                    Malcolm Allison had cheerleaders at Crystal Palace a few years before the Cosmos moved to Giants Stadium and I have a vague recollection of him having taken the idea from American football. I wouldn't bet in it, but I don't recall the Cosmos having cheerleaders at Randall's Island or Hofstra.

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