Championship Finances and FFP

Football runs in waves if we stay up this year

With Eze money we will be in top six in two years time

This is my prediction

We have good assets on Eze and Chair 20 million

Best chance of Eze going is if they go down

Given that the FFP cycle is 3 years, my feeling is that we'll have one big push once the most expensive of the previous three years drops out of the equation.

Then we'll have a bit of a splurge on players and push for promotion.

If we fail in promotion, I suspect we'll  have two years of austerity, before repeating the cycle in the third year once more.

As for Eze, I'm a bit worried he'll stay at Palace. He has shown himself to be loyal and could easily stick around. Also, his injury record could put off the big boys.

He's nearly 26, so possibly at the peak of his career for a couple of years. If he doesn't move in the next two summer transfer windows, his value will start dropping appreciably.

All fair points Jack and was not looking to be critical of Simon, I have read his articles on FFP in the past and they have been an education. He is a good bloke for using his obvious professional expertise to help us fans try to understand the predicament. Think it has been useful with previous accounts because, whilst we can all blame the board for stupid past decisions, given where we are its not as simple as "just buy a fucking striker FFS!" as some fans like to shout. I get that this time there is a lot of crucial info not in the public domain so impossible for him to give a definitive answer. My frustration was not with him but our situation as fans - I get as fans we are not entitled to know everything but given such major mismanagement in the past we are justified to feel nervous. It seems we simply have to trust the board to have got this right - and that's not an entirely comfortable place to be. No offence intended to Simon, and apologies if I came across that way.

Kind of interesting/depressing article on the state of QPR's finances:

footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2024/02/qprs-sorry-financial-tale-reflects.html

Ipswich sell 40% of shares for ‘up to’ £105m.

Agent fees

Exactly.

Instead of clubs paying agents’ fees, it should be down to the players.

Actors and authors for example pay a percentage of their earnings to their agent, end of story. 

Thanks for explanation awin, didn't know that. I get that its important to stop that conflict of interest - that we had an agent for a manager and most of the players we were signing under Hughes was the first really big sign to me that our owners didn't know what the fuck they were doing. But just seems a huge amount of money for not much work. For example, when you are buying a house you don't need three estate agents. Probably naive of me but surely it's the job of the DoF and the recruitment team to represent the club in transfers? Surely one parasite is enough per deal? 

Crazy really. Clubs wants to spend more money, which then puts all the prices up which then means spending more money.

Whereas if there isnt as much money in the game, then you need to spend less.

Those clubs going for the Prem would spend more. But so would we, so would 70% of the clubs as pretty much everyone is owned by rich owners these days.


I am sure that there is a way for owners to spend money, without loading the club with debt. That, I have no problem with. But owners spending money and then wanting it back when it doesnt work, is where the problem (to me) lies.

But that kicked off properly post the introduction of FFP. Average levels of club indebtedness increased by 48% after FFPs introduction because, as James pointed out, debt is not factored into the FFP equation. Furthermore the application of sanctions has been hopelessly inconsistent, and smart CEOs have been able to drive a coach and horses through the regs. (eg Chelsea).  The Man City scenario on its own represents a massive critique of the system.

It accelerated the amount of clubs going into administration and has cemented the status quo at the top. 

Other businesses are not regulated in the same haphazard way, and the big battle to come (ie City vs P&S / FFP) will inevitably be centred on UK competition law. 

problem with the enforcement and application is that FFP is not administered independently.  Members (ie the clubs) effectively control the EFL, who appoint (ie employ) an independent panel.  It's a recipe for chaos.

HMG's idea - supported by all sides of the house -  was to set up an independent regulator, but assuming the bill becomes law after the election, FFP will not be within its purview. Which makes no sense at all. Instead, the regulator will seek to ensure a fairer distribution of income between the EPL and EFL clubs. Just a shame that P/S and FFP wont be subject to official scrutiny outside the Premiere League and the EFL.

Ironically, the only chance of reforming the system is in the hands of.... Man City.  You couldn't make it up...