Points Deduction Incoming!

[Snowflake Royal]

Don't think it'll be too difficult to shed 5m from the wage bill. Rafael and Swift will both go - thats prob 2.5-3m. We'll be very keen to shift Puscas and Moore I suspect - top priority - and thats probably us there. McNulty will obviously be off the books. Morrison unlikely to get another deal. I'd hope we'd be sensible with Moore and just give him a free for anyone who wants to pick up his wage. Reckon someone would bite.

If we can do that, I suspect we should have a fair bit of freedom to release and re-sign the others depending on needs. We do actually have a pretty big squad - its just most of them are injured.

other clubs like Preston and Coventry seem to manage pretty well just by scouting the lower leagues and picking up players like Laurent along with some good loans - which we've been pretty good at this year.

I'm pretty happy with the outcome. As long as we can stay up this year, a good chance to reset next year and go again.

Easy to get there without replacing anyone yeah...

I don't see anyone taking Moore, but if he does go it becomes a whole host easier with Swift and Cabral also going.

But think the point is we have the squad so don't need to replace

Jokull can replace Rafael, we've enough there to replace Swift, McNulty not an issue obvs, McIntyre/Holmes replace Moore with maybe Dorsett stepping up as back up. Clarke/Azeez to replace Puscas.

If we can shed those named high earners, and renew everyone else within reason, I'd be both delighted and confident of doing fairly well next year

Lots of talk about how thin our squad is.

Cabral isn’t an issue for replacing as you say unless Jokull isn't happy at No 2, but Swift is going to need replacing. Maybe we could get away with Morrison. But we'd certainly need at least one more striker even if Puscas stays, let alone goes.

We're not exactly strong on the flanks or fullback.

Just saying it's easy to find £6m to save, but much harder to persuade anyone to take some of it and we would need replacements in at least some cases. So we need more like £9m trimmed to account for those replacements.

The only way Moore is going anywhere is if he's willing to take at least a £5k a week paycut, more like £10k.

Why would he when he can see out his deal on his ludicrous £30k and then get a solid £15k - £18k and a phat signing on fee a season later.

You think if anyone actually wanted him they wouldn't have come in since Brighton given all our money woes?

He's not good enough for the PL or the moneybags parachute club, and he's far too expensive for the Championship.

[Hound]

if someone offered Moore a 3 year deal on say 15k he might take it. No reason he can't get a signing on fee now either if they buying club aren't paying a fee.

Certainly won't be easy to get rid, but I suspect we'll be exploring ways to do so.

re: Puscas, he was very much surplus to requirements last year. If Joao, Meite, Azeez and Hoilett are about he won't get a look in. Clarke and Ehib hopefully to add to the mix.

[Pepe the Horseman]

You would hope he'd be more willing to move on to help the club's plight as well. Although given the shit he gets from our fans that might not really enter his thoughts.

[Snowflake Royal]

if someone offered Moore a 3 year deal on say 15k he might take it. No reason he can't get a signing on fee now either if they buying club aren't paying a fee.

Certainly won't be easy to get rid, but I suspect we'll be exploring ways to do so.

re: Puscas, he was very much surplus to requirements last year. If Joao, Meite, Azeez and Hoilett are about he won't get a look in. Clarke and Ehib hopefully to add to the mix.

We'll see. I think you're hugely optimistic on Moore. At 29 he could still easily get a 2 year contract somewhere without having lost half his salary the previous year.

I'd be utterly delighted to be wrong and see the back of him and thr last of our insane financial decisions tho.

Don't see Azeez as a striker, at least for another year or two. And one of him or Meite has to be more competition on the right than striker. Would rather see Clarke get a decent loan move. Also don't see Hoilett as a viable striker option for anything but emergencies.

[URZZZZ]

Long read on our plight by the Athletic this morning, but doesn't really say anything we didn't already know. Glosses over the role of Gourlay, and seems to attribute the decline solely to 2017 and the Dai era, whereas I'd really say it goes back to 2013 and AZ going AWOL.

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

[URZZZZ]

re: Puscas, he was very much surplus to requirements last year. If Joao, Meite, Azeez and Hoilett are about he won't get a look in. Clarke and Ehib hopefully to add to the mix.

Not sure he was surplus to requirements last year. Understandably was behind Joao in the pecking order but still made the odd start here and there and he featured in most games when he was fit (he did miss 3 months of the season). Agree it’s likely he’ll fall off the radar with everyone fit this year though

[WestYorksRoyal]

Long read on our plight by the Athletic this morning, but doesn't really say anything we didn't already know. Glosses over the role of Gourlay, and seems to attribute the decline solely to 2017 and the Dai era, whereas I'd really say it goes back to 2013 and AZ going AWOL.

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

Wasn't 15/16 pretty dire too? Started well and then basically relegation form from November or so. Though I think 2018 was probably the nadir, and Gomes put us on more of an upwards trajectory even though it didn't end well for him.

I do think if we get to the end of next season with our Championship status in tact, things will improve. We've finally heard something from the Dais, while the club have emphasised lessons learnt. If you look at QPR, I'd say they're doing pretty well these days, and they went through a comparable period.

[Hound]

Long read on our plight by the Athletic this morning, but doesn't really say anything we didn't already know. Glosses over the role of Gourlay, and seems to attribute the decline solely to 2017 and the Dai era, whereas I'd really say it goes back to 2013 and AZ going AWOL.

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

Wasn't 15/16 pretty dire too? Started well and then basically relegation form from November or so. Though I think 2018 was probably the nadir, and Gomes put us on more of an upwards trajectory even though it didn't end well for him.

I do think if we get to the end of next season with our Championship status in tact, things will improve. We've finally heard something from the Dais, while the club have emphasised lessons learnt. If you look at QPR, I'd say they're doing pretty well these days, and they went through a comparable period.

15/16 Clarke > McD wasn't it? Started very well, and then yeah pretty dire. End of the season though we had a smallish squad and don't think Stam had a lot to play about with. All really went to pot when the Dai's joined and started spending huge sums on transfers and contracts

[Sutekh]

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

Wasn't 15/16 pretty dire too? Started well and then basically relegation form from November or so. Though I think 2018 was probably the nadir, and Gomes put us on more of an upwards trajectory even though it didn't end well for him.

I do think if we get to the end of next season with our Championship status in tact, things will improve. We've finally heard something from the Dais, while the club have emphasised lessons learnt. If you look at QPR, I'd say they're doing pretty well these days, and they went through a comparable period.

15/16 Clarke > McD wasn't it? Started very well, and then yeah pretty dire. End of the season though we had a smallish squad and don't think Stam had a lot to play about with. All really went to pot when the Dai's joined and started spending huge sums on transfers and contracts

It’s been a slowly building catalogue of errors since the Swansea play off final. Started with the sale of the club to AZ but, hopefully, has now finished with the overspending by the current owners. Let’s hope the enforced slow down enables the club to rebuild the playing staff with a lot of the bargains, frees and youngsters that can actually contribute greatly to a successful side. There is therefore a lot of pressure in VP and his team to be able to make the right decisions - and learn rapidly when they get it wrong.

[Snowflake Royal]

Long read on our plight by the Athletic this morning, but doesn't really say anything we didn't already know. Glosses over the role of Gourlay, and seems to attribute the decline solely to 2017 and the Dai era, whereas I'd really say it goes back to 2013 and AZ going AWOL.

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

Thais did a fair amount to fix Anton's screw ups. Vibrac, Pog, Drenthe, HMRC. Then Dai came in and tossed it all in the bin.

[LUX]

It’s been a slowly building catalogue of errors since the Swansea play off final.

not really followed the thread, but since Swansea we:

a: made another -albeit disappointing- play-off final

b: got to the FA Cup semi final and took Arsenal to extra time (iirc)

[Donny Ironside]

Long read on our plight by the Athletic this morning, but doesn't really say anything we didn't already know. Glosses over the role of Gourlay, and seems to attribute the decline solely to 2017 and the Dai era, whereas I'd really say it goes back to 2013 and AZ going AWOL.

AZ started the rot but it was fully accelerated during the 2017 era. Both on and off the pitch, an absolutely dreadful couple of years

Thais did a fair amount to fix Anton's screw ups. Vibrac, Pog, Drenthe, HMRC. Then Dai came in and tossed it all in the bin.

What player had the initials HMRC? Do you mean HRK?

[LUX]

it's his name in full, in Welsh

[Franchise FC]

it's his name in full, in Welsh

[royalp-we]

Loads of clubs will take Moore. He is highly rated outside our idiotic fan base.

If any club were to take him their fan base be cockahoop.

Why does calling him out on his terrible displays equate to idiocy? It is honesty, not idiocy. In relation to his wage he is extremely poor value, should have been sold when Brighton came in with the big money.

I agree that he should of gone to Brighton when opportunity arose, but the berating of our club captain is an utter embarrassment. Grown men frothing at the mouth on twitter and on here when clearly the bloke is passionate and busting a gut for this club.

I think that’s half the issue, Moore does put his neck on the line but doesn’t resonate with fans.

He doesn’t come across as a player who rallies a call to arms, we lose a few games on the bounce and there’s no interviews etc. We go a goal behind and he looks a beaten man and sometimes nonplussed. Win a few and he’s the first to do the pre match interview in front of Sky cameras.

Anyone who denies he’s a decent defender is an idiot. But he doesn’t come across as a leader or relatable for fans. McAnuff was the last captain to shoulder any responsibility. Almost 10 bloody years ago now.

[Zip]

Part of the problem was that Stam did really well in his first season encouraging the owners to invest in the 2017 close season. That summer was damaging and we are still paying for it now.

[Zip]

Why does calling him out on his terrible displays equate to idiocy? It is honesty, not idiocy. In relation to his wage he is extremely poor value, should have been sold when Brighton came in with the big money.

I agree that he should of gone to Brighton when opportunity arose, but the berating of our club captain is an utter embarrassment. Grown men frothing at the mouth on twitter and on here when clearly the bloke is passionate and busting a gut for this club.

I think that’s half the issue, Moore does put his neck on the line but doesn’t resonate with fans.

He doesn’t come across as a player who rallies a call to arms, we lose a few games on the bounce and there’s no interviews etc. We go a goal behind and he looks a beaten man and sometimes nonplussed. Win a few and he’s the first to do the pre match interview in front of Sky cameras.

Anyone who denies he’s a decent defender is an idiot. But he doesn’t come across as a leader or relatable for fans. McAnuff was the last captain to shoulder any responsibility. Almost 10 bloody years ago now.

I’m not so sure. At the Forest game last season in front of 2000 fans Moore was very vocal from start to finish barking out orders. He showed leadership that day. His wages have made him a very easy scapegoat. If he was on half his salary he would get a lose less criticism.

[Nameless]

I agree that he should of gone to Brighton when opportunity arose, but the berating of our club captain is an utter embarrassment. Grown men frothing at the mouth on twitter and on here when clearly the bloke is passionate and busting a gut for this club.

I think that’s half the issue, Moore does put his neck on the line but doesn’t resonate with fans.

He doesn’t come across as a player who rallies a call to arms, we lose a few games on the bounce and there’s no interviews etc. We go a goal behind and he looks a beaten man and sometimes nonplussed. Win a few and he’s the first to do the pre match interview in front of Sky cameras.

Anyone who denies he’s a decent defender is an idiot. But he doesn’t come across as a leader or relatable for fans. McAnuff was the last captain to shoulder any responsibility. Almost 10 bloody years ago now.

I’m not so sure. At the Forest game last season in front of 2000 fans Moore was very vocal from start to finish barking out orders. He showed leadership that day. His wages have made him a very easy scapegoat. If he was on half his salary he would get a lose less criticism.

Anyone who went to the 3 COVID games last year will have seen just how vocal Moore is. Constant talking, organising, encouraging.
He’s also respected by the rest of the squad. If the captain was elected by the players he’d get the job.

[Lower West]

It’s been a slowly building catalogue of errors since the Swansea play off final.

not really followed the thread, but since Swansea we:

a: made another -albeit disappointing- play-off final

b: got to the FA Cup semi final and took Arsenal to extra time (iirc)

and managed to lose £161million in the process. Next season is going to be a challenge.

Key points from the agreement with the EFL

Reading have a wage cap for this season of £21.1m.
Next season, that wage cap will drop to £16m.
Reading are permitted to register a total of 25 players.
The club cannot pay transfer fees, compensation or loan fees in excess of a level agreed by the EFL.

The madness is finally coming to an end.

[windermereROYAL]

The club cannot pay transfer fees, compensation or loan fees in excess of a level agreed by the EFL.


Nobody has said what this figure is.

And I looks like there maybe a significant hike in ST prices next season after being frozen for some time, assuming of course we retain our championship status.