Interim transfer window?

[tiger76]

This was mentioned on another thread,and it's certainly worth considering,if the lower league clubs could sell a player or two,it might just give them enough working capital to get through the next few months,when they won't have any regular income streams.

I know it's an unusual measure,but these are unusual times,and we have to start thinking outside the box,otherwise a number of clubs may well not be around when the football season restarts,or a new season commences.

It's fine saying football isn't the be all and end all,and that's true,but many clubs are a vital part of their communities,in a commercial manner and as a social gathering,if clubs go under it'll have impacts way beyond just the game,and many small local businesses which rely on their income from matchdays and other events hosted by the stadiums,will struggle to be sustainable.

The impact on Bury alone was devastating for the town,if the worst happens you could have 10-20 clubs in the same boat.And the effects will be felt for years in these areas.

I see no reason why there couldn't be a 1/2 week window during this shutdown to allow clubs to trade,if the EFL don't act now,they''ll have a hell of a mess to sort out later.

[Chester Perry]

I would rather see an agreement on a fairer distribution of football income and stronger financial rules for clubs - quick fixes almost always lead to much greater problems down the line

[Gordaleman]

I would rather see an agreement on a fairer distribution of football income and stronger financial rules for clubs - quick fixes almost always lead to much greater problems down the line

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. Look how all the PL clubs rushed in to help Bury. Not.

[tiger76]

I would rather see an agreement on a fairer distribution of football income and stronger financial rules for clubs - quick fixes almost always lead to much greater problems down the line

Normally i'd agree with you,but this is an extreme situation,and i can't see it being long before many clubs are experiencing cash flow problems,i know some already are living hand to mouth even with their matchday and commercial revenues,and a long period without any money coming into their coffers could easily push some over the brink,

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51873519

This is just a snapshot of opinion in the lower echelons,but it'll apply to most clubs outwith the top 2 divisions,and many non-league clubs.

It'll be even worse in Scotland,and even if clubs manage to stay afloat,i can see some going part-time,or certainly making drastic cost-cutting measures to balance their books.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/51897690

[Chester Perry]

fully aware of the immediate issues in the pyramids tiger - I was posting about them before the media caught on - I have also seen suggestions that the Premier League could make donations from it's vast resources - the major problem with that is they would want something in return if not now then down the line - lets take the opportunity to force through the structural changes required - there is unlikely to another opportunity where so many relevant parties are so focussed on the need to.

[dsr]

fully aware of the immediate issues in the pyramids tiger - I was posting about them before the media caught on - I have also seen suggestions that the Premier League could make donations from it's vast resources - the major problem with that is they would want something in return if not now then down the line - lets take the opportunity to force through the structural changes required - there is unlikely to another opportunity where so many relevant parties are so focussed on the need to.

You're assuming that Sky Sports will pay the contract in full even if there i no football to put on telly? If the Premier League teams don't play their full season and therefore probably don't get their full income, but still have to pay full wages, they will not have vast resources.

[Chester Perry]

You're assuming that Sky Sports will pay the contract in full even if there i no football to put on telly? If the Premier League teams don't play their full season and therefore probably don't get their full income, but still have to pay full wages, they will not have vast resources.

Not particularly if you read the Magic Money Tree thread I have posted a range of stories in the last week:
- some why rights holders (in all territories not just the UK) as to why they would be reluctant to claim refunds - from goodwill, relationship building and structural stability to the fact they are covered by insurance;
- some worst case scenarios on there if the rights holders/sponsors/advertisers still do want a refund. In the worst case scenario surely even the biggest clubs will be focused on it not happening again (very few clubs have the cash holding to see them through this when you consider their cash outgoing commitments, particularly wages), you also have to remember that for the EFL this will be the 2nd time in recent memory (ITV digital being the other) that such an occurrence happened - the first was a major factor in FFP (and the parsimony that the Burnley board are regularly criticised for on this forum) - they will want (as will the DCMS and FA) to focus more scrutiny and exacting practices to encourage long term viability and stability.
- the numbers being suggested as contributions to the EFL (especially Leagues 1 and 2) are so small that it totals the price of Ben Gibson (remember him)

[mdd2]

Contracts have to be honoured so cannot see our league Paying massive wages whilst income is down and handing out to the smaller clubs
I agree it would be nice but players who cost clubs 20 30 million could Walt for free if there massive salaries are not paid

[Tricky Trevor]

For our very well run club this could end up a big win.
Sorry to think selfishly whilst the death toll rises. It is just a thought.


Round of applause for the dry powder store.

[TheFamilyCat]

Would football clubs be eligible for the government loans for businesses to mitigate the effects of corona?

[dsr]

Would football clubs be eligible for the government loans for businesses to mitigate the effects of corona?

Hope not.

What football clubs need is for the high paid players to cut their salaries. That's where all the extra money has gone - into the clubs from Sky, and out to the players. (And their agents.) If the PFA qould agree that anyone over £1m per year would take a pay cut of perhaps a third of the excess, then that money would be available to mitigate the clubs' loss and to help clubs further down the leagues.

Will the PFA agree to that? Hang on, I'll ask that pig flying by that's eating hay with a donkey while plaiting sawdust in a frozen hell.

[IanMcL]

All business is facing a shutdown, one way or the other. No pay for anyone...

[Vegas Claret]

this might be the best thing that happens to football

[Chester Perry]

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. Look how all the PL clubs rushed in to help Bury. Not.

Bury deserved no help while they had that owner - he went in there with the sole purpose of making money and had no other interest in his acquisition - extremely sad for the club, town and it's supporters but the position that the previous owner had but the club in was/is beyond repair short of someone prepared to pay off all the vampires and then write the money off - of course by paying them off you legitimise what they are doing and enable them to do it again. Better to amputate and put in measures to prevent future repeats elsewhere. It probably seems callous to many of you but if it focuses minds and encourages the necessary changes (including the introduction of an independent regulator) then it is probably worth it from the games perspective. - The ELF investigation on Bury is well worth a read to see just how crap things were

https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/20 ... at-pro.pdf

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. Look how all the PL clubs rushed in to help Bury. Not.

Because saving badly run clubs sets and extremely dangerous precedent. Once we do that for one club then there's no incentive for other clubs to run themselves properly and any other team who gets in financial difficulty will be looking for a handout. It's not the Premier League club's responsibility to pay the debts of a club that's run itself badly.

[Gordaleman]

Because saving badly run clubs sets and extremely dangerous precedent. Once we do that for one club then there's no incentive for other clubs to run themselves properly and any other team who gets in financial difficulty will be looking for a handout. It's not the Premier League club's responsibility to pay the debts of a club that's run itself badly.

I don't think that my response suggested that poorly run clubs should be helped out. All I said was I wouldn't hold my breath.

Clubs ultimately belong to the fans and I'm sure the fans of Bury would have somehow found a way to save the club if they had been offered a little help.

[Chester Perry]

I don't think that my response suggested that poorly run clubs should be helped out. All I said was I wouldn't hold my breath.

Clubs ultimately belong to the fans and I'm sure the fans of Bury would have somehow found a way to save the club if they had been offered a little help.

remember Bury fans helped create this mess - they owned it and ran it at a loss, which led to the Stewart Day acquisition (with associated promises of future stability which somehow involved mortgaging the clubs major assets at eye watering rates. He also got them a magnificent training ground (for the cost of its maintenance) from a Premier League club - the club didn't keep up the maintenance by the way.

[JohnMac]

Why not just pay the players £90 a week like the majority of their adoring fans will end up with.

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

I don't think that my response suggested that poorly run clubs should be helped out. All I said was I wouldn't hold my breath.

Clubs ultimately belong to the fans and I'm sure the fans of Bury would have somehow found a way to save the club if they had been offered a little help.

I wasn't insinuating you had. But, 'Look how all the PL clubs rushed in to help Bury. Not.' does imply that you think they should of.

Football clubs are massively over-romanticised when it comes to issues like this. They're still just businesses and people tend to forget that.

Nobody would expect Asda to come in and save a local village shop if it was struggling, just because it might mean a lot to the locals. It really is that black and white in real terms.

[Gordaleman]

I wasn't insinuating you had. But, 'Look how all the PL clubs rushed in to help Bury. Not.' does imply that you think they should of.

Football clubs are massively over-romanticised when it comes to issues like this. They're still just businesses and people tend to forget that.

Nobody would expect Asda to come in and save a local village shop if it was struggling, just because it might mean a lot to the locals. It really is that black and white in real terms.

You're absolutely right but it's still the fans or shoppers that suffer as a result. The truth is though, that TV money is not fairly distributed in football. It's negotiated by the big clubs, for the benefit of the big clubs and until that changes, things will only get worse.

[dsr]

You're absolutely right but it's still the fans or shoppers that suffer as a result. The truth is though, that TV money is not fairly distributed in football. It's negotiated by the big clubs, for the benefit of the big clubs and until that changes, things will only get worse.

There is certainly a valid argument that all lower league clubs should get a bigger share of the Premier League TV profits. But I don't think there is a valid argument to say that the badly run clubs that have blown all their cash should get extra handouts while the ones that play fair should not.

[rob63]

remember Bury fans helped create this mess - they owned it and ran it at a loss, which led to the Stewart Day acquisition (with associated promises of future stability which somehow involved mortgaging the clubs major assets at eye watering rates. He also got them a magnificent training ground (for the cost of its maintenance) from a Premier League club - the club didn't keep up the maintenance by the way.

Yes Chester, if only there was some way of vetting prospective owners first instead of just believing their promises........a fit & proper test, for example

[Chester Perry]

Yes Chester, if only there was some way of vetting prospective owners first instead of just believing their promises........a fit & proper test, for example

It is one of the recommendations of the Bury Review - that is being taken very seriously by both the EFL and FA - including (and this is more important) preventing a takeover from occurring until the EFL have received evidence of and agreed the appropriate financial funding and business planning