You can keep your prawn sandwiches, your camo-wrapped Bentleys and even the in-stadium fromagerie at the new White Hart Lane. The latest symbol of wretched excess in the world of the Premier League is the £700 charged by West Ham to the parents of the children who walk out of the tunnel alongside their players before a major home match.
What, you might have been forgiven for assuming, could be a better sign of the enduring connection between the top level of professional football and the innocent enthusiasm of children in the early stages of forming a bond with the game than the practice of inviting some of them to hold hands with players of worldwide renown and stratospheric earning power as they make their way on to the pitch? The players get some brief contact with the real world. For the children, there is a precious glimpse of the stadium from their heroes’ point of view, filled with noise and colour.
Related: Revealed: Premier League clubs charge up to £600 for children to be mascots
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