Embargos, HMRC Payment defaults, non payment of wages, the usual under Dai Wrongge

[Wanderlust]

Can’t believe what is happening to your club and I hope you get a quick resolution and a chance to reset soon rather than the slow agonising demolition job we had to endure until 4 years ago. We survived - just - and are building back soo we are very lucky and our late owner wrote off 185 million to keep us alive. Even then, we were saved an hour before the winding up order was due to be served. Bury didn’t make it.
Looking back we were and are just happy we exist but we are enjoying life in the lower leagues - a far cry from our Prem years and beating the likes of Atletico in Europe - but strangely, it feels great - and I only hope you get to experience a debt free club with good management that is working it’s way back once this pile of crap ends.

[Lower West]

He discussed it in detail at the hearing, if you want to look back at the video. IIRC, the teams involved in Europe may already be aiming for this level, because of UEFA rules. His other point, besides reforming FFP, was that the parachute clubs have a massive advantage over everyone else. Think the PL wanted a higher squad-ratio for those clubs than for everyone else.

As part of any changes ALL clubs should be forced to put clauses into ALL their player contracts so that relegation means non-negotiable % wage reductions as well as any associated bonus payments being removed or significantly reduced. Likewise clubs would also include % wage increases etc. should a club be promoted.

Takes two parties to agree a contract. Players would only sign one year deals or negotiate an exit clause if the club were relegated.

[rabidbee]

He discussed it in detail at the hearing, if you want to look back at the video. IIRC, the teams involved in Europe may already be aiming for this level, because of UEFA rules. His other point, besides reforming FFP, was that the parachute clubs have a massive advantage over everyone else. Think the PL wanted a higher squad-ratio for those clubs than for everyone else.

As part of any changes ALL clubs should be forced to put clauses into ALL their player contracts so that relegation means non-negotiable % wage reductions as well as any associated bonus payments being removed or significantly reduced. Likewise clubs would also include % wage increases etc. should a club be promoted.

Takes two parties to agree a contract. Players would only sign one year deals or negotiate an exit clause if the club were relegated.

The obvious corollary would be a release clause in the event of relegation.

[Sutekh]

He discussed it in detail at the hearing, if you want to look back at the video. IIRC, the teams involved in Europe may already be aiming for this level, because of UEFA rules. His other point, besides reforming FFP, was that the parachute clubs have a massive advantage over everyone else. Think the PL wanted a higher squad-ratio for those clubs than for everyone else.

As part of any changes ALL clubs should be forced to put clauses into ALL their player contracts so that relegation means non-negotiable % wage reductions as well as any associated bonus payments being removed or significantly reduced. Likewise clubs would also include % wage increases etc. should a club be promoted.

Takes two parties to agree a contract. Players would only sign one year deals or negotiate an exit clause if the club were relegated.

But if it's compulsory for every player contract at every league club it's not going to make any difference as if a player insisted on a 1 year he'd have to make sure he played at the top of his game every season to ensure the best options are available to him in every window, not to mention having to endure the continual upheaval and uncertainty every season that a 1 year deal would bring to him and his family.

[Lower West]

As part of any changes ALL clubs should be forced to put clauses into ALL their player contracts so that relegation means non-negotiable % wage reductions as well as any associated bonus payments being removed or significantly reduced. Likewise clubs would also include % wage increases etc. should a club be promoted.

Takes two parties to agree a contract. Players would only sign one year deals or negotiate an exit clause if the club were relegated.

But if it's compulsory for every player contract at every league club it's not going to make any difference as if a player insisted on a 1 year he'd have to make sure he played at the top of his game every season to ensure the best options are available to him in every window, not to mention having to endure the continual upheaval and uncertainty every season that a 1 year deal would bring to him and his family.

Exit clauses would be the solution. Under employment law would be difficult to enforce a compulsory pay cut while not allowing the player complete freedom to exit. Side effect of this is that club might not realise full value for the player. With acquired players being amortised over their contracts. Would hit the P&L and as a result impinge on another financial sustainability rule. Whole issie is extremely complex.

At the crux is how money is filtered down the entire football pyramid. Fairer distribution. Given lower league clubs make far less from player sales these days.

[tmesis]

At the crux is how money is filtered down the entire football pyramid. Fairer distribution. Given lower league clubs make far less from player sales these days.

I'd like to see a smoother, more even, distribution of money, but that's not why clubs are struggling. They are struggling because they willingly spend too much, either gambling on promotion, or just to keep up with the pack, who they know will also overspend.

You could give League One clubs an extra £5 million a year, and the only result would be them spending £5 million more each on wages.

[Ascotexgunner]

At the crux is how money is filtered down the entire football pyramid. Fairer distribution. Given lower league clubs make far less from player sales these days.

I'd like to see a smoother, more even, distribution of money, but that's not why clubs are struggling. They are struggling because they willingly spend too much, either gambling on promotion, or just to keep up with the pack, who they know will also overspend.

You could give League One clubs an extra £5 million a year, and the only result would be them spending £5 million more each on wages.

Or directors not spending it and pocketing it.
If you gave Dai the money we wouldn't see any of it.

[Clyde1998]

At the crux is how money is filtered down the entire football pyramid. Fairer distribution. Given lower league clubs make far less from player sales these days.

I'd like to see a smoother, more even, distribution of money, but that's not why clubs are struggling. They are struggling because they willingly spend too much, either gambling on promotion, or just to keep up with the pack, who they know will also overspend.

You could give League One clubs an extra £5 million a year, and the only result would be them spending £5 million more each on wages.

It's the prisoner's dilemma in action.



Replace 'confess' and 'don't confess' with and 'overspend' and 'sustainable spend'. Collectively it's better to spend sustainably, but clubs can get a huge benefit by overspending when no-one else is. That leads to all clubs trying to get an advantage by overspending; when everyone's overspending, effectively negating any benefit, the economy of football as a whole suffers (especially when compared to everyone spending sustainably). Neither will choose stop overspending (unless they run out of resources), as they would be at a disadvantage if they do when others are overspending.

[Forbury Lion]

He discussed it in detail at the hearing, if you want to look back at the video. IIRC, the teams involved in Europe may already be aiming for this level, because of UEFA rules. His other point, besides reforming FFP, was that the parachute clubs have a massive advantage over everyone else. Think the PL wanted a higher squad-ratio for those clubs than for everyone else.

As part of any changes ALL clubs should be forced to put clauses into ALL their player contracts so that relegation means non-negotiable % wage reductions as well as any associated bonus payments being removed or significantly reduced. Likewise clubs would also include % wage increases etc. should a club be promoted.

Maybe the contracts could be linked directly to income, in other words prize money/tv rights money/that kind of thing. These are the incomes that drop when a team is relegated.

Another option is to take out an insurance policy - For a price, anything which isn't guaranteed to happen can be insured. A player has insurance to cover injury, but maybe they can take out insurance to cover loss of income due to relegation? - At least to cover their mortgage. Usually this pays out for 12 months, Obviously they can't be better off financially getting relegated as a result.

[Lower West]

You could give League One clubs an extra £5 million a year, and the only result would be them spending £5 million more each on wages.

Not if the money was distributed between the clubs based on a number of fair play and sustainability factors. The higher the rating the greater the % awarded. Well run lower league clubs are core to local communties in many ways.

[Snowflake Royal]

You could give League One clubs an extra £5 million a year, and the only result would be them spending £5 million more each on wages.

Not if the money was distributed between the clubs based on a number of fair play and sustainability factors. The higher the rating the greater the % awarded. Well run lower league clubs are core to local communties in many ways.

All rather pie in the sky LW. If you're going to put that much effort, resource and control in, much easier to put direct spending controls in, rather than so.e weird incentive.

[morganb]

I received the following reply from the email I recently sent to my local MP:

Please find attached the reply that I have received from the Minister for Sport, Stuart Andrew MP, at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport regarding the future of Reading Football Club.

I hope that you find the Minister’s comments encouraging. As you will read, a great deal of work is underway to help improve football governance more generally – not least to give more power and say to fans.

Of course, if I can ever be of assistance in future please do not hesitate to get in touch again.

Best wishes

Leo Docherty MP

This is the attached letter from the Minister for Sport, Stuart Andrew MP. It covers the general improvements proposed for football rather than anything specific to Reading but it was nice to receive a response (I've not read the linked documents yet) :

Dear Leo,

Thank you for your correspondence of 16 January on behalf of your constituent regarding the future of Reading Football Club.

I understand and share your constituent’s concerns around the continued financial issues facing Reading FC. Any potential sale of the club is a commercial matter between the current owner and any prospective buyers of the club and subject to relevant league rules. However, we are working to ensure that these issues around financial sustainability within football, more generally, are addressed for the benefit of fans and local communities.

In February 2023, the Government published its white paper, ‘A Sustainable Future: Reforming Club Football Governance’. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... governance

It set out a comprehensive plan to establish an independent regulator for English football, building on the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance, published in November 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mes-future

Following the publication of the white paper, the Government subsequently undertook a targeted consultation period, including inviting comments from all 116 football clubs in the top 5 tiers of English football, the relevant leagues and existing footballing bodies, fan groups, legal experts, industry experts, leading academics and civil society organisations. The Government response to that consultation was published on 7 September 2023. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... n-response

This work has led to the announcement of the Football Governance Bill as part of the King’s Speech on 7 November 2023. The Bill will establish a new Independent Football Regulator (IFR). https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/ ... peech-2023

Football Governance Bill

The IFR’s primary purpose will be to ensure that English football is sustainable and resilient for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve. It will:

• Operate a licensing system where all clubs in the top 5 tiers of the men’s English football pyramid will need a licence to operate as professional football clubs.

• Establish a new, strengthened owners’ and directors’ test to make sure a club’s custodians are suitable and protect fans from irresponsible owners.

• Set a minimum standard of fan engagement and require clubs to comply with new FA rules on club heritage, giving fans a veto over changes to the badge and home shirt colours, as well as the strong existing protections for club names.

• Require clubs to seek regulator pre-approval for any sale or relocation of their stadium.

• Prevent clubs from joining breakaway leagues.

• Have targeted backstop powers to intervene in the distribution of broadcast revenue if necessary.

• Establish a compulsory ‘Football Club Corporate Governance Code’.

The Government is working at pace to establish an IFR on a statutory footing and will introduce the Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows. I would welcome your support as we take this important legislation forward.

Thank you again for your letter.

Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP
Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society

[72 bus]

February 2023 to February 2024 and still no Football regulator, no rush lads, take your time.

[Snowflake Royal]

February 2023 to February 2024 and still no Football regulator, no rush lads, take your time.

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

[72 bus]

February 2023 to February 2024 and still no Football regulator, no rush lads, take your time.

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

[Snowball]

February 2023 to February 2024 and still no Football regulator, no rush lads, take your time.

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

POWER?

Like a blind armless man driving a tank

[Sutekh]

February 2023 to February 2024 and still no Football regulator, no rush lads, take your time.

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

like it'd be any different under Labour

And for the sake of equality, both parties are an bunch of utter windbags you wouldn't trust to run a raffle let alone a country.

[WestYorksRoyal]

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

like it'd be any different under Labour

And for the sake of equality, both parties are an bunch of utter windbags you wouldn't trust to run a raffle let alone a country.

On the football regulator, there's no excuse though, even if there are more pressing issues.

For areas where parties disagree and perhaps part of the media or lobby groups are opposed, it takes a long time to pass legislation. But the football regulator has cross party support, fan support, EFL & FA support, even the PL have grudgingly admitted that the argument is lost for them. There are very few blockers, get it done.

[Franchise FC]

This is probably the smallest oxf*rd up possible for your Government of utter clowns

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

like it'd be any different under Labour

And for the sake of equality, both parties are an bunch of utter windbags you wouldn't trust to run a raffle let alone a country.

And that, my friends, is exactly the line the Tories are relying on to stay anywhere near retaining power

Not “we’re running the country for the benefit of the people” but “we’re running the country into the ground and everyone else would do the same”

[Orion1871]

At least my party actually gets into power, how is yours doing ?

like it'd be any different under Labour

And for the sake of equality, both parties are an bunch of utter windbags you wouldn't trust to run a raffle let alone a country.

And that, my friends, is exactly the line the Tories are relying on to stay anywhere near retaining power

Not “we’re running the country for the benefit of the people” but “we’re running the country into the ground and everyone else would do the same”

Sutekh is a bit of a weirdo who just happens to write a good match preview.