Manager of the season

[Tom_ITFC]

I would simply suggest that Bournemouth fans don't really know details of Ipswich's wage bill!
One stat which provides an interesting context/comparison... according to Leicester's accounts they won the league last season with a wage bill of over 36m for the season...

But they're turnover was 31.1 million...

We supposedly scrapped in with FFP despite having much higher attendances (so higher turnover) and much lower wages than yourselves. I would like to know how you passed.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Share equity creation, in short. Something Leicester also led the way on.

FFP isn't solely based on turnover, it allows for a level of shareholder investment via share purchase. If owners are prepared to risk their money by putting into the club via share equity, which they may well lose money on whenever the club changes hands (as opposed to a loan which they can get back) then FFP rules allows them to do so.

Ipswich can do the same, Evans has put plenty of money your way down the years hasn't he?

I believe next season is the last under the current FFP regs before the goalposts move again in 16/17. At that point I think even larger losses are acceptable, oddly enough. Remember the hoohar late last year on that point.

"Much lower wages", hmmm, well we don't really know do we. That's what Mick tells you I guess.

I understand the whole media storm about the miracle grinds gears. The coverage is very black and white between either "the miracle" which sells newspapers and hits, and the "Man City style upstarts" which massages the egos of bigger clubs we've beaten. The truth is in the middle, its a bit of both!

 

[Tom_ITFC]

I think they can only inject 5m though, if I read correctly.

With regards to Evans, he invested a lot of money before FFP which therefore meant we were not cheating.

"Much lower wages", look at the figures please. We spent 13.9m you spent 17.2m thats quite a bit different. Considering our attendances have gone up 2500-3000 this season, thats at least a further 1.5m (at Town's prices) plus the Aaron Cresswell fee which was just under 4m plus add ons, our wages have probably gone up but only because they can this year. You had money from Lallana which is fair enough.

Don't get me wrong, Bournemouth play some cracking stuff but like you say, it came at a cost which, like QPR this year, will most likely be irrelevant.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

FFP or no FFP, the morals and principles are the same surely? We cop all sorts of stick from clubs who've done exactly the same.

And whilst the rules are there, we played by them and passed the rules, scraping through the allowed losses that we aimed for. Circa 8m combined for Lallana and Grabban no doubt helps (which I imagine partly comes under these accounts and partly under 14/15 due to being in instalments).

God knows about QPR, that's a whole different stratosphere of numbers going on there!

 

[Tom_ITFC]

The money Evans gave to Keane was criminal but thankfully most of that came back through the ridiculous Wickham deal. I agree it wasn't morally right to spend that much back then and most Town fans will agree with that but FFP is a rule not morally right.

I think you're right regarding Lallana and Grabban, as well as the Wilson transfer.

Anyway good luck in the Prem, hope we can join you! I'm a bit pessimistic about our chances though

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Indeed. We can fall just as fast as we've risen if we're not careful. If long term we can stabilise at a level of competing with clubs like Ipswich every week then I'd definitely take that.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

The trouble with being mediocre for so long, you envy teams like Bournemouth who do it quick but then quickly become grateful we are not Blackpool, Coventry, Portsmouth etc.