Summary

  • Price of Football revealed

  • 70% of tickets are cheaper or the same price

  • Ings out for season with cruciate ligament injury

  • Howe signs new Bournemouth contract

  1. Goodbyepublished at 18:15

    That's your lot for Sportsday. We'll be back again at 08:00 BST for another edition, with more Premier League news conferences and the latest stories.

    Until then.

  2. football

    Watford news conferencepublished at 18:10

    Watford v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 BST)

    Geoff Doyle
    BBC Three Counties Radio sport

    "I'm expecting Valon Behrami to return to the Watford team for Saturday's tea-time kick off against Arsenal despite missing the last 3 games due to suspension. 

    "Ben Watson has been an able deputy and may also keep his place if Watford change their system slightly but Behrami's influence in the team was recognised by his manager Quique Flores today, who said: 

    "He's very important to the team and for the group because he's very professional. He always has very positive energy so I think it's very good we can count on the player for the future." 

    Fitness concerns Allan Nyom and Ikechi Anya are both expected to start."

  3. football

    Watford news conferencepublished at 18:06

    Watford v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 BST)

    Geoff Doyle
    BBC Three Counties Radio sport

    Watford boss Quique Flores has been praising his striker Odion Ighalo who has been nominated for Premier League Player of the Month for September. "He is so fit. He is playing very well, scoring well and working hard for the team. It is not just an individual at work but about his full collective power." 

    Odion IghaloImage source, Getty Images

    Ighalo, who is set to feature against Arsenal on Saturday, did receive an offer to play in China in the summer so is his manager confident they can keep hold of him in January? 

    "I am confident. He respects Watford. He had a chance to go in the summer and he stayed here. He is a very important player for us. I'm not scared about (losing) Ighalo."

  4. football

    Zut alors!published at 18:00

    Price of Football

    graphic
  5. football

    Van Persie set for shock move?published at 17:54

    Football

    There have been a couple of videos on social media recently showing an unenthusiastic looking Robin van Persie experiencing a nightmare first season at Turkish side Fenerbahce.  

    Robin van PersieImage source, Reuters

    But the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker's fortunes may be about to change, with La Liga champions Barcelona considering a cutprice £2.2m move for the Dutchman in January.

    The Daily Mail reports, external Van Persie's role would be to act as back-up for Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

  6. football

    Expensive roundpublished at 17:48

    Price of Football

    graphic
  7. VOTE RESULTpublished at 17:44

    What is a fair price for a football shirt?

    50% of you say £21 to £30 is a fair price to pay for a football shirt.

    You'll be lucky.

    Thanks for voting.

  8. rugby union

    Club return for England quartetpublished at 17:42

    Rugby union

    Ed Marriage
    BBC Radio 5 live

    Four England players will be turning out for their clubs on Friday, less than a week after the national team bombed out of the World Cup.

    Kieran Brookes starts for Northampton against Worcester at Sixways, while Joe Marler, Nick Easter and Mike Brown will all be on the bench for Harlequins against Wasps at the Stoop.

  9. football

    "I could never quit being an Arsenal fan"published at 17:36

    Price of Football

    Arsenal programmesImage source, Getty Images

     Amanda Schiavi is an Arsenal fan who spends £1400 on a season ticket. She told BBC Radio Five live why she would never give it up.

    "I've been going since I was four and now I'm 46. There may come a time when I can't afford to anymore, but Arsenal are my team and I will follow them as much as I can."

  10. football

    Cheap as chipspublished at 17:32

    Price of Football

    graphic
  11. football

    Why I quit Liverpool for non-leaguepublished at 17:24

    Price of Football

    Former Liverpool season ticket holder Dickie Felton spoke to BBC Radio Five live about why he gave up following the Premier League club in favour of non-league Marine FC.  

    Liverpool flagImage source, Getty Images

    "It was a deeply emotional decision to make, but it was the feeling of year-on-year just being ripped off. The price of tickets kept going up and the commercialisation was taking over. For me, it didn't feel like my club anymore.

    "Now, my passion for Marine is even bigger. It's real life football."

  12. football

    Just the ticketpublished at 17:18

    Price of Football

    graphic
  13. The modern-day fan: Supporting from afarpublished at 17:12

    Price of Football

    Ralph Flores, 30, is from Los Angeles and supports Manchester United. He follows the games online and in the pub. He is travelling to a game at Old Trafford in February and expects to spend $6000 in 2016 on following his team.

    "Premier League matches have become so much more accessible to supporters like me who live so far away from the club they love.

    Man Utd fans in LAImage source, Ralph Flores

    "I don't like the idea that supporters abroad aren't "real" supporters because they're not able to go to every match. I wake up on Saturday and Sunday mornings every weekend at 0700, sometimes 04:45 or 05:30, to watch United. Living in Manchester and being able to go to Old Trafford should be viewed as a privilege instead of it being a point to bring down supporters living abroad."  

  14. The modern-day fan: Supporting internationallypublished at 17:06

    Price of Football

    Lars Olsen with former Man Utd captain Martin BuchanImage source, Lars Olsen
    Image caption,

    Lars Olsen with former Man Utd captain Martin Buchan

    Lars Morten Olsen, 55, is from Norway and has been supporting Manchester United since the 1970s. He has attended nearly 250 games and spends around £600 a year on tickets alone.

    "I try to get to as many games as I can. With family, job and financial situation that means around 10 per season. Sometimes I go with friends, but many times on my own as I always meet other fans I know anyway. I follow United both home and away, but getting away tickets is very hard. When I am not at the match I see United on TV, either at home or in my local pub."

  15. football

    Strachan staying onpublished at 17:00
    Breaking

    Football

    Chris McLaughlin
    BBC Sport Scotland

    The BBC has learned Gordon Strachan is expected to stay on as Scotland manager. The 58-year-old failed to guide Scotland to the European finals in France next year but the Scottish FA made it clear they wanted him to stay on for the next World Cup qualifying campaign.   

    Gordon StrachanImage source, Reuters

    Strachan himself said he wanted to take time to think about his future. It's understood the SFA are expected to make a formal announcement before the end of the week

  16. football

    Hey big spender...published at 16:55

    Football

    Angel Di MariaImage source, AP

    In 2015, nine clubs in England's top four divisions broke their own transfer records as big spending reached new levels.

    Now, the Daily Mail has taken a look at the record transfer fee paid by every club in the top four flights of English football?

    You may know who the most expensive player in history is, but which club hasn't broken their transfer record since 1979?

    Read the piece in full here, external

  17. football

    Food for thoughtpublished at 16:51

    Price of Football

    graphic
  18. The modern-day fan: Supporting in the Premier Leaguepublished at 16:46

    JB, 23, is from north London and is an Arsenal season-ticket holder. He goes to all home matches, some away and some abroad.

    "The tickets alone come to around £3,000, and following Arsenal is now much more expensive as we seem to be keen on playing three extra games at Wembley each season. It probably reaches £4,000-£5,000 over the course of a season when you factor in merchandise, TV subscriptions and travel. I’m aware of people who will spend a lot more."

    JB - Arsenal FanImage source, @gunnerpunner
  19. The modern-day fan: Supporting your local clubpublished at 16:42

    Price of Football

    AliceImage source, @AliceMay

    Alice, 25, supports hometown club Bristol City and has been a season ticket holder for five years. She even went on their pre-season tour of Portugal this summer.

    "I was about 16 and my older brother took me to my first live game at Ashton Gate watching Bristol City from the Eastend. Before this, football was always a Sunday viewing from the sofa watching which ever team were playing that day. But attending that match changed everything. The rest is history. 

    "Last year I spent approx £1500 on supporting my club."