Just as an aside, there were some interesting things that got mentioned in the full judgement (and I'm curious what the redacted parts outlined). MacDonald's wages started at £6,250 a week and at the time he left us, they had increased to £6,750 a week. That seems a very significant wage for a lad taken from Torquay, and a defender at that. It also suggests some of our players were, and maybe still are, on some form of escalating salary over the period of their contracts. The other interesting point was that upon relegation to league 1, his salary would fall by 40%. I very much hope those levels are pretty consistent in our current player contracts. It would be some consolation that a handful of sales could then balance the cost of relegation. Though I would expect some clauses to be in the players favour for being willing to accept such a cut in salary.
The redacted parts will be exact descriptions of his medical condition. These will still be private, even though they were revealed to the arbitrator. I agree about the rest. The figures were interesting.
I was shocked at the size of the legal fees, and as you point out, we will have to pay our own legal fees on top of having to pay Hull's because we lost.
This old chestnut. They didn't "start a business". The business already existed and had a healthy cash reserve. They didn't need to put any money in, they just needed to run things efficiently and have a sensible recruitment policy.
Shows we over pay on wages. Surely he would have signed for us for a lot less than that. Just because you play for a Championship club doesn't mean you're a Championship player. Come and prove you're good enough at this level first.
I dread to think what the likes of Thomas, Schmidt, Kane and Benson are earning. Less said about Oulare's apparent salary the better.
When you look at the level of transfer fees paid of just those you've listed, the potential signing on fees, basic salaries and associated costs, coupled with the seemingly reducing potential to generate transfer fees upon their deals terminating... it makes the MacDonald fiasco seem like chicken feed.
here is a thought that may be of interest-owners waiting for when we are nearly at 'the point of no return' no championship next year- - no transfer fees in or out- 2million + in debt 1st division revenues well below championship- very little assets, which will mean more debt- a way out for them after they have raped the coffers etc-750,000+ and put is in administration, very little financial loss if any to owners. they walk away scot free.This seems an answer to their shenanigans lack of interest,communications etc.over the last 8 months . We could end up like Bury
Leave the footballing side to actual football people. Whether that's showing more faith in the head coach, or appointing a director of football. Its no coincidence that the 2 worst starts to a season we've had under them have come when Paul Conway has taken temporary charge of the CEO position. Its clear they're influencing team selection and tactics, which undermines their choice in head coach. Give Poya the tools and let him do things his way. At least then you will be justified in your decision if you need to dismiss him. The more I look at it, the more I feel Schopp was hard done by, particularly if he's fundamentally not making all of the team selection and tactic decisions. Do not stick rigidly to one recruitment method. It isn't working. I've no qualms with recruiting players with potential, but they need to be interlaced with players who already have quality. I'd favour picking up standout players from league 1 or 2, over a player with 15/20 professional games under their belt. They don't have to be old, and we've had success in the past with it. Look at Potts, Hourihane, Mawson, Winnall, Scowen, Pinnock, Moore, Mowatt. To be competitive at this level, we've got to identify the next big thing before they become big. I'd rather we gambled on a 22 year old from Forest Green, with 100 league 2 appearances under his belt, than loaning a 19 year old from Chelsea without a professional appearance to his name. But at the same time, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Bring in a Claudio GOMES, Josh Benson or Will Hondermarck, but partner him with a young, slightly more experienced central midfielder, SOMEONE LIKE HERBIE KANE. I don't have an issue with communication as a whole. I get there's certain things we can't know about as fans, such as the ongoing legal issues. I also appreciate that every word Paul Conway says, is scrutinised and often twisted to mean one thing or another. But please, just be honest. If you're talking about groundsharing, closing sections of the stadium, not fulfilling promises made during the sale of season tickets, just tell us the truth. You're far more likely to keep people on your side if you give one, plausible answer as opposed to a different one each week which fits a particular narrative.
I have a confession. I have made an error and have seen it when rereading the Accounts later. The £756k that I assumed was a provision against the Hull City judgement is actually the £750k that PMG paid through BFC plus an unrecoverable loan of £6k to a related party from 2019. That means, the full amount of the Hull City settlement (£1.3m) will be expensed in the 2021 Accounts. It was presumably payable in one lump and will have had a disastrous effect on cash flows. Perhaps that is where all the money to buy players in the summer transfer window went, which left us under-financed and having to pick up the dregs, hence our performance this season. We will find out for certain at the beginning of March.
Another thought. The sales of McDonald was made in the Cryne reign. The damages awarded to Hull therefore relate to the period before PMG took over, and yet the company after the PMG takeover is bearing the cost of that settlement.. Could it be that PMG are irritated that perhaps they paid more than they should have. Could that be at the root of their disagreement with the Crynes?
A very interesting point is the medical fitness team were not even consulted about the transfer the first they heard of it is when he came in to say goodbye and he told them. they were still actively working with him on his problems and were taken a back ,surprised by it