Cost-cutting exercise gets thumbs up

At last, some cost-cutting we can get behind. As was rumoured earlier in the week, it's now been confirmed that we can take pride at being at the forefront of the drive to reduce ticket prices for away fans. The Football Supporters' Federation have been pushing for a figure of £20, but we've actually gone further and agreed a reciprocal deal of just £15 with West Brom. We also have a £20 arrangement in place with Swansea, who've negotiated their own deal with Hull. So much for those who suggested that the FSF's recommended price was fanciful or naively idealistic.

The lustre of the good news story is dulled somewhat when you consider that Premier League clubs were handed £200,000 each to subsidise the cost of introducing reduced away tickets. If it took that - a piddling amount relative to the sums teams in the top flight splurge on transfer fees and salaries - to persuade the club to take action, then it's a bit embarrassing (though not as embarrassing as for all the other clubs who've yet to do anything at all). Nevertheless, the action that's been taken is positive, so in this instance the means by which change was brought about are irrelevant.