Summer 2021 Transfers

I didn't hear any of what Sparky said at the supporters forum but did he make any reference to the salary constraints he expects the lower league clubs to be working to for next season? That could have a big bearing on the quality of the players brought into the club if other clubs manage to steal an advantage on us as some did this season.

 

Only that certain clubs are likely to be very big spenders, such as Bolton, Salford and Forest Green Rovers. I think the most we could hope for is for two of them to disappear from our division next season.

As I've mentioned previously, Ryan expects us to be able to improve the squad by 20 points, because of the money we will have available from losing the high earners.

If I had to guess, based on Ryan's comments, our playing budget will be around the £2m mark which, of course, is more than the defunct salary cap.

 

I like Sparky's positive approach that we are seeking to improve the squad and gain those additional 20 points for what would potentially be an automatic spot. That should go down well with the fans.

I'm not sure what he means by getting some of the big spenders out of the current division. The likes of Bolton and Salford were big spenders this season because they gamed the salary cap which at the time when squads were being assembled was an unknown quantity and hadn'tbeen finalised. They gambled and certainly in Bolton's case, it's paying off for them. But this season's form of the salary cap has gone now and we're back in the world of the old SCMP. I guess that's what we'll have for next season unless the PFA plays ball on an updated (and increased) salary cap! The good news is that SCMP is well understood now and I'd trust we can take advantage of it with the revenues from our bigger crowds. If we can't, we only have ourselves to blame.

 

I spotted @StaffordBantam comment about FGR and Salford. You also point out the revenue generated from attendances. Salford & FGR are poorly supported even for League Two. If the SCMP, comes into play, then surely that will reduce the amounts they can spend on squads?
As you say we have to maximise the potential of this club, and create a squad which reflects our relative size.
League Two 2019/2020 » Attendance » Home matches

 

No. First of all, SCMP considers the club's total income and not just ticket sales. FGR for example receives substantial 'commercial' income from its owner's other companies. More significantly, the SCMP allows owners to subsidise their clubs from their own deep pockets if they want to. Imo that's a fundamental flaw of the SCMP version of a salary cap. Get rid of that aspect and for me SCMP is a good system in that it limits clubs to what they can spend based on their revenue which makes it sustainable without imposing an arbitrary spending limit on all clubs. A revised SCMP system would of course play to our strengths and other lower clubs with above average followings such as Sunderland and Pompey!

 

Nothing at all! I wouldn't expect somebody who had sat at the feet of JR learning from the maestro to even think of something like that!

 

No, no no.

We need to look to the future. James had an excellent spell with us and is a City legend. But since leaving City, his career has seriously declined. He appears to be injury prone, will be 34 in November.

Like James, Filipe had a good career with City, but he is a year older.

We need to look forwards. Leave the past to be just that. Both had great spells at City. I don’t want them to become an Andy Gray type of player in the memory. Let’s look back at that part of our history with a fondness, but look forwards for new fresh players, who have something to prove.