Ebbsfleet United will take part in their first cup final this weekend. Nothing too unusual about that. A little football club that makes it through to the final of the smallest trophy in England for the first time in their 62 year history. A nice story. But there are a couple of peculiarities in this tale. The first is that the town/village of Ebbsfleet doesn't actually exist just yet. It is still undergoing planning permission. The only thing of note called Ebbsfleet is the Eurostar train station. But the big twist is the ownership of the club and how it will be potentially run.
Ebbsfleet is owned by 30,000 people who signed up on a website to purchase an English football club for a £35 stake each. Around $75 gets you a piece of the action. The takeover took place about 6 months ago. A bit odd but nothing too remarkable about that I hear you say. Well the sales pitch was that for your 35 quid you got to be part of picking the team, the tactics, which players to sign and who to sell and move on to other clubs through online polls that only stakeholders can access. You also decide the fate of all the support staff and coaches on a website very similar to Dockerland. Real life fantasy football. It hasn't quite worked out as how it was on the can, but the voting powers for everything Ebbsfleet is in the pipeline depending on the board elections. You guessed it, by internet poll.
What I would like to know is how do you think Freo would run if we Dockerlanders had the same powers as the Ebbsfleet people?
I know for certain Happy would be struggling for a game. Especially with Shane writing and conducting the polls:-
We should trade Daniel Gilmore to:
a) Melbourne for picks 99 and 127 in the draft
b) St Kilda for pick 88 in the draft
c) Hungry Jacks for a Whopper value meal
I also think that this year we would have the youngest team to get out on the paddock I have seen since my under 13's lightening carnival, Pavs would line up in a different position each week, there would be a media ban at Freo oval and Peake and Schammer would do so much kicking practice their feet would look like they have been at a day of test cricket wearing thongs.
Best we leave it Harvey and the boys...