Rival Watch

[Nameless]

Whats crazy is that 5 years ago, they had one of the lowest wage bills as a percentage of revenue in the Championship.

Where has all the dodgy money from the sale of the ground gone ?
It’s not as if Rooney is sucking huge sums out of the club, his wages are paid by Red7 aren’t they ?

[From Despair To Where?]

I can only assume their wage bill exploded under Lampard. He brought in a lot of players but even then, he shifted players like Darren Bent out of the club. Wonder what they paid Ashley Cole?

[SCIAG]

Whats crazy is that 5 years ago, they had one of the lowest wage bills as a percentage of revenue in the Championship.

That is crazy - they’ve been one of the highest transfer spenders in the league for a long time. In 2015-16 they spent £24m and added big free transfers like Darren Bent, Chris Baird, Alex Pearce, and Scott Carson, with no noteworthy sales. The next year they added Vydra for £8m plus Nugent and Anya for undisclosed sums, though in fairness they sold Jeff Hendrick for £10m.

I guess in summer 2015 they probably had a small wage budget, but since then they’ve chased promotion by throwing loads of money at it every year. They’re far from alone in that but my gut feeling is that they’re the worst offenders, though they’ve got a good track record of selling their best assets.

[Sutekh]

Whats crazy is that 5 years ago, they had one of the lowest wage bills as a percentage of revenue in the Championship.

Where has all the dodgy money from the sale of the ground gone ?
It’s not as if Rooney is sucking huge sums out of the club, his wages are paid by Red7 aren’t they ?

If Red7 are paying his wages, wouldn’t that mean any club could get a business (or any third party come to that) to “sponsor” a player to the tune of some or all of that player’s contracted wage? Is that a way round FFP?

[From Despair To Where?]

They were also averaging 28-29,000 through the gate 5 years ago.

[From Despair To Where?]

If Red7 are paying his wages, wouldn’t that mean any club could get a business (or any third party come to that) to “sponsor” a player to the tune of some or all of that player’s contracted wage? Is that a way round FFP?

Pretty sure that accusation was thrown at them at the time.

[Nameless]

Whats crazy is that 5 years ago, they had one of the lowest wage bills as a percentage of revenue in the Championship.

Where has all the dodgy money from the sale of the ground gone ?
It’s not as if Rooney is sucking huge sums out of the club, his wages are paid by Red7 aren’t they ?

If Red7 are paying his wages, wouldn’t that mean any club could get a business (or any third party come to that) to “sponsor” a player to the tune of some or all of that player’s contracted wage? Is that a way round FFP?

It’s not a way ‘round’ FFP. Surely it’s just BAU. Clubs look to get income from a variety of sources and that income offsets expenditure to work out if you are FFP compliant. You sponsor the shirts, buy naming rights to the ground, buy a pitchside billboard, sponsor a player.....
where it might be an issue would be if the ‘sponsor’ actually directly paid the wages and the player was employed by them but allowed to play for the club. I think that is illegal (third party ownership ?). If the sponsor gives the club £1 million a season and the player earns £1 million a season there is no problem.

[morganb]

Didn't realise until now that Bournemouth's Junior Stanislas has suffered an injury that will keep him out for four to six weeks. Not sure how this will affect them.

[Sutekh]

Didn't realise until now that Bournemouth's Junior Stanislas has suffered an injury that will keep him out for four to six weeks. Not sure how this will affect them.

Well he’s made 16(2) appearances for them in the league so far and bagged 7 goals (only Solanke with 10 has scored more) so looks like may be a bit of a loss, but then Bournemouth are bound to have pretty decent cover for him.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Didn't realise until now that Bournemouth's Junior Stanislas has suffered an injury that will keep him out for four to six weeks. Not sure how this will affect them.

Well he’s made 16(2) appearances for them in the league so far and bagged 7 goals (only Solanke with 10 has scored more) so looks like may be a bit of a loss, but then Bournemouth are bound to have pretty decent cover for him.

hope Danjume is still out when we play them in a couple of weeks - was decent against us last time out

[royalp-we]

Brum go 1-0 up at Boro

[Hound]

Only just watched a bit but looks vaguely similar to their first half display against us

Would be a massive help if they could take points of boro today

[Chameleon]

Good start for us, Middlesborough and Stoke at the only two non-top 6 sides that I'm significantly worried about making a charge for the playoffs, hopefully they'll continue to drop off

What's a perfect round of results for us?

Birmingham beat Boro

Hudds beat Watford

Blackburn beat or draw Stoke

Bristol draw PNE

Cardiff beat Norwich

Luton beat Norwich

Barnsley beat Swansea

[Snowball]

Good start for us, Middlesborough and Stoke at the only two non-top 6 sides that I'm significantly worried about making a charge for the playoffs, hopefully they'll continue to drop off

What's a perfect round of results for us?

Birmingham beat Boro

Hudds beat Watford

Blackburn beat or draw Stoke

Bristol draw PNE

Cardiff beat Norwich

Luton beat Norwich

Barnsley beat Swansea

That and I win the lottery.

[Nameless]

Good start for us, Middlesborough and Stoke at the only two non-top 6 sides that I'm significantly worried about making a charge for the playoffs, hopefully they'll continue to drop off

What's a perfect round of results for us?

Birmingham beat Boro

Hudds beat Watford

Blackburn beat or draw Stoke

Bristol draw PNE

Cardiff beat Norwich

Luton beat Norwich

Barnsley beat Swansea

ScottParker complains about tough schedules - Norwich having 2 games on the same day certainly puts Fulham’s congestion into perspective ...

[Zip]

Good start for us, Middlesborough and Stoke at the only two non-top 6 sides that I'm significantly worried about making a charge for the playoffs, hopefully they'll continue to drop off

What's a perfect round of results for us?

Birmingham beat Boro

Hudds beat Watford

Blackburn beat or draw Stoke

Bristol draw PNE

Cardiff beat Norwich

Luton beat Norwich

Barnsley beat Swansea

I’d be happy if the Barnsley game ended in a draw. If Barnsley win they are only three points off us.

[Chameleon]

Norwich aren't out of sight, but are quickly disappearing. Lots of lucky wins in the first half of the season, but getting into their rhythm now.

Bournemouth harshly down to 10. Lerma should be banned for our game if it's a 3 game ban.

[Hound]

Reckon that may get wiped off

Still be brilliant if Bournemouth end up dropping points to rubbish Luton

[Pepe the Horseman]

Reckon that may get wiped off

Still be brilliant if Bournemouth end up dropping points to rubbish Luton

Luton not had a single shot on or off target, or a corner. Hopefully nick it with their first shot, from their first corner, in the 96th minute.

[royalp-we]

That surely will be overturned. Luton yet to register a shot in that one..

Stoke go 1-0 up at Blackburn