Blackpool dream turning sour again?

[Never to the dark side]

I made approx three trips to the Blackpool area to support the removal of the previous owners,not sure what to think of the latest news

 

Owner Simon Sadler has defended his financial commitment to Blackpool, amid criticism from sections of the support.

Sadler took control of the Seasiders in June 2019, purchasing a 96.2% share from receivers after former owner Owen Oyston's reign ended in the High Court.

Sadler said he had already invested £18m of his own money since the purchase, and expected to be funding another £5m this season.

"Then, as now, my motives were not financial," he said of his investment.

"It's this level of commitment that keeps Blackpool Football Club operational.

"It's this investment that has given us a likely top-six playing budget, and enables us to pay, for Kyle Joseph, the highest known transfer fee this year in League One."

Sadler, who was born and raised in Blackpool, has worked in asset management in Hong Kong since 2007.

Sales of players such as Jerry Yates and Josh Bowler, as well as the initial compensation package agreed for boss Neil Critchley when he previously left for Aston Villa, brought in finance to the club.

Some supporters have questioned the whereabouts of those funds, which has prompted Sadler to reference some of the spending of his predecessors - during court hearings it emerged Oyston owned, among other things, the skeleton of a woolly mammoth"It's [the money] certainly not been spent on wedding venues or woolly mammoths," the statement continued.

"These incoming transfer fee payments are staggered over time but the monies so far received have contributed to the spend on the playing squad.

"Player trading and reinvesting a majority of the income from player sales back into the playing squad is a vital part of our strategy and combined with my personal investment helps us to pay meaningful transfer fees, source high-quality loan players and most importantly support a significantly higher wage bill than when we were last in this division."

 

[Davefevs]

Sounds like he’s prepared to keep personally investing…so that’s good.

I think the casual fan has little appreciation of the costs of running a football club, and that unless you’re in the PL turning an operating profit is a pipe-dream for most clubs.  The only way to balance the books is to sell players.  The extent of losses is down to how far clubs are pushing things.  You’d have thought Covid would’ve taught them a lesson.  Nope.

[exAtyeoMax]

6 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

I made approx three trips to the Blackpool area to support the removal of the previous owners,not sure what to think of the latest news

 

Owner Simon Sadler has defended his financial commitment to Blackpool, amid criticism from sections of the support.

Sadler took control of the Seasiders in June 2019, purchasing a 96.2% share from receivers after former owner Owen Oyston's reign ended in the High Court.

Sadler said he had already invested £18m of his own money since the purchase, and expected to be funding another £5m this season.

"Then, as now, my motives were not financial," he said of his investment.

"It's this level of commitment that keeps Blackpool Football Club operational.

"It's this investment that has given us a likely top-six playing budget, and enables us to pay, for Kyle Joseph, the highest known transfer fee this year in League One."

Sadler, who was born and raised in Blackpool, has worked in asset management in Hong Kong since 2007.

Sales of players such as Jerry Yates and Josh Bowler, as well as the initial compensation package agreed for boss Neil Critchley when he previously left for Aston Villa, brought in finance to the club.

Some supporters have questioned the whereabouts of those funds, which has prompted Sadler to reference some of the spending of his predecessors - during court hearings it emerged Oyston owned, among other things, the skeleton of a woolly mammoth"It's [the money] certainly not been spent on wedding venues or woolly mammoths," the statement continued.

"These incoming transfer fee payments are staggered over time but the monies so far received have contributed to the spend on the playing squad.

"Player trading and reinvesting a majority of the income from player sales back into the playing squad is a vital part of our strategy and combined with my personal investment helps us to pay meaningful transfer fees, source high-quality loan players and most importantly support a significantly higher wage bill than when we were last in this division."

 

Would be an interesting topic for Kieran Maguire and "The Price of Football"

[luke_bristol]

Interesting to hear on the Undr the Cosh podcast the other day that Blackpool only pay/only paid their players £90 a week over the summer as they don’t  have any cash flow from gate receipts.

[Norn Iron]

On 05/09/2023 at 09:13, Davefevs said:

 

I think the casual fan has little appreciation of the costs of running a football club, and that unless you’re in the PL turning an operating profit is a pipe-dream for most clubs.  The only way to balance the books is to sell players.*

The extent of losses is down to how far clubs are pushing things.  You’d have thought Covid would’ve taught them a lesson.  Nope.

*the only exception is if you're Bristol City and have a £25 million rated player!

 

Fixed it for you Dave.

[Eddie Hitler]

8 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Interesting to hear on the Undr the Cosh podcast the other day that Blackpool only pay/only paid their players £90 a week over the summer as they don’t  have any cash flow from gate receipts.

 

Does minimum wage legislation only extend as far north as Chester?

[luke_bristol]

15 minutes ago, Eddie Hitler said:

 

Does minimum wage legislation only extend as far north as Chester?

Sounds bonkers but that’s what they said; contractually they’re paid an annual salary that as a footballer is obviously is way over minimum wage, so they get the “top up” to their weekly earnings spread over the remaining 10 months of the year when the club’s cash flow is healthier.

[Davefevs]

13 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Sounds bonkers but that’s what they said; contractually they’re paid an annual salary that as a footballer is obviously is way over minimum wage, so they get the “top up” to their weekly earnings spread over the remaining 10 months of the year when the club’s cash flow is healthier.

Players on a pro contract should be paid their “basic” all year round.  I guess if they’ve agreed to be paid less over the summer as a one-off this summer that’s different, but it’s not part of the standard pro contract.

[Eddie Hitler]

16 minutes ago, luke_bristol said:

Sounds bonkers but that’s what they said; contractually they’re paid an annual salary that as a footballer is obviously is way over minimum wage, so they get the “top up” to their weekly earnings spread over the remaining 10 months of the year when the club’s cash flow is healthier.

 

Thnaks, I was wondering how they had worked it.  Though that does speak of terrible cash management by the club.

I remember Torquay being done maybe eight years ago for paying their youth players below minimum wage.

[Davefevs]

27 minutes ago, Eddie Hitler said:

 

Thnaks, I was wondering how they had worked it.  Though that does speak of terrible cash management by the club.

I remember Torquay being done maybe eight years ago for paying their youth players below minimum wage.

I read a book by Ben Smith, a player who’d been a lower league / National League player and I can’t remember at which non-league club it was where he signed, but it was a pro contract, so he got paid over the summer.  He’d been on a non-league contract and his pay ended in May over previous summers.  With a mortgage that contract gave him a lot of security.  It certainly showed the non-glam side of being a pro footballer in the lower reaches of the league.

[Rocking Red Cyril]

16 hours ago, Eddie Hitler said:

 

Does minimum wage legislation only extend as far north as Chester?

Only as far north as Yate I think 

[1960maaan]

22 hours ago, luke_bristol said:

Sounds bonkers but that’s what they said; contractually they’re paid an annual salary that as a footballer is obviously is way over minimum wage, so they get the “top up” to their weekly earnings spread over the remaining 10 months of the year when the club’s cash flow is healthier.

That sounds mad. I guess it would be explained when a player signs and not just dropped on them the first week it kicks in.
As most people not on tens of thousand a week tend to live to their income, dropping from £1500-£2000 a week would be a hell of a shock. I guess they chose £90 just to keep paying them something and so keep up their Contracts somehow.

[Leveller]

On 08/09/2023 at 10:20, Davefevs said:

I read a book by Ben Smith, a player who’d been a lower league / National League player and I can’t remember at which non-league club it was where he signed, but it was a pro contract, so he got paid over the summer.  He’d been on a non-league contract and his pay ended in May over previous summers.  With a mortgage that contract gave him a lot of security.  It certainly showed the non-glam side of being a pro footballer in the lower reaches of the league.

Has anyone else read Jonathan Sayer’s book (“Nowhere to run”, I think) about buying Ashton United?

They’re a Manchester club in tier 7, and JS and his dad decided to take over, being genuine long term fans.

For context, Jonathan is one of the actor/writers behind the “Goes Wrong” plays and TV shows, so is relatively well off, but knew little about football admin, except from a fan’s perspective. This isn’t exactly the Wrexham scenario though!

Its an interesting read, but not as funny as I’d hoped. It does shed some light on non league management and recruitment though, in particular the difference between contract and non contract players. It’s also good on the angst that owners can suffer when faced with bad decisions and pure bad luck.

[BigTone]

You have to feel sorry for Blackpool fans as if having to live in such a crap hole wasn't bad enough 

Edited September 9, 2023 by BigTone

[Davefevs]

10 hours ago, Leveller said:

Has anyone else read Jonathan Sayer’s book (“Nowhere to run”, I think) about buying Ashton United?

They’re a Manchester club in tier 7, and JS and his dad decided to take over, being genuine long term fans.

For context, Jonathan is one of the actor/writers behind the “Goes Wrong” plays and TV shows, so is relatively well off, but knew little about football admin, except from a fan’s perspective. This isn’t exactly the Wrexham scenario though!

Its an interesting read, but not as funny as I’d hoped. It does shed some light on non league management and recruitment though, in particular the difference between contract and non contract players. It’s also good on the angst that owners can suffer when faced with bad decisions and pure bad luck.

Josh Brownhill’s bruv used to play for them, not sure if he still does.

[robinforlife2]

On 08/09/2023 at 09:47, Davefevs said:

Players on a pro contract should be paid their “basic” all year round.  I guess if they’ve agreed to be paid less over the summer as a one-off this summer that’s different, but it’s not part of the standard pro contract.

Doesn't work that way though.

A good friend of mine is an ex footballer. Played in League One and Two for a number of years. Actually had a brief spell at a Premier League Club. He was never shy to talk about wages.

I am not going to name player or clubs, but he openly told us that his contract at most clubs was set for 3 sections;

A: During the domestic season

B: Off Season

C : Pre Season

I remember when he got a new deal somewhere, there had been press leaks saying he had signed a 5K a week contract. At the time, we were saying to him that, that was great news as he could now pay for dinner when we went out.

He then showed us all his contract one evening out and I was for one quite staggered

Every month on his payslip was broken down into Grade A,B and C pay.

During Grade A (9 months of the year) he was paid £22,740, which worked out around £750 per day. During Grade B (1 month of the year) he was paid £16,210 (£540 per day), then in Grade C (2 months of the year) he got £1480 (£49 per day).

There was other things that surprised me. For each week during Grade A, he was not selected to be in the squad for a game, he got a £450 deduction (unless injured), he said it was like a 10% drop in wages if you were not picked.

If the team lost whilst playing, he got deducted £1000, If they Drew he got £250 and if they won, he got £1000

There was no appearance bonus, as they got result bonuses, and deductions if you didn't play, but said if he scored, he got paid £220 per goal scored, nothing for assists. 

He said, basically it worked out, like he was on £4250 a week, not the 5K a week reported, but pay was staggered, so during the season he was on like £5300 a week.

I guess every club is different. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by robinforlife2