CONFRIMED: Latest rumours Confrimed as Unconfrimed

[WestYorksRoyal]

All I know for sure is I'm going to get fcuk all done at work this week and will be getting twitchy if nothing is announced by Wednesday or so. We're at stage 1 of the usual Dai process where people report good news is imminent. Stage 2 is a few days silence where people ask for patience and that it's not an easy thing. Stage 3 is let this drag on for a couple of weeks with zero communication. Stage 4 is leak it's all over and we're back to square 1, which in the current situation is the default position of liquidation before next season.

No patience from the fans this time. Pressure cannot relent in stages 2 and 3.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

All I know for sure is I'm going to get fcuk all done at work this week and will be getting twitchy if nothing is announced by Wednesday or so. We're at stage 1 of the usual Dai process where people report good news is imminent. Stage 2 is a few days silence where people ask for patience and that it's not an easy thing. Stage 3 is let this drag on for a couple of weeks with zero communication. Stage 4 is leak it's all over and we're back to square 1, which in the current situation is the default position of liquidation before next season.

No patience from the fans this time. Pressure cannot relent in stages 2 and 3.

Agree if this week turns out as you’ve said, as per usual there will be much I g going on

[WestYorksRoyal]

All I know for sure is I'm going to get fcuk all done at work this week and will be getting twitchy if nothing is announced by Wednesday or so. We're at stage 1 of the usual Dai process where people report good news is imminent. Stage 2 is a few days silence where people ask for patience and that it's not an easy thing. Stage 3 is let this drag on for a couple of weeks with zero communication. Stage 4 is leak it's all over and we're back to square 1, which in the current situation is the default position of liquidation before next season.

No patience from the fans this time. Pressure cannot relent in stages 2 and 3.

Agree if this week turns out as you’ve said, as per usual there will be much I g going on

When we were at stages 2 and 3 with Genevra, I received a hell of a lot of 'ing on here. Hopefully people have learned by now.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Probably get to next Sunday and be back to square one but we hope not

[Greatwesternline]

If it’s profitable why would you need owners with money to keep it afloat

The problem is an academy is profitable based on clubs wanting the assets that are produced here OR the club doing that well that the assets take the club back to the Premier League.

The second seems a bit off at the moment but the first is possible.

However in a market where I think we are going to have a crash with FFP regulations a mess at the Prem level I don't think much money will be getting bounded about. It means running with what you have or bringing through your own. Could have arguments for both, may make Reading very successful or if the right talent doesn't come through, not successful at all.

I'd like it to continue mainly as it is Eamonn Dolan's legacy.

I think part of the downfall is that the talent nurtured in the academy get agents, these agents insert release clauses or stop their client signing professional contracts, so the talent goes on the cheap or for free- but with a hefty sign on bonus for the player and agent. They're undermining the process.

Player who are any good these days expect to earn millions at an early age.

They can still be profitable though. Aaron Tshibola was sold for some say £5m, so let's say £3m, which pays for the academy for at least a year, possibly 2.

So you need to churn out a player with Tshibola's quality every 2-3 years. Given our record at present, that is doable. Problems arise if we are in League One and it gets harder to attract very good 15 year olds.

You also have the added benefit of players in the squad who come through the academy didnt have to be signed for transfer fees, and tend to have lower weekly salaries for quite a long time compared to off the shelf journeymen such as Dean, or Hutchinson.

[WestYorksRoyal]

The problem is an academy is profitable based on clubs wanting the assets that are produced here OR the club doing that well that the assets take the club back to the Premier League.

The second seems a bit off at the moment but the first is possible.

However in a market where I think we are going to have a crash with FFP regulations a mess at the Prem level I don't think much money will be getting bounded about. It means running with what you have or bringing through your own. Could have arguments for both, may make Reading very successful or if the right talent doesn't come through, not successful at all.

I'd like it to continue mainly as it is Eamonn Dolan's legacy.

I think part of the downfall is that the talent nurtured in the academy get agents, these agents insert release clauses or stop their client signing professional contracts, so the talent goes on the cheap or for free- but with a hefty sign on bonus for the player and agent. They're undermining the process.

Player who are any good these days expect to earn millions at an early age.

They can still be profitable though. Aaron Tshibola was sold for some say £5m, so let's say £3m, which pays for the academy for at least a year, possibly 2.

So you need to churn out a player with Tshibola's quality every 2-3 years. Given our record at present, that is doable. Problems arise if we are in League One and it gets harder to attract very good 15 year olds.

You also have the added benefit of players in the squad who come through the academy didnt have to be signed for transfer fees, and tend to have lower weekly salaries for quite a long time compared to off the shelf journeymen such as Dean, or Hutchinson.

There's not a string of clubs stupid enough to pay £5m for a Tshibola. And fees for graduates in L1 are pittance in comparison. Championship talents can easily command £15m - £20m. I think the L1 record was when Brentford bought Toney for an initial £5m rising to £10m with add ons, all of which have now been achieved. And that was a player regularly hitting 20+ goals a season, its very rare to have a player hitting those levels.

You're lucky to get £3m + sell on for a top talent down here.

[Greatwesternline]

I think part of the downfall is that the talent nurtured in the academy get agents, these agents insert release clauses or stop their client signing professional contracts, so the talent goes on the cheap or for free- but with a hefty sign on bonus for the player and agent. They're undermining the process.

Player who are any good these days expect to earn millions at an early age.

They can still be profitable though. Aaron Tshibola was sold for some say £5m, so let's say £3m, which pays for the academy for at least a year, possibly 2.

So you need to churn out a player with Tshibola's quality every 2-3 years. Given our record at present, that is doable. Problems arise if we are in League One and it gets harder to attract very good 15 year olds.

You also have the added benefit of players in the squad who come through the academy didnt have to be signed for transfer fees, and tend to have lower weekly salaries for quite a long time compared to off the shelf journeymen such as Dean, or Hutchinson.

There's not a string of clubs stupid enough to pay £5m for a Tshibola. And fees for graduates in L1 are pittance in comparison. Championship talents can easily command £15m - £20m. I think the L1 record was when Brentford bought Toney for an initial £5m rising to £10m with add ons, all of which have now been achieved. And that was a player regularly hitting 20+ goals a season, its very rare to have a player hitting those levels.

You're lucky to get £3m + sell on for a top talent down here.

Totally agree. The trick is to get promoted back to the Championship though and jobs a good'un!

[WestYorksRoyal]

They can still be profitable though. Aaron Tshibola was sold for some say £5m, so let's say £3m, which pays for the academy for at least a year, possibly 2.

So you need to churn out a player with Tshibola's quality every 2-3 years. Given our record at present, that is doable. Problems arise if we are in League One and it gets harder to attract very good 15 year olds.

You also have the added benefit of players in the squad who come through the academy didnt have to be signed for transfer fees, and tend to have lower weekly salaries for quite a long time compared to off the shelf journeymen such as Dean, or Hutchinson.

There's not a string of clubs stupid enough to pay £5m for a Tshibola. And fees for graduates in L1 are pittance in comparison. Championship talents can easily command £15m - £20m. I think the L1 record was when Brentford bought Toney for an initial £5m rising to £10m with add ons, all of which have now been achieved. And that was a player regularly hitting 20+ goals a season, its very rare to have a player hitting those levels.

You're lucky to get £3m + sell on for a top talent down here.

Totally agree. The trick is to get promoted back to the Championship though and jobs a good'un!

But then your entire strategy relies upon promotion. Sustainable? You can build a good team, but it can all be ruined by any number of external factors. Ref howler in a big game. ACL injury to key player. Manager poached mid season. The width of a post.

If people want a sustainable club, that means a better plan than simply writing off losses if we stay down.

[windermereROYAL]

Glen Little just confirmed on the radio that Mark Bircham from sports.com is interested in buying the club..he spoke to him Saturday at the game.
Also said the Bearwood issue put a spanner in the works.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Glen Little just confirmed on the radio that Mark Bircham from sports.com is interested in buying the club..he spoke to him Saturday at the game.
Also said the Bearwood issue put a spanner in the works.

Yes, but the more important question is whether Dai will sell. We've had possible buyers for about 9 months now; the issue is the unreliable seller.

[Snowflake Royal]

There's not a string of clubs stupid enough to pay £5m for a Tshibola. And fees for graduates in L1 are pittance in comparison. Championship talents can easily command £15m - £20m. I think the L1 record was when Brentford bought Toney for an initial £5m rising to £10m with add ons, all of which have now been achieved. And that was a player regularly hitting 20+ goals a season, its very rare to have a player hitting those levels.

You're lucky to get £3m + sell on for a top talent down here.

Totally agree. The trick is to get promoted back to the Championship though and jobs a good'un!

But then your entire strategy relies upon promotion. Sustainable? You can build a good team, but it can all be ruined by any number of external factors. Ref howler in a big game. ACL injury to key player. Manager poached mid season. The width of a post.

If people want a sustainable club, that means a better plan than simply writing off losses if we stay down.

Any strategy has to be based around getting promoted out of L1.

GWL's figures are typically off, but we should be able to downgrade the Academy a level or two until we get back to the Champ, hopefully withing 3 years, and still make sales to help fund us from the residual talent like Bindon, Azeez, etc.

And in L1 those players left over have a better pathway to first team football and success, with room to grow into Champ players with us.

Should we miraculously survive. The Academy has brought in over £10m in the last 6/7 years. But it could have done significantly more.

[blythspartan]

SJM says the sale is very close and buyers with deep pockets.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

SJM says the sale is very close and buyers with deep pockets.

Yep on BBC Berks this morning. Reassuring, and if someone rational was selling I'd say we were probably there.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Sounds like Bearwood may still be on the table with the buyer despite exclusivity with Wycombe.

And that's why we not get excited until everything is done. That's how much exclusivity means to Dai.

[From Despair To Where?]

More concerned about a sustainable business plan than deep pockets, if I'm honest.

[Greatwesternline]

Totally agree. The trick is to get promoted back to the Championship though and jobs a good'un!

But then your entire strategy relies upon promotion. Sustainable? You can build a good team, but it can all be ruined by any number of external factors. Ref howler in a big game. ACL injury to key player. Manager poached mid season. The width of a post.

If people want a sustainable club, that means a better plan than simply writing off losses if we stay down.

Any strategy has to be based around getting promoted out of L1.

GWL's figures are typically off, but we should be able to downgrade the Academy a level or two until we get back to the Champ, hopefully withing 3 years, and still make sales to help fund us from the residual talent like Bindon, Azeez, etc.

And in L1 those players left over have a better pathway to first team football and success, with room to grow into Champ players with us.

Should we miraculously survive. The Academy has brought in over £10m in the last 6/7 years. But it could have done significantly more.

Just out of curiosity how much do you think the Cat 1 academy costs to run per year, including depreciation, and how much do you think Reading got for Tshibola, would be nice to know which figure you think is off, with workings please.

[WestYorksRoyal]

But then your entire strategy relies upon promotion. Sustainable? You can build a good team, but it can all be ruined by any number of external factors. Ref howler in a big game. ACL injury to key player. Manager poached mid season. The width of a post.

If people want a sustainable club, that means a better plan than simply writing off losses if we stay down.

Any strategy has to be based around getting promoted out of L1.

GWL's figures are typically off, but we should be able to downgrade the Academy a level or two until we get back to the Champ, hopefully withing 3 years, and still make sales to help fund us from the residual talent like Bindon, Azeez, etc.

And in L1 those players left over have a better pathway to first team football and success, with room to grow into Champ players with us.

Should we miraculously survive. The Academy has brought in over £10m in the last 6/7 years. But it could have done significantly more.

Just out of curiosity how much do you think the Cat 1 academy costs to run per year, including depreciation, and how much do you think Reading got for Tshibola, would be nice to know which figure you think is off, with workings please.

Don't include depreciation. It relates to cash that went out the door years ago and has nothing to do with sustainability looking forwards. Plus, it's excluded from FFP.

[Uke]

Glen Little just confirmed on the radio that Mark Bircham from sports.com is interested in buying the club..he spoke to him Saturday at the game.
Also said the Bearwood issue put a spanner in the works.

Talking about deal details could also put a spanner in the works Glenn!

Was the presence or absence of Bearwood the issue though?

[Wycombe Royal]

Glen Little just confirmed on the radio that Mark Bircham from sports.com is interested in buying the club..he spoke to him Saturday at the game.
Also said the Bearwood issue put a spanner in the works.

Talking about deal details could also put a spanner in the works Glenn!

Was the presence or absence of Bearwood the issue though?

My guess would would the planning issues meaning that Wycombe may not be able to use it. It has probably dawned on Dai that if the training ground isn't sold with the club he may be left with a training ground that the club don't want and no-one else can use it.

The council have informed both RFC and WWFC of the planning issue and they have also said it is unlikely, but not impossible, that WWFC would be given permission.

If I was Dai I would be pulling out of the deal with Wycombe and insisting the training ground is sold with the club. However it lessens hs bargaining position to get a decent price for it.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

in this 'sustainable' model, what level of annual losses in L1 are we expecting a prospective new owner to carry?