There are always potential buyers. Same for any club. The idea that absolutely no one wants little old Hull City is ridiculous, but the kind of thing the Allams want us to believe. The question is whether Ehab really wants to sell.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. More about who you spend it on than just spending it. Many clubs have tried to throw money and at it and failed miserably.
Yes and many have not thrown money at it and failed. I suppose the point I was trying to make is that our owners are not serious about promotion. Rather like they weren't serious about avoiding relegation last year.
Would you be serious if it meant putting yourself further in debt with no guarantee of promotion? Are there any clubs who haven't overspent and got promotion? The only one I can think of is blackpool a few years back under Holloway. We won't know how much it cost Huddersfield but this is what their chairman said in 2016. Huddersfield Town’s pre-tax loss slightly increased in 2014/15 from £6.8 million to £7.0 million, as “off-the-field, the economic trading conditions remained difficult.” This was reflected in revenue falling by £0.4 million (4%) from £10.8 million to £10.4 million, very largely due to match day revenue dropping by £0.3 million (9%) from £3.4 million to £3.1 million. Commercial income also fell slightly to £3.1 million, while broadcasting revenue was flat at £4.2 million. Although the wage bill was unchanged at £13.3 million, other expenses were £0.9 million (20%) higher at £5.6 million. In terms of player trading, profit on player sales showed a small increase to £1.8 million, while player amortisation was £0.5 million lower at £1.8 million. Income from participating interests, mainly from the share in KSDL, rose £0.2 million to £1.1 million, though the notes to the accounts suggest that much of this came from the amortisation of negative goodwill created on consolidation. Of course, as Hoyle noted, “Most Championship clubs suffer very heavy losses subsidised by their owners”, adding, “Professional football at the Championship division has intense rivalry. The impact of the Premier League and willingness of Championship owners to inject ever-increasing amounts of cash into their clubs is significant and wide-ranging.” Indeed, no fewer than ten Championship clubs reported losses larger than Huddersfield’s £7 million in 2014/15, with Bournemouth £39 million, Fulham £27 million and Nottingham Forest £22 million “leading the way”. So, hardly any clubs are profitable in the Championship with only six making money in 2014/15 – and most of those are due to special factors. Ipswich Town were top of the profit league with £5 million, but that included £12 million profit on player sales. Cardiff’s £4 million was boosted by £26 million credits from their owner writing-off some loans and accrued interest. Reading’s £3 million was largely due to an £11 million revaluation of land around their stadium. Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers both made £1 million, but were helped by £10 million of parachute payments apiece. Actually, the only club to make money without the benefit of once-off positives were Rotherham United, who basically just broke even – and ended up avoiding relegation to League One by a single place.
To be honest, I'm not of fan of throwing money at a situation, it's not sustainable. Look at Boro, spent £43m but they haven't got a lot for their money. I'm sure the owners are serious about promotion, they just have no intention of throwing money at it.
I would rather they had been serious last year and we wouldn't be in the mess we are now. I don't care really but I wish that twat of a vice chairman would stop talking ****e and just be up front.
If someone had offered me more than I had paid, for a club that looked likely to he relegated (and would half in value as a consequence), I'd have bitten their hand off.
Irrelevant my arse. Clubs aren't profitable in the championship. How is that irrelevant. They're reliant on a benefactor.
Nick Powell has scored for Wigan, just saying like. Mind you looks like he went off injured at halftime!
It's irrelevant because it's easy to be profitable on an income of £60m, it's not very long ago that's what you got for winning the Premier League ffs.
Look at it long term, where are they going to get the kind of % returns on there money as they do from us? Not to mention the ego massage ehab gets from "owning a football club"
Actually it is very easy to exceed that return on an investment of that size, and a damn sight more safe as well. Plus you could guarantee the return and the capital sum.
The allams arnt known ( as far as I know ) for investing money in anything that they don't own etc... So for them id say a guaranteed 4% return on x amount of millions per year is easy safe(ish) money for them, chuck in pocketing whatever else they can from player sales and potentially parachute payments and I'd stick by my "why would they sell comment" chuck in ehabs love of owning a telling everyone he owns a football club.....id say unfortunately we are stuck with them for a while yet All just my opinion of course
In the last accounts we were £99m in debt, after this season we have one more season of parachute money, we'll find out in October how much of that debt has been paid down (obviously the more they pay down, the less return they get on the debt). Walking away with all their money and a decent profit last summer, looks a far better proposition than anything they can achieve now.
Quite possibly yes, that could have been their best chance, it may well turn out to be the worst decision they make or the best, the accounts will be interesting and as you say show us more, I still believe ehab liking the fact he owns a football club means a lot more to him then he lets on.
