You're allowed 5m losses in the championship, so we have to upgrade our squad but do it with 4m less. I'm sure the promotion win and JPT competition + win and the 3 rounds in the FA Cup plus all the tv coverage we got this year gives us a bit of kitty to spend!
How do some of the other clubs in our current division support the squad sizes that they have on the revenue generated by their lousy crowds and gate receipts? I have always believed that unless you can pull regular crowds of 20,000+ then your ambitions should be tailored out of a cheaper roll of cloth. Just look at the attendances of some of our hosts next season compared with the pathetic crowds that have witnessed our drive for the League One title and tell me which scenario the players would like the most. With the stadium renovations we should be in a much better financial state once it is all completed and operational, so hopefully the ability to bring in the type of players needed to sustain respectability will be so much easier. On a note of caution I will go back to the almost got there season of losing to Hull at Wembley when we lost a shed load of money despite average crowds of 17-18,000, and I would suspect that a good load of that money was dumped on high salaries for below average players. Not easy is it, but I think we are in the best place for a long time?
Incidentally Shiny seeing as you are the sage of this site could you answer a question for me in regard to promotion monies? I hear of ridiculous amounts of money going to Premier League relegation teams and have never understood the concept rewarding failure, so what happens with the promotion teams, such as us, if we win the title? Is there promotion money available to us for next season's obvious rebuild or are we left to fend for ourselves?
Cant find anything about promotion prize money but Walsall got nearly £600k for Wembley. The problem is I suppose that Bristol Sport is under no obligation apart from its annual accounts to discuss its financial dealings which makes the more frustrating to those trying to understand them. I guess we simply have to hand over our money as supporters and hope
The same Joe Bryan that prem clubs are looking at? This is one rumour that I can say I know for a fact. In 48 years of my life this is my claim to name.
The only thing I would say is that better players don’t necessary make a better team, I think one of our strengths this season of our small squad is the togetherness and camaraderie within it and Cotts will have to get the balancing act right of improving the team without wrecking this.
Yes to Gladwin he looks a really useful prospect. No to McDonald and unconvinced about Smith for us at Championship level Afobe is a Spurs asset now. They paid MK Dons £5m for him
Difficult to get a grip on this but football income essentially comes from TV deals. In this respect the Premiership is regarded as a separate entity from the Football League and roughly speaking you can earn 30 times as much per year if you are in the Premiership as opposed to the Championship. So the prize is getting there. It is therefore a fine judgement call as to what you spend to try and get there as we already know. Because of this disparity and the financial risks of getting to the Premiership it is estimated that 30% of all Football League clubs are up for sale
We need to build a squad and we can't to that with loan signings, that's why teams like Swindon fail, I mean Tottenham reserves. McDonald is similar to Agard ability wise but he has signed a contract extension with the gills til 2017. He is a good player but he might cost over the odds, as he is popular with the fans. Smith would be an option but his price is high I'd imagine We need a few quality signings but it is I portent that they aren't just bought for transfers sake
I think Bobby Reid will stay and be loaned to a L1 club, he has done very well at Plymouth over 2 spells this season (my old man is an Argyle fan, and they love him down there), as he is under contract, I think next season is make or break for him. As for Burns, if he cannot get in the Cheltenham side then I guess it is time to turn him free, which is a shame as most thought him Reid and Bryant would be our future stars.
