Lee wanting to sell his stake in the club.

Pompey have a larger catchment area than us and bigger fan base.

 

Or you'd have to drastically reduce you're out goings *wages*. Which would mean dropping down the leagues until a level was found.

 

The problem is it’s not really an ‘investment’ is it? The vast majority of people in club ownership lose money, it’s a Labour of love in most cases.

Im sure Ashley for example remembers his time here fondly, and looks out for us etc. But it’s a huge leap from that to chucking away a big chunk of his wealth away to help us out.

Was it Patrick or someone else who said when asked how you become a millionaire: “you start as a billionaire. Then buy a football club”!

 

What about Wycombe, Chesterfield, Exeter?
All have done it in past, accept at a ‘lower’ level than us but it shows it can be done.

 

Bosman ruling killed off football clubs making a profit. Barring a couple of basket cases most clubs were run as a business and most made a profit back in the 60s and 70s. First club I can remember that ignored the balance sheet were Wolves who almost had the gates closed on them. Then Walker poured his millions into Blackburn with no concern about profit and others followed suit. The Crynes put a bit of money into Barnsley but also got some back in player sales. Be interesting to know what their net contribution was following the sale of the club.

 

I know a family member of the wards. Made a ton out of property development in the Cheshire footballers belt. I know he has affection for us, not sure that translates into ownership or if that ton is big enough for football when you're competing with the next club hell bent on busting themselves (Wigan etc) or sports washing/ laundering by kleptocrats. Personally I think to absolutely nail automatic next season will take about 6/7 million extra investment. Not a lot but It's then what do you do in the championship?

 

I seem to remember reading that Ashley Ward's net worth is somewhere around £10 million. Plenty enough to ensure he and his kids never have to worry about money again, but not the sort of sum that will get you very far when it comes to running a football club.

 

If you are fan owned, who else would pay the wages?

 

The revenue from all the income streams i.e. tv rights, gate receipts.

Nobody should be bankrolling a football club.

 

The income generated from gate receipts, TV deals, sponsorship, shirt and merchandising money etc etc.

 

How many clubs are making a profit or even breaking even year on year? I'd hazard a guess none in the championship and hardly any in league one.

 

Doesn't make it right though, it just means that clubs are paying too much out on player wages and fees etc

 

So gate receipts and shirts + merchandising are fans funding

 

Slightly different angle than my thinking as I was basing it on the same set of fans who may own a club would be the ones buying tickets, shirts and other items. So essentially it is all funded by the same set of fans other than sponsorship, tv etc.

If we are talking about 100% fan ownership. I'd say a club our size would probably have a budget similar to middle of the road league 2 club. So we would be highly reliant on bringing young players through and probably wouldn't be able to sustain the academy costs we have now. I guess we would have to move to a smaller model all round.

If we are talking about just getting fans representation on the board, it may be achievable to say target half of Chiens shares so giving a fans group around 15%. If the current board would allow a representative of that group to sit around the boardroom table, it gives at least a fans perspective on how the club is run. Say 3000 fans, we'd be looking at roughly £500 each. No idea if it's achievable though especially in this financial climate.

 

Patrick and the current crowd put money in to keep us viable. if that money was to stop we would have to cut our cloth to fit. IE ...lower our main out goings (wage's) which sooner or later, I'd say sooner, would mean we drop down the leagues. Until a level of sustainability is found.

 

I'd argue we're a viable L1 club without additional financial support based on our average attendances being higher than most other clubs in this division and that most other clubs at this level don't receive additional financial support. I'd also argue, if we were well run, that promotion to the Championship is far from impossible, again based on our income from ticket sales.