There was a lot of football played over the festive break - but after watching some on television it wasn't goals, saves or even the petulance of players that left its mark on me.

The abiding memory was the number of stadiums which seemed half full. The best paid and, supposedly, most gifted players in the world seemed to be performing in front of row after row of empty seats.

When Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister football hooligans were a major problem. Luton simply banned all away fans and Mrs Thatcher allegedly questioned whether fans were actually needed at all. Some saw this as a laughable suggestion, proof that the Prime Minister was out of touch with the grass roots. But how times have changed.

No longer is the paying spectator the financial lifeblood of top flight football clubs. It is TV money that provides the greatest source of revenue with English clubs netting £1.4bn in the latest round of negotiations.

Despite the massive windfall of TV money, admission prices to Premiership games have rocketed. For a couple to have gone to the Tyne-Tees derby on Monday with two kids would have cost around £100 and that's before a hot dog was bought.

I suspect the days when dad would take a child to see Boro at home one weekend and Sunderland or Newcastle the next have long gone - for many it would take a month to save up for one game.

Games aren't supposed to be shown live on TV in Britain on Saturday afternoons because of fears it could affect crowds at other matches. But, they are shown live abroad.

Thanks to the satellite age, numerous pubs and clubs now intercept these transmissions and, although it is a legally grey area, show the games live.

And, given the price of admission, is it really surprising that some fans choose to watch matches in the pub rather than the real thing?

Make no mistake, Sky has brought many improvements to football coverage. Not only can you see far more games, but the camera angles ensure virtually nothing is missed.

But he who pays the piper calls the tune and we have seen this in the form of changing match days and kick-off times. Spectators are the last consideration.

So who knows? If crowd numbers continue to drop then TV can always dub some cheering in the background. After all, Sky's concern is the enjoyment of the customer sat at home or in the pub.

Doing away with fans altogether would save clubs all the hassle of having to employ gatemen and security and save on heating and lighting. No problems with safety certificates for the stands, no matches called off because conditions outside the ground were too dangerous for spectators.

If this sounds far fetched, just reflect on how football has changed over the last 20 years - it is accountants and TV executives who now run the game.

That's why I was pleased to hear that Sports Minister Richard Caborn has intervened to try and ensure a wage cap on player salaries, control of agents and safeguards to ensure football isn't used for money laundering.

Those who say the Government has no right to intervene in a private business are missing the point. Football is the national game, it is part of the social history of Britain and belongs to the people. It should be viewed as a national treasure - not a plaything for the super rich.

Published: 06/01/2006