Stoke City statement

They are one of the clubs that are over-spending in an attempt to be promoted to the Premier League. The current rules mean that any points deduction for that overspend will not be levied in the current season, or even the season that follows. Stoke will not submit their Accounts for last season until after the end of this season. They are allowed to lose £39m over 3 years, so their eventual punishment is delayed by a further 2 years. There is a distinct possibility that they will be playing in the Premier League again before any punishment becomes enforceable. Where is the deterrent?

It is my opinion that overspending in order to gain an advantage is cheating. FFP suggests that the clubs seem to agree, but they are so torn on whether a punishment should be levied upon clubs that break the rules that they have made them virtually unenforceable. You seem to welcome a free for all. That is up to you, but you must understand that a free for all benefits no-one other than the millionaires. Those funding the overspending, and those pulling on the football shirts. It maintains a status quo in the Championship, with the occasional Derby County, when an owner either runs out of funds, or tires of throwing his money away. It makes the game more predictable and less of a spectator sport as a result. Now, I do not think that is good for the sport. You will have your own view.

 

Sadly, I can. But I don't engage with them on such topics.

I think I'll end my own contribution to this thread by smirking at the fact that Stoke - hundreds of millions spent later - have finished 16th (2020), 15th (2021) and currently sit 15th (2022).

And I always thought bookies were smart.

 

I agree wholeheartedly that it is not good for the sport, and I dearly wish it could be more of a level playing field. But rules are rules, and will Stoke even technically record a loss, given the massive cash input from their owners?

 

Yes they will. That write off will not go through the profit/loss recorded for FFP purposes. In fact, it would not go through the Trading, Profit and Loss Account either. It will be a Balance Sheet adjustment covered and explained in the notes.

 

They are smart, their business throws off around £400m of profit annually with Director remuneration of over £350m. They choose to bank roll an underperforming football club and write off the debts.

 

This is an awful take. This situation and this attitude is exactly what is wrong with football.

 

Id love it if our club had a plan where it was sustainable, lives within its means, generates its own cash to pay for itself and not go into debt. If only.

 

Totally agree with you, unfortunately the current plan is looking at £12m of losses over four years and debt of £3.6m. Tiny numbers when compared to Stoke but they are bank rolled by their owners. Our self sustaining plan is not looking sustainable.

 

It is if we stay up or coneback strong with the support in the stands of the Barnsley fans.

 

To paraphrase Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn's quote about lying.....
We know they are cheating, they know they are cheating, they know we know they are cheating, we know they know we know they are cheating, but they are still cheating.
Might as well give back Lance Armstrong's Tour de France medals if 5hithouses like Stoke are allowed to cheat the system.