Mr Popodopolous

Good video albeit a bit long. Half hour or so just found it, started watching and saved for later.

I have a theory on this, not doubting @Bcfcshags for one moment and his track record to date has been impeccable but. Could given the conflicting reports on Knight, be a bit of a false flag. A leak of a bid for Knight or a case of that fed to one set of potential suspects and in the Derby paper about no bid yet- this would help to narrow down a potential leaker. One of them true, one of them false.

Ha seemingly not. Enzo Maresca now the favourite. He could he the new Kompany and he would be leaving Man City so they may get a loanee or 2 on decent terms but you do wonder why managers like this get elevated. Parker I read on granted dunno the validity that he wanted certain assurances over budget etc.

Okay Real Madrid while still rebuilding in some areas are doing so with a certain level of strength and style. Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchoumenani and Valverde their midfield for next 5-10. Kroos if he stays age 33 can be a bit of an elder statesman for a few years. Modric is almost at the end now surely. One more year? Like Benzema who has now gone, he I assume their best laid plans were for him to stay one more season then get Mbappe next year ideally on a free. He's gone to Saudi Arabia but that is out of the window but a theoretical attack, front 3 of Vinicius Jr-Mbappe-Rodrygo very good. Some good commercial potential too with the first 2 and Bellingham.

Talking of Everton an odd claim. Tax issue relating to loans to the new stadium. Paul Joyce in the Times that is very very generous as I don't see how a points deduction for that or even where the breach lies in FFP terms, profit or loss before tax anyway the starting point. Would have thought the enormous Covid losses and maybe the £30m from USM for a naming rights option more relevant for FFP.

Inclined to agree that Burnley and Leicester still have the main claim, the others feel quite remote. If found guilty of course. £100m feels a bit toppy owing to Parachute Payments, £60-80m maybe? Depending on other losses ie sponsors, attendances etc. TV money is the only really concrete provable item or two. Prize money for position for Leeds and maybe Southampton could be their level ie a few million in lost prize money. In theory the system allows for this. EFL even have the future monitoring requirement now, not flawless but a combination of FFI (Future Financial Information) and Projected accounts is a strong starting point. EFL have the potential to work with clubs or impose monitoring on future breaches. Clubs at start of March: *Submit their prior two annual accounts if not already with the League. *Submit projected accounts in the year of the existing season. Think there are some criteria etc but if losses exceed the 3 year limit whatever that maybe on the Projection the club have until end of their accounting oet8od to put it right or face referral, sanctions, soft embargo becoming less soft etc. Somehow with Everton this seems to have failed. What was deemed fine in summer 2021 and post June 2022 was pulled up in March 2023.

While I'm at it @Davefevs Sell on clauses and add ons. Does a sell on apply to these as they fall due? Thought you may know, seen some chatter Birmingham wise but sounds a bit of a new one. E.g. add-on of £10m say for x appearances, Birmingham get £1.5m or whatever the percentage is of that.

Ah yes I remember that particular Derby poster. A bitter one he was. I've mainly moved on from Derby and happy they survived but nice to know he still remembers. ? I reiterate I don't see £1.5m being enough, not even sure it's fair value all told but Roberts and then one of their jewels just because of him and a few of his cronies would be great. Just a few however.

True. I'm inclined to believe the 15 pct story, because a respected Birmingham blogger- Al Majir (Dan Ivery) who has been dogged as hell and dug deep into their ownership travails- has said 15 pct for about a year. He clearly has some good sources, judging by the info he has unearthed about varied issues there in recent years. Time will tell I guess.

That's surprisingly low. Definitely read £10m in some relatively reliable sources.

Percentage terms they appear to be right up there as the worst of the 3 or equally so anyway. @Hxj you once inferred the CFRU/CFRP were still analysing Stoke? Anything or is that all cleared and waved through now, heard anything? I fully accept that post 2022 if not post 2021 sales and cuts seem to have them alright but how they got there...hmm.

Stoke City Holdings As we know they smashed Championship records for this but how does it compare to those above, in percentage terms.

Everton are pertinent as they have been deservedly referred for this but how does it break down? Bit more complex. We know of the £170-220m argument. As a proportion of income? Across those two seasons, 44.85 to 58.05 percent. Add in £8.3m but also add to the income £181.007m. £361m vs £93.3-118.3m. About 32.77 pct. Therefore Forest 3rd year merited further analysis I would say- a year of their promotion. Maybe gross 3 year figure around 40 pct for Everton. Similar ratio for Nottingham Forest.

Just looking again at Covid losses and I'll include Everton for this purpose too as Covid losses direct and indirect as a proportion of income. We can look at it over 2 years or over 3. NF Football Investments Limited Income across 2019-20 and 2020-21 The losses were a decent proportion, will have included indirect and direct all told. Year 3 especially as a Covid add-backs when income was pushing £30m was a real pisstake. About 38.35 pct of income in those two years. Maybe similar across the 3. £29,807,000 was their income for 2021-22. How you can be arguing for £12,178,000 is a nonsense for the third year tbh.

£10-15k per week would be my best guess. He cost about £2m didn't he so shave £0.5m annually off the amortisation. @Davefevs @Kid in the Riot @Bcfcshags or anton3 else- any ideas what the saving here maybe was? Think we signed him fee wise for about £4.2m/3.5 year deal but wages? That is a good point.

Yes, their Covid claimed losses were something else. (They argued £170-220m across 2019-20 and 2020-21, more than half of that indirect. Then around £8m laat season). Covid argued impact £93-143m once the combined aggregated averaged number kicked in. £178-228m in total. On a similar note see Stoke and to a lesser extent see Nottingham Forest to 2021-22 at our level. Stoke did very similar things to Everton at our level. Numerically lower but then so was the turnover. Burnley especially were wholly innocent victims, finishing 18th as they did that season as well as being miles and miles and miles within FFP. Southampton 11 off safety too remote albeit almost certainly compliant. Leicester the obvious candidate as 3rd bottom but they themselves have run up some huge losses to 2022, who knows if they complied to the season just gone. Could be tight? Leeds have surely complied with FFP throughout but we're- -5 off safety. Them and Burnley threatened this in 2022 of course.

King- just depth. Tanner to the bench is it? Sure McCrorie can cover for and push Tanner. Williams is good when fit IMO, good energy in there. Scott goes we can definitely splash a bit- Scott stays we have a 19 year old turning 20 who is superb.

That's fair, irs been too long since I looked at it haha. Yeah we won't overstretch any time soon.

Could the litigation vs Derby by Middlesbrough and Wycombe have set a precedent. If found guilty then well why not.

Ah well if Scott goes that's a wholly different matter. We can spend spend spend.

Surely we need to start thinking of the finances a little, FFP although eased is still a matter to consider. I'd say remaining headroom wise we can sign one more, two at a push, I'm often a bit on the cautious side financially though. Thats assuming nobody who isn't already likely to leave leaves.

I doubt we get £30m for him tbh. Not with 2 years left on his deal.

Aware of that but their financial problems have been resolved to some extent so I think they'll gamble on promotion with Knight being worry more than a sale for £1.5m or £2m. @petehinton Derby surprisingly maintained their Category One Academy and status despite it being a minimum of £5m per season and despite almost going bust so they can compete in this area.

There is not a chance they will sell a prized asset for £1.5m. Not a chance. IMO anyway, they even turned down bids when in administration. Would be a hell of a signing at that price but I can't see that bid making any headway.

The depth was an issue laat year. At one point it was fixing in King and Taylor-Clarke as a pair, this won't happen again IMO as it stands. Would be interesting to explore it in more depth, goals from central midfield do we mean? Clearly we need more but is it as important in a promotion campaign as it once was.