Help me choose a football-related statistics project

Maybe analyse financial power in certain standards of leagues in the UK? And how well the clubs in those leagues do by comparison? Bit of a shit idea but something to start off

I'd be amazed if you could get even semi-accurate data for the parachute payments.

I'd be amazed if you could get even semi-accurate data for the parachute payments.

Do something about away support compared to miles travelled throughout the leagues or something (only because we'd surely get a mention).

Why?

Parachute payments 2011-12:

Club Payment Position

West Ham £15.5m 3

Birmingham £15.5m 4

Blackpool £15.5m 5

Middlesbro £4m 7

Hull City £12m 8

Burnley £12m 13

Portsmouth £12m 22

Parachute payments 2012-13:

Club Payment Position

Hull City £8m 2

Burnley £8m 12

Blackpool £13m 14

Blackburn £16m 13

Bolton £16m 16

Wolves £16m 18

Birmingham £13m 20

Portsmouth £8m 22(L1)

I meant more that if you wanted to go with the parachute payment idea, you'd really need to go into the finances of each club, which would be very difficult to get.

You can't just say 'X clubs were more successful because of parachute payments' without taking into consideration wages, match day income, rich owners, loans etc.

I'd try and stay away from anything involving clubs finances, there's too many variables.

Don't all clubs publish their accounts?

As someone said you could look at size/population of town/city, the GDP of that area and the effectiveness of that club in terms of years spent in the top flight, FA Cup/League wins, or something. It's fairly easy to find that sort of information. Steers you away from dastardly club finances.

You could also look at minor things within that, so for example relation of the area to former industry. Do clubs up North do better than down South on average, considering all the above variables.

If course you need to reason that external investment is a factor (ie Man City) but it shouldn't really matter on a 3000 word assignment.

A few ideas, but I'm firmly in the discipline of History/Archaeology so maybe someone more acquainted with stats/economics with be able to offer something more worthwhile.

Have you read Why England Lose (or Soccernomics) by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski? You might be able to swipe an idea from there.

Thanks, there's a couple of great ideas in there. You're right about looking into club's finances, it'd only prove to be a pain.

Have you read Why England Lose (or Soccernomics) by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski? You might be able to swipe an idea from there.

Ooh, I've got another one.

There's much discussion about how the influx of foreign players into the Premier League has diluted the quality of the national side as it stifles the progression of young English players coming through the ranks at top clubs. I could compare the Premier League with a few other top leagues in Europe (La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Eredivise, as a start) and see if there's a correlation between the ratio of nationals and foreigners and the success of the respective national sides in major tournaments. The results would be pretty interesting but I worry it might be tough getting accurate data for this study from years gone by.