I can see a domino effect but maybe in a different way. When and not if the HMRC get their first scalp that will scare the daylights out of a load of others who are living on the brink. Any club looking remotely like not paying their bill will have to firesale to cover themselves which will kill off their footballing aspirations. Those clubs that practice that lovely expression that nice Mr Brown coined which is prudence will be a minority who end up benefiting. So to all those fans who push boards to spend to succeed they should remember the biblical phrase of "the meek shall inherit the earth". Those that appear meek now will rise up by default of others. Part of the domino will of course be other clubs who cannot pay because of overspending falling as well as the HMRC becomes the grim reaper of football clubs.
There would clearly have to be a managed transition Sensible. A 5 year [?] run in to new financial responsibility rules. All new debts incurred NOT being covered by the "Football First" rule and all old ones remaining within it - or something similar. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to change the rules without triggering an avalanche of failures.
You mean in an ideal world it would be desirable to have a phased transition but there is no has to be about this. If HMRC get over excited by a victory and the court has had enough of football clubs defaulting on debts then who knows. They may just want to see a scalp lying at their feet. The football league would have to change if clubs are to be saved in their rulings about football debt being the first to be paid. The consequences of failing to do that now would have to be expulsion. If the rules change outside of the league or rather rulings are not favourable to them then they will have to decide if they accept clubs not paying each other and players and not throw them out. If they cannot condone one club owing another then expulsion is the only route. The rule change regarding purchase of players would then have to change and it would become C.O.D. or not buying the player. Presumably players would also be able to sell themselves if not being paid and chose to leave. I just don't accept that the court has to be lenient in it's rulings if they chose not to be.
That's why the League should negotiate a phased settlement rather than wait until one of HMRC's torpedoes does hit the target. It's an abrogation of their responsibilities to merely say "the whole league would come crashing down" without putting contingency arrangements in place. The objective is NOT to decide what happens when clubs can't pay their debts but: a) manage the financing of clubs to force them to live within their means, so that they CAN pay their debts b) minimise the debts between clubs by prohibiting transfer deals that aren't settled in cash and immediate settlement of match gate payments c) provide a safety net e.g. by a bonding scheme
Absolutely agree with that notdistant but then again we are talking ideal world and FA in the same sentence. These are supposed to be intelligent people who are running a massive organisation yet seem unable to see what many others can see coming. If they were lollipop ladies then the kids would be in peril as they seem unable at the moment to see anything. It really doesn't take a genius to see what is on the cards does it but like the skipper of the Titanic they will sail merrily on until they sink.
