It's sometimes hard being a Reds fan, but there is a bright side

Firstly, and most importantly, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that staying in the division this season is our main priority. People are looking for an improvement, which is fine, but they are making the mistake of basing this on league position or points, when the improvements we are looking for run a bit deeper than that. We have to improve the financial side, for example.

This is going to be key in the coming years, because ultimately every team in our division is going to have to do what we are doing. For now though many of them are still gambling by throwing money around. Coventry and Pompey have come unstuck. If Donny can't get out of the bottom three they will too. Forest and Ipswich can't be far behind them either. And there are a few more teams that are suddenly going to start plummeting. If we can keep our heads above water whilst this all levels out we are going to be in a much stronger position than most, because we have taken the initiative much earlier than our rivals.

One thing is definite though, in that over the course of the season the standard of our football has been a vast improvement on recent years, and this despite having next to no budget for the squad.

The thanks for this has to be extended to Hill and Flitcroft (as well as the players themselves and the board's dogged pursuit of the new management team, of course). We all knew that Butterfield was a good prospect, but last season did anybody really see him as an England U21, £2m, Olympic squad Premiership player by Christmas? Be honest.

And Drinkwater too. Most of us had never heard of him until we signed him, so the way we've turned him into a saleable asset for Man United is not going to go unnoticed by other Premiership managers. Haven't we just done what Doncaster are desperately trying to do, but failing, because the players in their shop window are just not playing well enough? We are going to need good relationships with the managers who have players available to lend us, because we are going to rely, to a certain extent, on one or two loan players. What better way to do it than to assist the parent club with the player's development.

And then there's Vaz Te. Every team in the Championship had the chance to sign him in the summer but didn't. So there was obviously something that needed working on. Hill and Flitcroft have worked on it and look at him now.

When you think of the other players that have been brought in for nothing and have flourished, such as Perkins and Davies, as well as the players that have improved this season, we should have every confidence that Hill and Flitcroft can keep the wheels turning and not only keep us up, but also do it within the financial constraints whilst also providing entertainment on the pitch.

This does mean that we are likely to see players leaving once they reach the saleable level, but that's always really been the case. If it keeps the club running though why should we complain.

Losing decent players is always disappointing, but I have every faith in the management duo to keep unearthing gems, improve our players, improve our style of play, keep us up and move us forward.

Just one request of Hill though. I wonder if he could start his next interview by saying something along the lines of "Whilst it's disappointing for our fans to see good players leave, they UNDERSTAND our financial position..."

 

There's only 2 names leaving that would make me depressed

Hill & Flitcroft. These are the real assets of the club now IMHO

Players come and go but I have every confidence that given time they'll find better, cheaper replacements.

as you quite rightly pointed out, pre hillcroft we'd never heard of half these players.

Good luck to Danny d, thanks for all your efforts.

 

There are still no guarantees that these financial rules will come in. We are gambling as much as those who have chosen to bury their heads in the sand.

 

Nor is there appetite or liklihood of "investors" throwing untold millions into a club they've never heard of, nor would i want them to.

 

They got initially agreed before Christmas and it is febuary/ march when they will be done and sorted.

 

Is it? All I recall is all the Championship club directors etc going on a trip to Greece (I think) to talk about talking about it. I can't recall reading anywhere that it was coming in for our level for definite.

It has been agreed for Champions League sides hasn't it?

 

The regulations dictate that clubs in the Championship can only earn what they spend from 2012-13 onwards, and Leagues One and Two can only spend 55% of their turnover on player’s wages.

Sanctions for not adhering to the rules will likely result in a transfer ban in the first instance, athough points reductions are also a possibility.

“We are very happy to see that Football League clubs, under the umbrella of the Football Association, are again taking the initiative on good governance issues by introducing Financial Fair Play,” said Platini, according to Sky Sports.

“We are delighted that enlightened football bodies across the continent are trying to restore financial sanity to football on a national level, just as we are trying to do on a European level,” he added.

UEFA is in the process of bringing in its own Financial Fair Play regulations for the top flights of football across Europe. Currently, Football League Clubs had a total collective debt of £700 million in the 209-10 campaign – with clubs “paying out more in wages than they generated in turnover” (Soccerex).

Thats from summer.

 

At a meeting at Coventry City's Ricoh Arena, Championship Clubs have given 'in principle' support to Football League proposals for a new Financial Fair Play framework for The League's flagship division.

The proposals will now be put to a formal vote in the new year.

Following the decision a Football League spokesman said: "At today's meeting, owners and executives of Championship clubs re-affirmed their commitment to the principles of Financial Fair Play as a means for encouraging financial sustainability at club level.

"After further discussions about the practical implementation of Financial Fair Play, clubs agreed that the proposals should be finalised and taken forward to the next meeting of Championship clubs at Derby in February for final ratification.

"If approved, the new rules would take effect from the start of the 2012/13 season.

Thats from 30.11.11

 

Key word is "IF APPROVED". So I'm assuming it' s not been between then and now. And might not be in Feb.

Good articles tho, cheers.

 

Wrong. I bet Hemsworth had heard of everyone we signed

Shouldn't that be spend what they earn?

 

While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

Personally I'd go further than that and say there isn't a cat in hells chance of them coming in, the chairmen just won't vote for it, but I digress...

It's not a gamble to take the route we have taken. It's just the way it is. If you've only got a certain amount of money and no one will give you any more then you simply can't spend what you haven't got. We're not taking a gamble by doing things this way, we simply don't have any other choice. I happen to think it's the right way, but it's also the only way other than spending all your money by Christmas and shutting the doors in January, but the present regime won't let that happen.

On top of that I remain to be convinced that we are going to break even this season. Everyone seems to believe we are, but no one has seen a balance sheet. I'd be surprised if we've got our wages down so radically so quickly. And I wouldn't be surprised if Patrick Cryne tops up the coffers, even if it's just a small amount, to stop us going in to the red with the banks. Maybe if we'd had a decent cup run we might have broken even, but we were out of both cups in the first round in front of very small crowds.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

The gamble comes from the assumption taht everyone will be forced to do what we have done off our own backs and therefore we will be ahead of teh game. We won't as you are quite right, they won't make it happen.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

What realistic alternative did the club have this season ?

I'm not talking about general management like ticket prices etc but about setting out this season by at the very least trying keep to a budget closely resembling income ?

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

It's a ******* supporting a proper football club innit?

Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

I don't think Barnsley football club are assuming that everyone will be forced to do what we have done. I'm sure they are more aware than we are that legislation to limit what clubs spend probably won't go through. I think we're doing what we're doing because Patrick Cryne doesn't want to put any more money in to the club. I heartily agree with him. He's put more than too much in already.

We're doing what we're doing because there isn't any choice. We have no access to other funds and we're not going spend what we've got in record time and then put ourselves into liquidation. We're not doing it because there's a possibility that others will have to do the same in future.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

None, none at all. But claiming we wil be ahead of the game by doing it is misleading at best in the first instance IMHO. Top and bottom of it is we are towing to pay teh price of being in this division and the management team needs to deliver miracles to keep us up, end of story.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

I think we will be 'ahead of the game' - at Championship level the number of wealthy benefactors/rich fans with no marbles is dwindling. whether by legislation or not, clubs at our level are going to have to reign in the spending. The gamble on getting to The Prem will become a far too risky one to lose.

 

Re: While I agree that there's no guarantee that these financial rules will come in

doesn't make any difference whether its been approved. who cares if we are allowed to live beyond our means we still shouldn't do it. much rather exist in a stable way in league 1 than risk going bust in this league. at the moment looks like hill and flitcroft means we haven't even got to make that choice.