Minority Report 2019-20 v Preston North End

We lose money every year in normal trading. It is normal. We have always sold players to balance the books and we always will.

 

All well and good until they demand wages beyond what you expect someone else to pay for.

 

A sad acceptance when we reportedly have the sixth richest set of businessmen/owners in the entire 92. How can this be acceptable? You are subsidising this developing player farm.

 

With someone else's money?

Do you want to chip in and pay to keep us floating high in this division?

 

I think everyone accepts we're going to have to sell players, it's the timing of it we're having or less off. Absolutely daft to let your best players go as you set foot into a higher league.

 

Yes - I'll donate to people who are reportedly worth $9Bn. There's loyalty and there's gullibility.

 

I know that I have been through this at length in the past, but you do realise that the club is a separate legal entity to its owners don't you. You do know that when an owner lends money to a football club, it is still debt. Or are you still just dipping your line in the water to see what fish you attract.

 

It does not matter how much they are worth. Unless you think along the lines of: owners' worth = place in league table.

Perhaps by your calculations we should be in the Premier League by now. Because of our owners' worth.

Historically speaking, football-wise, table-wise, we are about slap bang where we ought to be.

So unless you want someone else to spend their money for your benefit, get used to what you already ought to be used to.

 

Oh man! Who owns the legal entity? You and I are bean counters (retired). Our owners are entrepreneurs. Their motivation is the relevant question here. Do you think they have come into our club to wring their hands and say "It can't be done!"? The question is whether they genuinely want to progress the club or whether they see it as a short term player factory. This is not fishing - it is a genuine question fans should be asking before sinking any further money into the club come April and renewal time. Good luck if you feel they are beyond question, and deserve your continued (long-suffering) loyalty.

 

They are selling something. And at the moment, it doesn't look very attractive to me. If it does to you - good luck!

 

Well it was worth watching for the last few games till Preston.

Admittedly, last night was a "goodbye championship" dream killer.

 

I don't for a minute think that anyone is suggesting that we go all Wednesday and suddenly start chucking money about like Money Mayweather.

But I would like is to go shopping somewhere other than the Austrian U21s league.

Best transfer window ever.

 

I do not agree that making the club a short-term player factory. There is no doubt in my mind that they see Barnsley Football Club 2002 Ltd as an investment. There is no doubt in my mind that one day they will cash in on that investment by selling the shares to a new owners. In order to do that, the club must be worth more than what they paid for it (£7m). They will also want a return on the amount of time spent, and will be looking for a better return than the money could have earned in the bank. For the sake of argument, let us assume that they want to double their money. They are not taking any money in dividends, or even directors remuneration, so how do they do that.

They do that by improving the value of Barnsley Football Club. They do that by increasing the value of its assets. They do that by increasing the value of the players that play for the club. Now you may think that they are making a pretty poor job of that based upon their 2 years in charge, which is why I say they are in this for the long term. They are in this because they believe that they can run businesses better than most. I have no idea how they made their fortunes, but the fact that they own assets worth that sort of money suggests that their formula for profitable investment works, and whilst their motives (increasing the value of my football club) match my own, I am prepared to back them. It was never going to be an overnight transformation, and unlike many, I never expected it. I am probably a Barnsley supporter for the rest of my life now, and I am prepared to go along with their plans because, for certain, they are better than mine

 

As wealthy owners/business people may i suggest they invest in a better recruitment team and strategy.

 

Hmm! Supporter. Customer. Follower. 'Supporting' something owned by billionaires? No thanks. 'Customer'? Only while I feel I am getting value for money and not being taken for a fool. 'Follower'? Always. Amen and Alleluia!

 

Another fishing trip?

 

They are (were) under contract. They can’t demand anything. FFS we simply cashed in!!

 

How do you know they are not imposing management charges or taking dividends?

 

The Man Utd youth recruitment team would bite your hand off at a 12% success rate!
All joking aside we are not them and can’t afford such a low success rate.

 

Which rules are those?

The one that says it's ok to take the club into serious financial trouble, provided we stay just the right side of FFP?

Or the one that says stuff FFP, it's ok to risk bankrupting the club by chasing the dream?

Or the one that says selling the ground to ourselves (or half of it, in our case) is a great way to balance the books?

Or the one that says we should sting our own fans with ridiculously high ticket prices?

Exactly which rules do you want us to follow? Which clubs in the Championship do you think we should be emulating? And how?