And So It Begins.

Was the money made available by Rupp? In a sense, of course. But did he invest? Who knows. Hearsay, but I've heard from a reasonably well connected source that our budget was in the top 3 highest in the league.

 

I don’t honestly believe that, looking at other teams recruiting versus INCOME. A few have deliberately gone in to debt only sustained by sugar daddies. I named 4 of them FB. The criticism being levelled, is Rupp refused to do so perhaps? That largely depends on what his disposable income is at the end of the day? . You and I would throw caution to the wind perhaps, a new
( fictional) owner could do the same, Rupp who has zero affinity with the City and the Club is being careful?

 

Sparks said our budget for 21/22 was in the top 7. It's fair to presume, with increased season tickets/match day attendances/commercial revenue, that we're in the top 3 for 22/23.

You would think Wrexham, Stockport & MK Dons would have bigger budgets than us in 23/24.

 

And Notts County, Gillingham and maybe Crawley.

Forrest Green won’t be short of money either.

 

Yes, it looks a bit tougher.

Mansfield & Swindon too. Hopefully Stockport can go up in the final.

 

How do budgets work. I can't remember what restrictions are in place i.e. ffp

 

Sustainability ballocks- those that care about their own pockets v those who owners to be successful that do whatever it takes!

 

It’s a free for all as long as the owners “ gift “ money to a club. Self funding through turnstiles and commercial activity is apparently a joke.

 

Nope, dumb Dale Vince would rather support the eco terrorists ....

 

He’s a top man. Forest Green are my second favourite club.

 

I'd say we'd be no higher than 3rd, no less than 6th. It's obvious Stockport & Salford were the top 2 in L2 this season, Stockport spent £237K on agent fees alone over the last year. But then it's probably a split between Mansfield, us and Orient. Crawley apparently had a top 7 budget this season.

Wrexham will have a top end L1 budget, Notts Co will have a big budget too as they've done seriously well over the last few years financially, plus their current team would probably challenge for a slot. Stockport if they stay down even if Carlisle stay down it will be a decent budget. MK Dons yes, Gillingham have been promised a promotion budget, Swindon have been promised cash too and they got a 6 figure fee boost from Fifa for players going to the World Cup. Mansfield always have a top budget, who knows what's happening with Crawley but they might spend again. Tranmere always seem to be in or around the market for top talent too.

Next season, it wouldn't surprise me if 10 or so teams have what would traditionally be a top 5 budget for the league. Everyone knows the financial juggernaut that is coming up, so these chasing teams will spend that bit more to try bring players in. I bet every agent negotiating with a City, Notts, MK, Mansfield budgeted team in the summer throws out the "well Wrexham/Salford are offering us X amount", to try move up the offers.

 

Well I am now seriously depressed. Money is King and to succeed even in the lower leagues you now need a Sugar Mummy/Daddy. Those that get round every obstacle the FA have put in place and push enormous amount of money into their clubs. If Wrexham can have a top league 1 budget immediately questions will be asked. Or maybe that should read questions ought to be asked.

You have team that are not generating their own budgets from their community but now we have to compete with Disney!

 

Well there's no hope for some then.....

 

Money isn't always king, I mean look at Salford the past 5 years. They've out spent everyone the past 4 seasons but haven't managed a promotion with just 1 play off spot in 4 seasons to show for all their money. It something where you still need to spend it the right way, regardless of how big the pot is. Wont know until next march when the books are public (or as near as) but the rumour is Wrexham in NL this season had a lower end L1 budget, but the NL is lawless when it comes to spending. But Salford never really went for marquee signings, or blew teams out the water. They tried spending sensibly on proven L2 names but it never came off. Whereas Wrexham just want to climb as quick as they can, spending daft amounts like £300K for Palmer just off the top of my head.

The rule on FFP is that clubs can spend 50% of their revenue as their squad budget, with gifts from owners etc being ways around it, but 50% is supposed to be the benchmark. Now they are in the EFL they might actually have to look at spending a bit more closely, but there's always way around FFP. The Disney/FX money they get is the gamechanger. I was in LA late last year, maybe a month or so after the last episode dropped for the show, and FX still had advertising everywhere down Sunset and Hollywood boulevard, FX spent a tonne on marketing that to American audiences.

 

Stevenage spent lots according to an Evans interview I watched on YT. He suggested the owners had extremely deep pockets and heavily invested this season. All this “ big spending Bradford ” ballacks he comes outwith is just that… ballacks.

 

Money isn’t everything as Salford have proved. However in this league for every team spending heavily there are three that are not.
We will have a good budget please let it be used wisely

 

In a nutshell……

 

Therein lies the issue.

Oliver/ Young/ East/ Osudina/ Nevers/ Pieirra/ Bola/ Costello/ Harratt, all signed by Hughes and barring the odd cameo by Eat, all have been flops. Banks far too in and out of games and Walker not a fraction of the player we expected. Smallwood a big MEH. New contracts for Hendrie & Sutton.

Only Halliday & Lewis stand out as players signed by Hughes that have been a success.

 

I think you are harsh on banks and I think Walker has been playing through injury

 

Banks I accept, but if Walker wasn't 100% match fit, he shouldn't have been playing and we should have tweaked the style. Perhaps a big mistake letting Young go out on loan. Perhaps if Oliver had got more game time he wouldn't have done his knee in during training ?