League 2 General Chat Thread

[EnglishRed]

Applies to most clubs

Very true and a 50k loss over a year is probably better than most.

Bad we all just accept this though isn't it?

 

[Indian Dan]

What’s the alternative though. Our esteemed Aussie owner says we’ll lose between £500,000-£1m a year - but his understanding of finance leaves a lot to be desired. We made a profit of £150,000 last year.

I think he’s confused paying down the debt with actual P&L figures. Tbf, he’s got our debt down from£7m to less than £1m - converted into his ‘personal loans’.

 

[EnglishRed]

What’s the alternative though. Our esteemed Aussie owner says we’ll lose between £500,000-£1m a year - but his understanding of finance leaves a lot to be desired. We made a profit of £150,000 last year.

I think he’s confused paying down the debt with actual P&L figures. Tbf, he’s got our debt down from£7m to less than £1m - converted into his ‘personal loans’.

I don't think there is one tbh, unless things massively change. You just have to hope your owner keeps propping you up - if you're lucky they do, if you're unlucky you turn into Bury, Macclesfield, Southend etc etc.

We were in the black for years in the Conference under fan ownership but what that really meant was that we couldn't compete - most years we had a budget a third of the size of the clubs going for promotion we were trying to match.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

The substantial increases in central funding from the EFL and PL have caused clubs to go for broke since the mid 2000s. You only have to see how player wages have rose in that time. In the mid 2000s, the average wage for an L2 player was around £800-900 a week. I don't know what it is now, but it's certainly a lot more than that! Also in that time, money hungry Chairmen who were being grabbed by the balls by the PL in exchange for a "solidarity" payment have passed regulations which have caused clubs to cede power (see the EPPP for instance) in exchange for a lump sum of money from the PL. Any dissent, and the PL made it clear it would be withdrawn, thus leaving a hole in many a budget throughout the lower leagues if it was.

The problem is, instead of investing in infrastructure, clubs just spunk the lot on player wages, agents fees and, if some clubs are lucky, transfer fees. I noticed the PL have said with their latest financial offering that teams can't spend all the money on the aforementioned wages and fees and have to improve their infrastructure with it. To me, I find it incredible there are professional football clubs still training on parks or in leisure centres in 2023. The game is richer than ever and some clubs have the most awful training facilities which are on a par with pitches used for Sunday League games.

Should be a requirement to have good training facilities and an Academy (yes I know EPPP has caused clubs to close theirs down but it's still so short-sighted) if you want to play in the EFL. I think standards have dropped as most clubs would rather that money go to mercenaries and agents rather than improving their setups to bring in additional revenue in time.

 

[Casey]

I agree with a lot of that TNO. trouble is how to begin or re-start an academy?

We all say the clubs should be run on more sensible lines but look at it logically.
You have to splurge a small fortune in setting an academy up, another small fortune in running it and then get very little return from it.

Great to see a youngster progressing through the club but financially the eppp has ruined the model for lower league clubs.

As for player wages. When we were promoted from the National league, as a moneybags club, one of our star players, Ben Smith (see his biography), went and asked for an increase to £850 a week.

Casey

 

[GTFCfish]

As for player wages. When we were promoted from the National league, as a moneybags club, one of our star players, Ben Smith (see his biography), went and asked for an increase to £850 a week.

Casey

Greedy bastard I hope they told him to fucking ram it!

 

[Amber Nectar]

I agree with a lot of that TNO. trouble is how to begin or re-start an academy?

We all say the clubs should be run on more sensible lines but look at it logically.
You have to splurge a small fortune in setting an academy up, another small fortune in running it and then get very little return from it.

Great to see a youngster progressing through the club but financially the eppp has ruined the model for lower league clubs.

As for player wages. When we were promoted from the National league, as a moneybags club, one of our star players, Ben Smith (see his biography), went and asked for an increase to £850 a week.

Casey

I would have thought the likes of Tubbs, Brodie, Torres etc would have been on considerably more

 

[Casey]

No inside knowledge. It's in his biography...decent read as it happens.

Casey

 

[Gunit]

I had heard academies were slightly profitable but maybe that’s nonsense! Seem pointless from a player perspective. Ours get signed elsewhere before they’re even professional and we get nowt for them nor ever see them play. We’ve had ours move to Brighton/Palace amongst others in recent times.

 

[Gunit]

The club is probably running at an all time high revenue wise now considering record season tickets, but like the majority of clubs at this level we have external funding via the owners. Been running at a 50k loss for the past few years now I think which is lower than many, except the other year when we had that in profit. I don’t see the big worry, nothing unexpected here.

Does bug me we do not publish full accounts mind.

Is it a £50k loss or is it a £50k loss massaged by a slug of cash from the owner? Doesn’t matter from a debt perspective but gives you an idea of the extent to which you rely on owners day to day.

 

[ForzaCounty]

I had heard academies were slightly profitable but maybe that’s nonsense! Seem pointless from a player perspective. Ours get signed elsewhere before they’re even professional and we get nowt for them nor ever see them play. We’ve had ours move to Brighton/Palace amongst others in recent times.

Don't know what it's like now, but back before the Football League was blackmailed into accepting Trevor Brooking's EPPP, which killed off at least a dozen Centres of Excellence (of which ours was one) it would cost approximately £300k a year to run; half of that was covered by central funding but you had to make up the rest yourself.

 

[Agombar stool]

We're really making an effort off the field community wise, so these kind of things are really heartening to see.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708153633857057218

 

[Meadow]

I had heard academies were slightly profitable but maybe that’s nonsense! Seem pointless from a player perspective. Ours get signed elsewhere before they’re even professional and we get nowt for them nor ever see them play. We’ve had ours move to Brighton/Palace amongst others in recent times.

We've lost a few academy prospects to higher clubs for peanuts, including a conveyor belt of goalkeepers.

We're now seeing some excellent outfield players sign pro contracts and sold Rudoni and Assal for a lot of money. We've also knocked back a number of bids for Jack Currie. I suspect that Aron Sasu and Hus Biler - if he gets and stays fit - might make us a lot of dosh.

 

[JJ1990]

https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2023/october/police-investigation/

 

[Agombar stool]

https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2023/october/police-investigation/

Obviously this is all allegations, but I never really understand the mentality of football fans racially abusing opposition fans/players. Assuming the slur is against a black person, (let's be honest it usually is) I imagine both Colchester and Nott County have black players so why bring race into it at all? I guess it's like Liverpool/Man United fans using Hillsborough/Munich Air disaster as a frankly pathetic stick to beat their rivals with.

Again I'm making assumptions but unfortunately this kick it out campaign is failing, and it makes me fucking sad.

 

[jacobncfc]

Obviously this is all allegations, but I never really understand the mentality of football fans racially abusing opposition fans/players. Assuming the slur is against a black person, (let's be honest it usually is) I imagine both Colchester and Nott County have black players so why bring race into it at all? I guess it's like Liverpool/Man United fans using Hillsborough/Munich Air disaster as a frankly pathetic stick to beat their rivals with.

Again I'm making assumptions but unfortunately this kick it out campaign is failing, and it makes me fucking sad.

Good news is it's two clowns who likely won't be seen at Notts games again. The one with the 'keeper was ridiculous - he was timewasting right in front of the away end and some div decided it was a good idea to try and wrestle the ball off him. God knows what goes through your head to put your hands on an opposition player.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Obviously this is all allegations, but I never really understand the mentality of football fans racially abusing opposition fans/players. Assuming the slur is against a black person, (let's be honest it usually is) I imagine both Colchester and Nott County have black players so why bring race into it at all? I guess it's like Liverpool/Man United fans using Hillsborough/Munich Air disaster as a frankly pathetic stick to beat their rivals with.

Again I'm making assumptions but unfortunately this kick it out campaign is failing, and it makes me fucking sad.

I called out a fellow Notts fan at Bromley away a couple of seasons back when he decided to go loud and racial about an opposition player in not very flattering terms.

Not only was it embarrassing for the old boy, but you look so stupid when the Notts team that (surprise, surprise) have multiple black players on show playing for the badge. He needed reminded , not that it will have changed his outlook on forward or the world going forward. Sadly I fear this guy was a little too old to change.

 

[Agombar stool]

I called out a fellow Notts fan at Bromley away a couple of seasons back when he decided to go loud and racial about an opposition player in not very flattering terms.

Not only was it embarrassing for the old boy, but you look so stupid when the Notts team that (surprise, surprise) have multiple black players on show playing for the badge. He needed reminded , not that it will have changed his outlook on forward or the world going forward. Sadly I fear this guy was a little too old to change.

I mean I'll never understand the need/want to racially abuse anyone anyway, but that was the point I was making, these people will abuse opposition players via horrible racial slurs, whilst there are black players playing for the team he supports. Fair play to you for calling him out, VM.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Totally agree.

In all my years has a fan you can count on one hand the number of times I've heard similar abuse.

So I was actually really shocked , especially as their was no flashpoint to encourage the racist fan, which is why without thinking I turned and made my thoughts known. He just looked a right plum, helped I guess that it was one solitary voice amongst hundreds on that terrace.

 

[Kauto Star]

We're really making an effort off the field community wise, so these kind of things are really heartening to see.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708153633857057218

That's fantastic.

I have a 4 year old autistic Grandson. Bought a season ticket for him a couple of years ago to secure a seat for him next to the rest of the family and renew it every season. I don't think he will be ready to go for a few more seasons though.

I have seen a few autistic children on our kop, some days they seem to struggle, but generally seem to enjoy their day.

That is heartening to read about your experience at Swindon. Well done your club.

By the way, a secure 3 points awaits you next Saturday, unless we have got rid of Hughes by then. Could be a toxic afternoon in the home stands

 

[Optipez]

Good news is it's two clowns who likely won't be seen at Notts games again. The one with the 'keeper was ridiculous - he was timewasting right in front of the away end and some div decided it was a good idea to try and wrestle the ball off him. God knows what goes through your head to put your hands on an opposition player.

I watched him do it, couldn't believe he was that stupid. Must have been in his early 30s so not a daft teenager although certainly daft. Suspect he's in quite a bit more trouble than he thought he would be.

 

[Gladders]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1712019632763138351

 

[GTFCfish]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1712019632763138351

It will go off the scale once they add in Wrexham.

 

[Gladders]

It will go off the scale once they add in Wrexham.

BuT tHeY aRe MaKiNg LoTs Of MoNeY fRoM dISnEy

 

[EnglishRed]

BuT tHeY aRe MaKiNg LoTs Of MoNeY fRoM dISnEy

Well we are?


Still spent shit loads obvs.

 

[Casey]

It's not how much you spend it's how much debt you end up with.

We had loads of dosh. Then none but no debt.

Casey

 

[F!RTHY]

They genuinely believe the fairy tail will live on forever - it’s beyond them!

 

[EnglishRed]

we're not even on that chart why have we even come into this discussion ? and who has said it will last forever? we did wrack up debt the last two seasons, although th plan isn't to have any debt in the medium term. That's what all this chasing US fans is about. Long term that probably isn't sustainable but we shouldn't be in a position where we need to spend more than we are bringing in.

Also why does no-one ever talk about Stockport when these kinds of things crop up? they spend shit loads.

 

[AdamStag]

Mansfield Town lost £50k in 2022, taking total losses to over £6.5m. Club is technically insolvent & reliant upon loans from parent company to be sustainable.

oops!

I mean, coming from a swindon fan.

 

[Master D]