Mr Popodopolous

Sometimes but rarely clubs might publish the player as in total player remuneration section of the wages. That'd include it all I expect. Cardiff for example- dunno who else does, but thereafter it's guesswork on individuals.

That's a game wide issue though. I have some sympathy with that, the relentless increasing corporate nature of the game, the way in which the system seems to be tilted towards the bigger clubs here and worldwide etc. Perhaps to some extent dilution of original support with ticket prices rising as they have and all seater which is only just changing a bit now with potentially increased safe standing areas. However it's been 30 years in the making. Maybe more- we can't really do things that differently in this environment, we are running to stand still like many- it's a game wide issue, in the current external environment there isn't much we can do differently otherwise we'll potentially become even less competitive.

If we can get him down to the correct wages, he's technically sound- doesn't chip in with enough end product. Think the height is a bit of a red herring, these days. I'd lean towards keep wages permitting.

Yep, 4 in 13 games. Certainly not checked much but wonder if their drought also extended to Cup games.

Change wise, I would hazard a guess that: 1) They want Pearson out/sacked asap. 2) While they don't want SL out necessarily, I assume that they want him to 'show some ambition and spend some money'. 3) Perhaps to 'put the football first over the rugby'. The usual themes basically- simple solutions to complex problems that ignore or water down context. They want them and want them now without stopping to consider the feasibility.

Is now. League only. 0 in 55 games. 1 in 109 games League and Cup 0 in 59 games Or depending on how you measure it. 2 in 117 games if we include the start of November 2020 to present. Or if it's post Millwall away just under 2 years ago. 1 in 100 games. League only if we go back to say the start of 2020-21 it is 3 in 118 games and counting. Reading have been awarded 6 in 25 this season alone.

Only the 2nd half I think, the West Brom game. 1st half wasn't an awful lot in it and that's before we even consider their form under Corberan, players such as Swift etc.

After the long winless run at home, our results were quite solid last season at home. PPG improved notably From Barnsley at home late October 2021 to present I think it's 43 pts from 29 home games which is reasonable. Definitely we have gained more at home than away under NP. I think we are a few points ahead home v away since the start of NP reign.

Last season was a 2-1 loss at home- this season 0-0 although the 2-1 loss was pretty unfortunate, draw or even win for us would have been fair.

I think we are now slightly ahead in last season's equivalent games (by equivalent I don't mean number played but vs equivalent opponents). It is hard to say given 6 different teams ie which of Wigan, Rotherham and Sunderland equate to Barnsley, Peterborough and Sunderland. Certainly performances as a whole are better.

Happy with that. Goal down and slow start, played our way back in. Had to take some more pressure 2nd half but that's good back to back away results with solid performances.

I'd say more of a results issue rather than performance issue at home, deserved more v Sheffield United, Watford and even arguably Stoke IMO.

That's better.

We certainly don't. I expect that for some sides Phillips heading against his own bar Boxing Day at 1-0 down would have gone in, or bounced in off a player or something but not us. @And Its Smith Would you consider us a lucky side? I certainly don't.

However, both the termination costs for the incumbent and possibly coaching staff, then the cost of replacement all counts in full against FFP too albeit spread over time. It can vary. New manager may want their own staff- takes more out of FFP, especially if we have to hire from elsewhere. New manager may want to revamp the team swiftly- under FFP that's a deal breaker in our current position.

Happy New Year all. Hopefully we'll mark with a good win today.

Certainly can do, outside of top levels it often will do. West Brom, Charlton are two- Burnley seem to have managed it well so far but went from debt free and exceedingly well run to a leveraged buyout! Could you imagine if we were subject to a leveraged buyout at this level- we would be screwed! Or he could sell to a fantasist or at best someone who will chase the dream and we fail FFP as has happened to a few of late. If he sells up in a very good financial and FFP position then that will leave a stronger margin for error but time will tell as to how these will look at the time of sale. Or even a new owner could be light on ready cash let's say and fund our inevitable shortfalls in cash flow via high interest loans, from MSD for example. Loans that would be secured against club assets etc.

One more observation. Reading are not exactly a free flowing, dynamic constantly threatening side especially with their constraints- outstripping expectation all the same. 6 penalties this season in the League, I mean in 25 games that's well! Seems oddly high?

I think so BR. I remember it sort of partially modern but not fully. For example Dolman still had wooden seats and SL funded it as you say, I recall the mooted Hengrove Park move e.g. A dump in some ways although did quite like the ground then. East End even in its modern less old school form, Williams- as mentioned Dolman had wooden seats, and on Williams a bit of it there was a bit that faced the away end. Went in there a few times in late 2000s, went in East End overspill once in 2008, wish had got a season ticket in there tbh. Would say so. By any objective measure, the last two decades have been at a higher average level (which division etc) than the prior 2. Whether it's a positive ROI or whether the investment has been well enough spent on the pitch well that's another debate.

Was actually my first full season BR. I was young, didn't know much better however I loosely followed from afar Autumn 1998, then first game was the 3 Little Pigs fight. Then the season I described post Benny (and let's be fair after a terrible start he was also not the luckiest of managers and we had a strong rally in April 1999- 10 pts 4 games, resilience etc). Screwed pber by officials at West Brom, Sunderland at home the following week then vs Birmingham in late April. Some things never change eh! I digress, there is a lot of discontent but objectively speaking for me personally at least the 2nd decade or my City time has been more successful than the 1st and a lot of these 24-25 years coincide with SL's tenure.

Yes, as recently as 1999-2000, okay not really that recent but not generations ago either they finished above us. Playoffs, they dropped out last day- we finished midtable! Same division, they bottled top 6 all told and it was excellent. They sold some key strikers that summer, we bumbled about in 1999-2000 under Pulls and then the 3 wise men- Fawthrop, Burnside and Rosenior.

I have tried to meet the OP halfway in the past but some of their recent posts do seem unnecessarily harsh. When SL writes off debt to equity for example, that is loans the club no longer owes him albeit could it be included in a sale/stake price. It could be a lot worse I am sure of it- and even some of those much worse owners aren't necessarily malign in intent, just a poor grasp of finances and chasing the dream leading to ruin or FFP breaches. Birmingham, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday owners all messed up financially but fund the clubs more or less. Moshiri at Everton too, however I don't think SL will put us in a position where our solvency is at risk. Look at WBA, what a gamble they are taking. £20m in secured high interest loans- in this the final year of their Parachute Payments. What would be to stop SL deciding he won't fully fund us but instead will secure loans against assets to someone like MSD (perfectly legit business practice btw). Chansiri appears to have borrowed against Hillsborough which he now owns though he has comfortably enough to cover it. Could go on- have read Cardiff have been externally borrowing e.g. at quite high interest rates not just to Tan. Yeah these are examples of questionable ownership but there are a lot out there.

In other words though I agree with a lot of your posts @W-S-M Seagull that just seems like red tinted glasses to me though officials have served us terribly this season. E.g. though I believe we were fortunate to get a point at Wigan, had Bennett been red carded as he should then it's a very different game. At Hull balance of play suggested a draw at best IMO but the penalty perhaps changed matters, probably draw without it whereas v 10 and a goal up at Wigan I fancy we win.

Unless there has been a Companies House error, Birmingham both PLC and FC PLC seem to have exercised their right to wait until the end of March to submit accounts. Technically 9 months from Reporting date so end of June means due by end of March but pre Covid they usually released in or late December, or maybe early January. Given that they are listed as PLC albeit in Hong Kong, is the 6 month rule not necessary in those circs? They are listed on CH as a Public Limited company however so I'm a bit surprised.

Not sure we deserved to win at Hull or Wigan based on the balance if play although significant officiating calls went against us in both so it's hard to say. Blackpool, well an individual error cost us but whether we deserved a win, dunno about that. We had more ball but they were quite attacking. Norwich agree, Burnley less so. Coventry? More ball but similar chances, hard to say. Swansea- Well we had some chances but worth looking at the control they had 2nd half. XG for all of these games fwiw. (Experimental 361). Hull 1.5- Bristol City 1.1 (penalty is a value of 0.8). Wigan 1.7- Bristol City 0.6 Blackpool 2.3- Bristol City 1.5 (Unsure how an own goal is weighted in xG). Norwich 1.4- Bristol City 1.2 Burnley 1.2- Bristol City 1.4 Bristol City 1.0- Coventry 0.9 Bristol City 1.0- Swansea 0.9 Bristol City 1.8- Sheffield United 0.5 Bristol City 0.6- Watford 0.1 Bristol City 1.4- Stoke 0.9 Agree we don't tend to get battered but aspects of Millwall at home we were badly pushed back, Reading away we had very few chances albeit ore possession. We had less attempts and possession in our win at Rotherham btw, although they did score an own goal which again unsure how it is weighted. Think we have a few points less than we should, especially at home.