New rules on football club's finances have been revealed. I've just posted the below on the City Board. Do we have any views on this subject? The big prize in football is to achieve Premiership status where the TV money flows and financial common sense disappears out of the window. Football clubs should not be permitted to commit themselves to expenditure which is not earned through sources which are directly related to funds raised through gate money or hire of facilities to external users etc.. The normal way any business conducts its affairs. Finance from sources which are not directly under the clubs control such cash donated from the supporters clubs or rich uncles should only be included in the club's financial budget after such funds have been deposited in the football clubs's bank account. Any wage contracts with players should not be permitted to exceed the limits of the club's resources obtained in this way. The clubs who risk financial disaster by spending money they don't have to achieve success are cheating. They are not putting themselves on a honest level playing field with those who are competing against them. It is useless to dictate that the naughty boys shouldn't do it. The rules should make it clear that if you cheat you will be severely penalised. Not just a 10 point deduction but relegation to the foot of the system. Every other club in the system raised one place. All the clubs that have cheated this year would be sitting at the bottom of league four. Bristol City cheated and were given a soft option in 1982. OK they fell to the bottom of league four fairly quickly thereafter. But what might have happened to football in Bristol if the Rovers had taken up the optiion to buy Ashton Gate when it was offered to them? If the rules are tightened to prevent cheating then we might see a completely different set of league tables.
