[Zinman]

Just wondering with the vote now fixed on our continued membership of the E.U..

Does anyone have any idea what effect a NO vote would have on recruitment?  Obviously there would be work permit problems and interpretation of overseas player rules which don't currently affect players from other E.U. countries.  Also would E.U country players be less likely to want to play in England as a result of any difficulties around permits?

Not as this would make any difference to my vote I was just curious.

In many ways Salop, should we leave the EU and thus reducing the number of overseas players, would it long term not be a good thing towards making it a more level playing playing field for the smaller clubs ?

In a word, no.  The Champions League money and the TV money will remain exactly the same, meaning that there will still be a 'natural' economic pecking order; we'll just be divvying up a smaller selection of players between us all.  It will still be financially catastrophic for a club to get relegated from the Prem, so most clubs will still prefer to buy "proven" talent to keep them out of trouble rather than risk blooding youth.  It'll be the same old crooked game with slightly different names and faces.

That would be my take on the situation as well Ska'd, same number of "talented" UK players, but all going to the top four due to the overseas player rules. I fear that it would have a knock on effect throughout the entire football league with the lower (not top four) Premiership clubs having to buy and play players who are currently Championship standard which would have a trickle down effect right through all of the leagues. While this (just like in society) would not really have any great effect on the top four rich clubs, it would be devastating for the less wealthy clubs.

The end result being a serious lowering of the standard of football we are used to.

You mean it can get worse?????