Where are the figures?

I just read a decent article which basically claims Ashley will continue to pocket money on his interest free loan and is unlikely to sell or be able to sell until he's repaid the £100m or so in full. We've made profits for three years in a row, up to and including a financial report from Feb 2014. With Cabaye raking in more coin, TV adding its weight and a bigger sponsorship from Puma, does anyone know where we stand today?

We've made profit of around £10m this year, I think it was £12m in 2013 and a smaller profit of a million or two in 2012. We've got a net outlay this Summer again of around -£10m, so is this right, is the money going to Ashley?

 

It's quite interesting in terms of profit, because he's essentially turned the club into the business he knows, produce it the cheapest of the cheap, and sell it for reasonable prices. It's low risk, low reward, and it could take a decade til the parasite has had his fill. His ambition is at odds with every single fan of the club, but the club is so ingrained in the region people won't rebel until they're pushed a million miles beyond breaking point. It becomes a question of "faith", and owner's successfully exploit that quasi-religious sentiment because if you're a "true fan" you'll keep paying. I think the time has come and gone when that's the case, because to keep handing over your money is like a vote for continuation of the ridiculous policy.

As far as I know, and admittedly I don't know that much in this particular area, reported profits are usually what's either doled out to investors, or put back into the business, and while he could potentially swipe that from the coffers, his "loan" could be completely separate... ie that goes down as a paid debt each year... So we could make £60 million profit, he takes £40 million to repay the loan, and reports profits of £20 million (obviously made up figures)?! Or have I made that up?

Really I don't know why that would hold up Ashley wanting to sell, because he could either saddle the club with an "interest free loan" and keep taking even after he's gone, or he could settle for more money for the club to cancel it? I suppose both would be unappealing to a future owner though!

 

**** knows what creative accounting is taking place. What I do know is Mike Ashley will be doing very well out of it. Otherwise he would have binned it ages ago. I think he has found a way to get his money back, a system. It is probably going to take some time. So we are in for the longest unpredictable arse ****ing of all time!

 

He's been racking it in man his overall wealth has tripled via all his businesses so he's got his money the greedy ****.

Exploiting the third world etc etc he's a parasite


All that needs to happen is a killing


I'd do it if every fan gave me one pound


In all seriousness how long will everyone stay on this tossers dog lead.


Just give up and all will come back to you In return.

 

Let me pose a question:

If we'd let go and signed exactly the same players but in a different order, would we still be pessimistic? What I mean is, imagine Remy's loan expired, Shola went, then HBA and Debuchy went early doors. MYM went out on loan and whoever else we've lost had departed early. We then spend a few weeks looking at targets etc. and leading up to deadline day we'd signed 4-5 players. Deadline day comes and we sign Cabella, Perez and one of our other strikers. Would we then call it successful window?

Don't get me wrong, I was annoyed last night at HBA being 'given' to Hull effectively, but we've done our business early, signed 9 players (including 2 for the future) and have 4 strikers at the club (5 if you include Armstrong). I'm not saying we don't need another CB, and letting MYM go on loan seems senseless without replacing him. I just wondered how we'd be reacting if exactly the same things had happened but in a different order.

Don't forget, the likes of Colback, Cabella, Perez and Rivierre are all now 4-5 weeks ahead of what they would have been had they been deadline-day purchases. We've all seen what happens when a manager tries to integrate too many players into a team at once?

 

Erm


yeah


its a **** side regardless of when we signed them

 

No but I'll be honest I think 90% of our work in the transfer market is utter ****e.

 

Constructive, as ever.

Not everyone is as pessimistic as yourself. I've seen you moan on on this board for months and although you tell it like it is most of the time and have some valid points, I don't know why you bother. Surely it would be better to just switch off to it?

 

I would still have been upset, though perhaps less so. The reason this instance is so frustrating, is because we've started re-building the squad, covered like 50% of what was needed, and then just ****ing stopped.... and to piss us off more, they just went and sold players.

Whatever way round it happened though, we wanted a first choice CB and a first choice striker, and we've not got either.

 

Fair enough, I agree that the club should be run within its means and in some respect Ashley has done a good job with the books. The thing is he is properly coining it in now with all the tv money and the consistent profit on transfers. Some of this needs to be put back intp the side.

 

Man United are riddled with debt but are prepared to risk over 100 million

Jesus I'm not saying were in the same market as them but it shows how shut our club is really.

We spend less than me on a session

 

Not at all mate. We are weaker now whichever way we look at it.

 

Blackerthanknight is the man to answer the finance questions.
He knows his onions.

 

We needed 2 centre backs in my opinion. We should have sold Mbiwa and Saylor, took our medicine fee wise on both. We then should have added two 1st choice centre backs. Willo could have covered the 4th slot. Lascelles then would have replaced Colo as and when his level dropped off the edge. Colo's level may have been boosted by competition, and his body protected. At least one of those centre backs should have been someone already playing in this country who could hit the ground running.

I think we should have signed a left back really but I can accept our hands were tied on this one as Santon was not available for sale.

The striker situation is laughable. We have been on a downward spiral in this department from the minute we lost Demba. At the time everyone was saying it was a good thing because Cisse was the man, the better player, Demba was using us, he was huffy and greedy. **** me they got that one wrong! We got rid of him and struggled on until eventually we got Remy. He looked brilliant on the left but not so good when through the middle. In my book he was a top class wing/forward which we needed at the same time we bought Cisse. Instead we pushed Demba or Cisse wide, round holes, square pegs etc.

At right back we actually got it right for once. We bought a top full back to replace one. Yee hah! To replace Cabaye, we didn't bother. We bought SDJ who as an addition looks a good buy. Is he the man to control the pace of the game? No.

I just think we are always cutting corners and never have cohesion. You never look at our squad and think "there has been a real cohesive effort from management, scouting, top brass to put together a proper squad". Essentially our squad always resembles a Sports Direct shop floor. There is some good **** in there at good prices if you are prepared to wade through the ****e.

 

Well my opinion has been for several seasons we had the basis of a really good, and I don't think I'm being delusional when I say this, top four side. Enrique, Cabaye, Tiote, Ba, Ben Arfa, Colo, Debuchy... But we squandered the opportunity every bloody time. If we'd have pushed on from what was a really good base at any point in the last 3 seasons or so, we'd be having a much happier discussion.

But we didn't. Now that base has either ****ed off to a better club, or passed it's peak, while we've achieved nothing. Utterly, abysmally, completely frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We basically flirted with a supermodel... Pulled her...We got a reach around but then when she stripped off we lost our erection.
Now all we can do is dip into the 'bank' and get excited over past conquests...

 

I'm glad someone provided an unnecessary sexual metaphor as explanation, I must be off my game today

 

I thought I'd slip that one in.

 

Now I'm just reduced to setting people up like a patsy. This is so hard

 

I like to ram the advantage home.