Just wondering .... Do you know how there contracts are written, whats in them and whats been agreed between the two parties?? ..... maybe there owners did some shrewd rent agreements with there council (which is most likely). The fact Grendel, is that not all contracted rental agreements that these clubs have are the same. They probably have owners who are more competent than ours. Even now when they are offered a rent free, they twaddle of 35 miles away to play in a sub standard ground and pay rent.
Back in the days when a club was owned for ego/putting something back into the community (OK, mostly ego) then there was a sense of the need for competition in the rules.