Are you optimistic we'll survive?

[Stranded]

It’s difficult to say until I have watched the game this evening and I know QPR’s result against Norwich. I have a horrible feeling QPR will win tonight.

I think it’s 40-60 but if we survive this season, I think we might just be delaying the inevitable next season. Anyway, I’m going to the last 4 games so I’m hoping Huddersfield is going to be a survival party.

And QPR fans will probably have a horrible feeling that we will win and they'll get stuffed.

Logic (and I know that can go out of the window at this stage of the season) says QPR will lose and likely heavily. Since Boxing Day they have won 1 game and scored just 13 goals, letting in 41. They have lost to the absolutely dregs of this division. Norwich aren't amazing but know a win will take them into the play-off spots tonight.

So it may happen that they win but we just have to look after ourselves, win tonight and regardless of other results, we will be out of the bottom 3. A draw may well be just about enough to do that, if QPR do lose.

[Stranded]

You'd fancy Ipswich and Wednesday to do alright if promoted and Plymouth have the potential too.

Barnsley or Peterborough or Bolton you could probably see struggling.

Saints, Leicester, Forest, Everton or Leeds are probably all at least midtable.

So yeah, I think whichever of Reading, Birmingham, Hull, Cardiff, QPR, Rotherham and Huddersfield survive are likely to make up most of the bottom 8 again.

I will making absolutely no predictions on how we will fair next year, which ever divison we are in, until I know a) who the manager is and b) what the squad looks like.

This will be the first summer in ages where we will be relatively free of restriction (just an agreed budget) and with a recruitment structure in place (all be it new) - so next year could literally be anything.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I could see Ipswich and Plymouth being in the bottom 8 next season regardless of who is in the division, although not a given. Sheff Wednesday might be able to go for a top half finish potentially.

Obviously hard to say at the moment because we don't know who is in the league and who is going to do what in this division next season.

[Snowflake Royal]

You'd fancy Ipswich and Wednesday to do alright if promoted and Plymouth have the potential too.

Barnsley or Peterborough or Bolton you could probably see struggling.

Saints, Leicester, Forest, Everton or Leeds are probably all at least midtable.

So yeah, I think whichever of Reading, Birmingham, Hull, Cardiff, QPR, Rotherham and Huddersfield survive are likely to make up most of the bottom 8 again.

I will making absolutely no predictions on how we will fair next year, which ever divison we are in, until I know a) who the manager is and b) what the squad looks like.

This will be the first summer in ages where we will be relatively free of restriction (just an agreed budget) and with a recruitment structure in place (all be it new) - so next year could literally be anything.

Let's be real. We may have restrictions removed, but we'll still have a budget to stick to that means we can't pay big fees or high wages. And the remnants of a bottom 6 squad to replenish.

It'll take near miraculous recruitment to be anything but roughly bottom 8 again.

[genome]

Tonight's matches are the pivot, I think. Win, and we stay up. Lose, no. Draw - depends on QPR. I think we'll have a clearer picture at 10pm tonight.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

You'd fancy Ipswich and Wednesday to do alright if promoted and Plymouth have the potential too.

Barnsley or Peterborough or Bolton you could probably see struggling.

Saints, Leicester, Forest, Everton or Leeds are probably all at least midtable.

So yeah, I think whichever of Reading, Birmingham, Hull, Cardiff, QPR, Rotherham and Huddersfield survive are likely to make up most of the bottom 8 again.

I will making absolutely no predictions on how we will fair next year, which ever divison we are in, until I know a) who the manager is and b) what the squad looks like.

This will be the first summer in ages where we will be relatively free of restriction (just an agreed budget) and with a recruitment structure in place (all be it new) - so next year could literally be anything.

Let's be real. We may have restrictions removed, but we'll still have a budget to stick to that means we can't pay big fees or high wages. And the remnants of a bottom 6 squad to replenish.

It'll take near miraculous recruitment to be anything but roughly bottom 8 again.

Many other clubs won't be able to spend big either, I know we will still have some restrictions in place whereas others won't, but I can't see our budgets being so much less competitive than other sides next season, assuming we are still in the same division.

Agree overall though, it will take some very good recruitment to see us out of the bottom 8, but I think it should be anticipated that we will have a better season next season than what we've had this season, assuming we remain a Championship side that is.

[tidus_mi2]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

Income is about £16m, losses permitted at £13m, Academy spending not included.

Wage budget this year, funded by some expected sales, was about £16m.

So we can probably work on the assumption our wage budget needs to be somewhere between £15m - £20m. Less net transfer fees.

[Hendo]

Tonight's matches are the pivot, I think. Win, and we stay up. Lose, no. Draw - depends on QPR. I think we'll have a clearer picture at 10pm tonight.

Would probably agree.

[Stranded]

You'd fancy Ipswich and Wednesday to do alright if promoted and Plymouth have the potential too.

Barnsley or Peterborough or Bolton you could probably see struggling.

Saints, Leicester, Forest, Everton or Leeds are probably all at least midtable.

So yeah, I think whichever of Reading, Birmingham, Hull, Cardiff, QPR, Rotherham and Huddersfield survive are likely to make up most of the bottom 8 again.

I will making absolutely no predictions on how we will fair next year, which ever divison we are in, until I know a) who the manager is and b) what the squad looks like.

This will be the first summer in ages where we will be relatively free of restriction (just an agreed budget) and with a recruitment structure in place (all be it new) - so next year could literally be anything.

Let's be real. We may have restrictions removed, but we'll still have a budget to stick to that means we can't pay big fees or high wages. And the remnants of a bottom 6 squad to replenish.

It'll take near miraculous recruitment to be anything but roughly bottom 8 again.

We don't need to spend fees to be "competitive" i.e more around mid table. Outside the clubs with parachute payments, hardly anyone has spent money this year - unless they sold. 509 players moved to a Championship club this year, the average fee was 480k.

What will be different for us is we can be more competitive when it comes to free agents and the success in that market will dictate, if in the Championship, if our season is most likely to be another struggle or something a little more mundane.

[Chairman Mao]

I think we should and we have a chance, which wasn't the casewhen ince was here. Ask me again after Luton.

I wouldn’t say optimistic though, because staying up just means same relegation fight next year.

without points deductions and more freedom in the transfer market means thats much less likely for me
but we would be fools to rule it out, given all the recent evidence

[Stranded]

Tonight's matches are the pivot, I think. Win, and we stay up. Lose, no. Draw - depends on QPR. I think we'll have a clearer picture at 10pm tonight.

Would probably agree.

Agree to an extent - Huddersfield only drawing last night was a bonus given we have to play them. QPR are the obvious target and they are in such a state that once/if they hit the bottom 3 they won't get out - so if they win and we don't that will become very tricky.

[Hound]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

Income is about £16m, losses permitted at £13m, Academy spending not included.

Wage budget this year, funded by some expected sales, was about £16m.

So we can probably work on the assumption our wage budget needs to be somewhere between £15m - £20m. Less net transfer fees.

Which would hopefully be more than this year. And once you’ve removed Moore (2m p/a) particularly but also Joao, Meite and possibly Puscas you’ve a lot more to play with

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

There is also the new UEFA rules that are coming into play whereby teams can only spend a certain % of income on transfer fees, wages and agents fees. This season, that will be 90% for all clubs. So if our income is at £16m, then £14.4m of that can be spent on the 3 above. Whilst I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, I'd assume this would apply to all Championship clubs as well.

[mikey_1871]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

Income is about £16m, losses permitted at £13m, Academy spending not included.

Wage budget this year, funded by some expected sales, was about £16m.

So we can probably work on the assumption our wage budget needs to be somewhere between £15m - £20m. Less net transfer fees.

Wage budget for this year also includes Moore's salary, which will come off.
So would expect a bit of an improvement on a squad which was good enough for lower mid table this year (without points deduction), rather than a relegation battle

[Hendo]

Tonight's matches are the pivot, I think. Win, and we stay up. Lose, no. Draw - depends on QPR. I think we'll have a clearer picture at 10pm tonight.

Would probably agree.

Agree to an extent - Huddersfield only drawing last night was a bonus given we have to play them. QPR are the obvious target and they are in such a state that once/if they hit the bottom 3 they won't get out - so if they win and we don't that will become very tricky.

Yeah, for sure - QPR are the team I am most focused on as well.

[URZZZZ]

Would probably agree.

Agree to an extent - Huddersfield only drawing last night was a bonus given we have to play them. QPR are the obvious target and they are in such a state that once/if they hit the bottom 3 they won't get out - so if they win and we don't that will become very tricky.

Yeah, for sure - QPR are the team I am most focused on as well.

Collectively, since the 22nd October where both us and QPR won, collectively we have won 7 in 52 games (us with 5 wins, them with just 2!)

Just can’t see at that rate how it would be anyone else but one of us or QPR to take the final spot but you never know

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

There is also the new UEFA rules that are coming into play whereby teams can only spend a certain % of income on transfer fees, wages and agents fees. This season, that will be 90% for all clubs. So if our income is at £16m, then £14.4m of that can be spent on the 3 above. Whilst I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, I'd assume this would apply to all Championship clubs as well.

Pretty big assumption.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I'm not sure what our restrictions will be but unless someone corrects me, our current restrictions put our outgoings among the bottom in the league, perhaps even very bottom, whereas next season, if we don't get relegated, I would hope our potential outgoings even with restrictions would let us move up to the mid-table range.

There is also the new UEFA rules that are coming into play whereby teams can only spend a certain % of income on transfer fees, wages and agents fees. This season, that will be 90% for all clubs. So if our income is at £16m, then £14.4m of that can be spent on the 3 above. Whilst I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, I'd assume this would apply to all Championship clubs as well.

Pretty big assumption.

It does say the new financial stability rules are "replacing" the old Financial Fair Play regulations, so I think it's safe to assume that it will affect us in the Championship in some way. It doesn't explicitly say that it will though, which may mean there could be some tweaks from the EFL potentially, as it is currently.

[Loafer]

No and I hope we go down