Evening fellas, Apologies if this (or similar) has already been posted.. Lots of threads going up at the mo and it's hard to keep up! We've had 14 players in and a whole load out as well in this transfer window. We've also, thanks to some sales, got almost all of our money back - similar to under Steve Bruce. We've not seen the net investment that we saw under MON or Keane, who by all accounts wasted bloody loads of money. I realise it might not be a huge show of ambition, but I think in the long run we'll be glad as a club for adopting a more sensible financial model. The Guardian has compiled a list of the ins and outs at all PL clubs this season. I thought it was interesting to see how we've done compared to other clubs around us, so I've totted up the figures as in the Guardian article, adding values where they are missing. Here goes (net spends listed): Arsenal: £33m Aston Villa: £18m Cardiff: £31m Chelsea: £63m Crystal Palace: £13.5m Everton: £10m Fulham: £9m Hull: £11.5m Liverpool: £16m Man City: £80m Man Utd: £30m Newcastle: £0 Norwich: £23.5m Southampton: £36m Stoke: £5m Sunderland: £1m Swansea: £20m Spurs: £2m WBA: £9m West Ham: £20m http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/sep/03/transfer-window-premier-league-club This really puts it into perspective for me and I think we've done brilliantly. We've got 14 players in and our net spend appears to be in the lowest 3 in the league (and that includes Bale's world record income for Spurs). Granted, none of this is an exact science, and we will have a lot in signing on fees and agents fees, but I'd also expect our wage bill to be lower than last season. Looking at all the clubs, it's interesting how other average/mid table/relegation candidate teams have spunked some significant numbers. Southampton 36, Cardiff 31, Norwich 24... I think our squad is better than it was last season, I think the players are fitter and better disciplined, and I think we're doing far better financially. Sess going for me was a bit of a downer, but overall my glass is firmly half full. Let's ride out the storm til Christmas, pick up a few points on the road, and push on from there. I reckon 12th overall! Keep the faith chaps x
What amazes me is all bar Newcastle have spent more than sold, someone somewhere must be making a profit, but not in premiership, wow
Great post. Reading your post and Burn's latest comments I actually think we're showing a great deal of ambition, not throwing loads of money at the problem. Instead we're restructuring the club to a sensible yet inspired business model. "It's not realistic [lowering season card prices] because we've got massive debts. If we were a profitable organisation, I'd take on that argument all day long. But we're not. We would love to be profitable and give more offers for supporters and bring in more players. Because we're not producing profits, every time we buy a player, Ellis is virtually buying that player for the club himself. We're really lucky to have his backing and support. This TV deal gives the club a chance to get our books in order." Margaret Byrne Could be foreseen as a risky strategy not spending tv money but if we can get through this season(which I think we will), combined with developing our own talent will mean we're secure for years to come. Would be wonderful for ticket prices to come down in future seasons, and how wonderful would it be to have a squad with depth made up of young self developed talent and only need the odd marquee signing per season instead of constant overhauls and struggling to off load overpaid players.
Cheers lads. Bri, totally agree. It's like if you're in debt and you get a bonus from work. You can either carry on spending, or pay off your credit cards and straighten things out! 13th, shocking isn't it. I think I read something about Barca and Madrid being the only La Liga clubs to be in the red this window.. Everyone else has sold more than they've spent! If some of those clubs got relegated they could be in trouble. In the case of Palace, Hull, Cardiff, Saints and West Ham, it would be their second financial crisis of recent years! (not that I think West Ham and Saints will be anywhere near relegation...)
God I honestly wish I could look at that list and feel the same glee you lads do. All it tells me is we will never close the gap on the big boys if they flash the cash and we "balance the books"
But we're not in a position to do that. I would be distraught if Ellis was prepared to risk the existence of our club on trying to buy success especially with the financial fair play rules that are on the verge of coming into play. When those rules come into play they'll be two types of club. Clubs who are prepared and clubs who are playing catch up. We'll be the former.
The supposed financial fare play rules have got more holes than Wentworth..They will never stick in any court in the land and as they only ever come into play for teams playing in Europe, we are immune. It honestly saddens me. Sixth best supported team in England even after decades of dross. Third highest sponsorship in the world last season (reportedly) a billionaire owner yet we can only manage am outlay of 1M after finishing fourth bottom??? My wish is for the first time in my life our team outperform our fans. A top five finish, I ain't holding my breath.
Not sure what that even means but if your thinking we wont make top five and are in for yet another relegation merry go round. I agree.
I don't think we'll make the top 5 in the next 5 years mate. The last time we finished in the top 5 was the 54/55 season. You're expectations are too high for you own health. Stress can lead to baldness you know?
Well I was going to say won't finish in the top 5 in the next 58 years but I thought it would finish you off. You came across very frustrated that we weren't aiming for champions league. But now I realise you were tongue in cheekin it init.
Seriously though. The only way to push a club like ours into the heights of English football is to spend big (Man City). Teams like Man U, Arse, Spuds, Bindippers. Are way ahead of us already and way outspend us every year...Our chances of catching them? Nil.
Can we please forward this most of The daily newspapers, the Pundits on sky sports and can someone please Ram it down mark lawensons throat. It makes me feel better the players will gel soon and we can kick on With the season. Ha way the lads
Balancing the books is all well and good and we've wasted millions since we've been back in the prem. It is very risky though and relegation will be very costly and I fear we wouldn't get back and wed be a boro, Leeds, sheff utd. Id rather we spent a net £20m and brought in a quality defender and the midfielder we desperately need. I also think that we have one eye on January.
Short took on a bit of a lame duck and is now restructuring the club, fair enough. But you can surely tell he's not in this to play 'financial restructuring for bored billionaires', he wants Sunderland to win something and make progress in the league. I'll bet he was gritting his teeth watching Dave Whelan prancing around Wembley with a club half of what Sunderland should be. I have faith is Short and the club which is something I've rarely been able to say in over 4 decades.
According to Sky we spent £360,000 and spurs made £3 million. (cant remember all the rest) Glen Hoddle on the footballers show was, we have signed 14 players but not 1 (1 is but no where near the 1st team) English, problem is English players come at a premium, if the 14 players we got were English, we would have spent 50 million (probably). But it is strange, TV cash is supposed to be the most its ever been, £60 million a year, which was supposed to let the floodgates open on transfers for all clubs, but not many clubs have spent anywhere near that, and we havnt since Keane, so where the hell is it all going too? Some will be Wages, but according to members on here, we have slashed our wage bill as well, so even that should be less than it was in previous years. We also have a great academy, or so we have heard, but not many players come through it, we have been crying out for some positions for years now, and not 1 has come through to make that spot their own, by now we should be bringing 2-3 players a year through (at least) but it just isnt happening at all, and we still have to buy/get from abroad. On the same show with Hoddle, they said that only 32% of the players in the PL are English, or 75 players, thats crap, Spain, Italy, Germany and France its closer to 70% of their nations players are from their nation. This premium for good young English players needs to end, and/or a cap on players in the 1st team needs to be brought in. anyway going off topic a bit, but i would love to know where all the TV cash is going (for all clubs not just us), we get the same as everyone else, is not like Spain where the top 2 get most of it, and the rest gets what is left.
