Athletic Article: League One and Two Seasons to be abandoned next week

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

What's not working at Wrexham? Since 2011 they seem to have been pretty stable. They did very well last season and could have gotten promoted with a bit of luck. This season hasn't been great but they are avoiding relegation. Individual seasons can have ups and downs under any ownership model, its the long term stability which makes the difference. Even if you get relegated as long as you have the long term trajectory right you will bounce back and improve.

I know a lot of Wrexham fans having mates that way and working that way a lot. There's a few reasons as to why they're not entirely happy with their current situation.

I'm sure the Wrexham fans on the forum can help explain it better than I can. But they have a bloke called Spencer Harris and he isn't a widely liked figure amongst certain supporters of the club. Some would go so far to say he abuses his lofty position in the trust. I don't know how, but a lot of their ire is directed at him.

Wrexham have also lost their outstanding training facilities at Colliers Park (built on the back of an excellent 90s youth system) and regressed two divisions in the last 20 years. But because of one of their previous owners, asset stripper Hamilton, the supporters trust is wary of private investors or ownership. But Wrexham must also compete with daft hobby clubs like Fylde and Boreham Wood. So you can see fans are incredibly frustrated when a club the size of Wrexham can't compete with these shit clubs in the market. And being the longest serving club in the National League, some feel a significant change is needed to get them back in the league.

Yes they're sustainable, but they're also treading water. I don't think it's entirely their fault though, and I do believe if given the L2 money they'd be more than a decent club at that level. But they just can't compete in an unregulated league full of teams being bankrolled which is incredibly hard to get out of the right way.

There may be other factors too but that's what I've heard from the people I know.

 

[Laker]

Cambridge fans can identify with Wrexham’s position as we were exactly the same until we were promoted - asset stripped ground, struggling to compete with bankrolled clubs, couple of frustrating promotion near misses etc.

It’s also hard because the quality of semi pros isn’t much worse than the full pros you can attract with no money so you end up struggling against sides you think you should beat.

It’s an unbelievably frustrating league to be in when you have no big bucks to throw at it.

 

[Trapdoor]

They will probably make it out eventually since most of these bankrolled hobby clubs only last a few seasons before disappearing. I would expect to see the likes of Fleetwood etc drop back into non-league obscurity in the next decade.

I will hopefully be watching football for at least another 50 years so I can hang on a couple more years to see that.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

They will probably make it out eventually since most of these bankrolled hobby clubs only last a few seasons before disappearing. I would expect to see the likes of Fleetwood etc drop back into non-league obscurity in the next decade.

I will hopefully be watching football for at least another 50 years so I can hang on a couple more years to see that.

There really is no need for Fleetwood now Oyston has gone at Blackpool. Like Fylde, the club was only bankrolled because the Oystons said no to a Blackpool fan in Andy Pilley. But surely he knows a season at the Championship before a Yeovil style decline is as good as it gets for him...

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

There's an interesting interview with Dave Artell in this around 28 minutes in.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...sodeGuid=dffca27f-649e-41c4-ad15-d037e877a40e

- Says if League Two continued, he estimated six clubs would've gone to the wall.

- Implies one man ownership with directors who own no part of the club is the biggest danger to clubs in these uncertain times if their original businesses are greatly affected by the COVID 19 crisis.

- Commends Carol Shanahan for her selfless act in realising the bigger picture regarding the finances of League Two clubs and, whilst understanding why the likes of Andy Pilley and Darragh MacAnthony want to complete the season, they must think of the lesser clubs financial situations before their own promotion bids.

- Says we could play on under our current budget in a scenario when fans can't come into grounds but, like a lot of clubs, we would become even more increasingly reliant on selling players until the fans come back, and not everyone can sell their players in a challenging market! He expects many clubs in Leagues 1 and 2 to slash budgets to bring themselves closer to the wages we pay. (We tend to use the vast majority of our solidarity money to fund the Academy and wider staff costs than on squad reinforcements. I believe we pay in £700,000 of the £1.3 million our Academy needs to run at Category 2 level with the PL giving us £600,000 in grants every year).

- Shoots down the idea of streamlining the 92 professional EFL clubs or making League Two clubs part-time due to the large amount of former EFL clubs in non league and wealthy non-league clubs like Harrogate waiting in the wings to fill the void. We already knew this, but certain elitist PL and Championship fans never understand this. Also dismisses regionalisation and says it won't happen as there is no strength in depth with regard to regional divisions and also has queries as to whether Oliver Holt's (the renowned bullshitter that he is) article was even genuine.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We're apparently in a worse financial position now than the Gurney (2003) and Jayten (2008) scenarios. We are in dire straits.

Everything that moves is for sale. If we get relegated the position becomes even more precarious.

 

[Luke Imp]

We're apparently in a worse financial position now than the Gurney (2003) and Jayten (2008) scenarios. We are in dire straits.

Everything that moves is for sale. If we get relegated the position becomes even more precarious.

Are things *that* bad? Doesn't read like you pushed the boat out financially to try and compete in the Championship. What about when you got promoted from L1?

 

[chipmunx]

 

[Kenneth E End]

Are things *that* bad? Doesn't read like you pushed the boat out financially to try and compete in the Championship. What about when you got promoted from L1?

I'm not sure. I think I've probably taken those words directly from our CEO out of context - he used it in the way that under previous insolvency events, there were always buyers waiting in the wings to buy the club. This time not so. I also wonder if his words were designed to spook the players a bit too as their union are doing nothing to help the situation.

Personally, I'd happily double my season ticket cost if the money wasn't going to players who are doing nothing and not taking some of the pain themselves (whether that is self defeating or not). Right now I don't think it would be right of me to do that.

We certainly haven't overstretched ourselves - our budget is the lowest in the division. We have probably another £2-3m in payments coming this summer which should give us some financial advantage in L1 next season. Our CEO a year ago said that from transfer income - a third goes on the squad, a third on the stadium project and the remaining third on "business sustainability".

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I think part of it might be to do with the financial stress of trying to compete in the Championship as well. Any player you try and bring in wants a lot more, bonuses get paid etc. Even the ground upgrades we had to do like put in electronic ad boards, pitch maintenance, new goal nets for the goal line tech, new camera positions, new facilities for the media etc cost significant sums of money.

The costs of being at the level especially in the first year where you have to lay the foundation skyrocket but the income whilst rising, doesn’t go up as much to meet those new costs. We’d probably have been fine in normal circumstances as we would have worked it out eventually, perhaps sold a player like Cornick over the summer as is the model, and been fine but its probably not going to work out like that anymore.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

There's an interesting interview with Dave Artell in this around 28 minutes in.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...sodeGuid=dffca27f-649e-41c4-ad15-d037e877a40e

- Says if League Two continued, he estimated six clubs would've gone to the wall.

- Implies one man ownership with directors who own no part of the club is the biggest danger to clubs in these uncertain times if their original businesses are greatly affected by the COVID 19 crisis.

- Commends Carol Shanahan for her selfless act in realising the bigger picture regarding the finances of League Two clubs and, whilst understanding why the likes of Andy Pilley and Darragh MacAnthony want to complete the season, they must think of the lesser clubs financial situations before their own promotion bids.

- Says we could play on under our current budget in a scenario when fans can't come into grounds but, like a lot of clubs, we would become even more increasingly reliant on selling players until the fans come back, and not everyone can sell their players in a challenging market! He expects many clubs in Leagues 1 and 2 to slash budgets to bring themselves closer to the wages we pay. (We tend to use the vast majority of our solidarity money to fund the Academy and wider staff costs than on squad reinforcements. I believe we pay in £700,000 of the £1.3 million our Academy needs to run at Category 2 level with the PL giving us £600,000 in grants every year).

- Shoots down the idea of streamlining the 92 professional EFL clubs or making League Two clubs part-time due to the large amount of former EFL clubs in non league and wealthy non-league clubs like Harrogate waiting in the wings to fill the void. We already knew this, but certain elitist PL and Championship fans never understand this. Also dismisses regionalisation and says it won't happen as there is no strength in depth with regard to regional divisions and also has queries as to whether Oliver Holt's (the renowned bullshitter that he is) article was even genuine.

So who could the six be? Obviously Macclesfield. I am wondering if it includes Oldham, Morecambe and maybe Bradford? Anyone with more educated guesses than me?

 

[shoddycollins]

Everything that moves is for sale.

So Danny Hylton's staying at Luton then?

 

[Boletus Edulis]

It seems now that a club sale is in the offing and all the interested parties are jockeying to get their slice.

Very undignified and lifts the lid on the often sordid business of owning a football club.

Your possible new owner, is he better know for his jam Roly Polys?

 

[Indian Dan]

Too cryptic

Edit Old Harry. Don’t think so. He’s sniffing around Yeovil I think.

Supposed new owners are Able - some Yankee company. No thanks

Clem Morfuni - already owns 15% although Power denies it.

Some Middle Eastern consortium - probably bollocks

 

[Si Robin]

Michael Duff has had his say on the playoffs in our local paper.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/cheltenham-town-manager-michael-duff-4147120

Players will be returning to training next week in groups of 5 - staggered times to attend, having to arrive in kit, making sure training areas are sufficiently distanced.

He reckons it's going to cost the club £200-300k to play in the playoffs and is more concerned about how this affects us in terms of next season's budget (he also states it's unfair on the other 3 clubs).

 

[Luke Imp]

EFL Framework here:

https://www.efl.com/news/2020/may/efl-statement-coronavirus-update2

 

[Indian Dan]

In your face, MacAnthony!

 

[AdamStag]

Relegation for Stevenage then

 

[Trapdoor]

(he also states it's unfair on the other 3 clubs).

Why's it unfair for the others? We wanted to play on anyway.

 

[AdamStag]

Relegation for Stevenage after all

 

[Huntsman94]

Well worth 10 minutes of your time. An insight into how we're coping as a club and what the League One decision will mean:

Can't be thankful enough that we have Mark and Nicola Palios running the Club.

 

[Si Robin]

Why's it unfair for the others? We wanted to play on anyway.

I probably worded it wrong. He points out that it's easier for the teams not having to take part in the playoffs because their budget for next season is not going to be affected. His main point is that clubs would normally be able to offset the costs of the playoffs by splitting TV and gate receipts. As these will be played behind closed doors, all four teams are now going to miss out on said gate receipts and therefore be at a massive disadvantage for next season - whenever that gets going.

 

[Trapdoor]

I probably worded it wrong. He points out that it's easier for the teams not having to take part in the playoffs because their budget for next season is not going to be affected. His main point is that clubs would normally be able to offset the costs of the playoffs by splitting TV and gate receipts. As these will be played behind closed doors, all four teams are now going to miss out on said gate receipts and therefore be at a massive disadvantage for next season - whenever that gets going.

Yeah that's fair enough. It will be harder for the teams doing playoffs but it produces a more meritocratic result at the end of the day so I'm all for it. My preference would be to play out the rest of the season behind close doors but I understand why many clubs are scared of doing that.

 

[Si Robin]

That's my preference as well, but it's not economically viable so thems the breaks. I also have no issue at all with the playoffs.

It could be worse, we could have been Vale and fallen on our sword despite the fact they were flying towards the playoffs.

 

[Indian Dan]

Yeah. Big respect due to Vale.

 

[shoddycollins]

welcome to the football league Barrow, and possibly Harrogate too now.

 

[shoddycollins]

Barrow away on a Tuesday in January guaranteed.

Not for Port Vale though... certainly for one of Exeter or Cheltenham if one of those two is staying down.

By the way, anyone who thinks Carlisle is a long away trip has a treat in store for them. Carlisle looks further on the map but Barrow is considerably further from the motorway.

 

[AdamStag]

So much respect in fact that if Cheltenham can't afford to get through the playoffs as I've just been reading or if Power follows through and puts Swindon in admin, Vale should move up a step no?

That tosser ref (doing his first game of the season in fucking March!!!!!!!!!!!!) for us in the last game vs Cheltenham is the reason we miss out by 0.41 points or whatever it is.

Up the Shanahan.

That’s what I was saying in the conference forum, how are the clubs supposed to pay for it.

Maybe the league would be able to assist.

 

[Indian Dan]

So much respect in fact that if Cheltenham can't afford to get through the playoffs as I've just been reading or if Power follows through and puts Swindon in admin, Vale should move up a step no?

That tosser ref (doing his first game of the season in fucking March!!!!!!!!!!!!) for us in the last game vs Cheltenham is the reason we miss out by 0.41 points or whatever it is.

Up the Shanahan.

That’s the reason others have been granted an injunction preventing Power from putting the club into admin or be sold.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Will the play offs take place in the National League then? Or we going with 23 in L2 for a season, or 22 and no one promoted from the league below?