Economics Of Survival

[fct]

I know there has been the usual reaction to the selling of what is perceived to be City's best striker, but lets be realistic for a moment on the entire matter. Remember the furore when Scott Murray went following a tremendous season?

He was never the same player again and when he came back he was nothing like he had been. I suspect Leroy's season with City last season was mainly due to him exploding onto the scene unexpectedly. Defences would be more aware of him and it is always difficult to follow an initial brilliant season. Its a hard act to follow.

Also, for the club's point of view, it makes sense to sell him (okay they have been a bit cynical in how they have gone about it but that's business, folks). End of the coming season he can walk for nothing. And he would too, so selling him to an outfit like Reading may be a good thing at the present.

City are paying for years of mismanagement and are still something like £3,000,000 in debt, so they have to sell their best assets in order to continue. The directors have stumped up the cash to keep City afloat, so why not get some of that money back when the offer is there?

Its frustrating seeing City's top players going but that's the price for failure on the pitch. If City had gone up to Division 2 (I'm refusing to bow to corporate branding and calling it by its old sensible name) rather than still languish in Division 3 at present then its almost certain Lita would have remained.

Unless City manage to get up - something beyond them in the past few years - then we'll continue to see this happen; which is why its imperative to keep the academy going in order to develop good players so City can sell them and therefore make money that way.

[Guest Champagne Football]

Good post and the selling of Leroy is the best thing that can happen to this club. I don't think he would have scored as many goals in the season coming up, sell him whilst he is hot.

If you ask me, it is Leroy himself that has lost out in this deal. I am certain he will not be playing in the Premiership for the next three years or however long his contract is, I can hardly see Reading selling him on, as he is their record signing.

Many people disagree, but this is the best option for BCFC and Steve L knows this.

[Spud55]

I know there has been the usual reaction to the selling of what is perceived to be City's best striker, but lets be realistic for a moment on the entire matter.  Remember the furore when Scott Murray went following a tremendous season?

He was never the same player again and when he came back he was nothing like he had been.  I suspect Leroy's season with City last season was mainly due to him exploding onto the scene unexpectedly.  Defences would be more aware of him and it is always difficult to follow an initial brilliant season.  Its a hard act to follow.

Also, for the club's point of view, it makes sense to sell him (okay they have been a bit cynical in how they have gone about it but that's business, folks).  End of the coming season he can walk for nothing.  And he would too, so selling him to an outfit like Reading may be a good thing at the present.

City are paying for years of mismanagement and are still something like £3,000,000 in debt, so they have to sell their best assets in order to continue.  The directors have stumped up the cash to keep City afloat, so why not get some of that money back when the offer is there? 

Its frustrating seeing City's top players going but that's the price for failure on the pitch.  If City had gone up to Division 2 (I'm refusing to bow to corporate branding and calling it by its old sensible name) rather than still languish in Division 3 at present then its almost certain Lita would have remained.

Unless City manage to get up - something beyond them in the past few years - then we'll continue to see this happen; which is why its imperative to keep the academy going in order to develop good players so City can sell them and therefore make money that way.

←

Bang on, finally some sense on this board, as it seems to be a very hard struggle for those of us that can look past the obvious.

can't really add to much to that, Lita was gone next summer anyway, unless we got him to sign now he wasn't going to stay anyway, so a good bit of busniess in my mind.

[Guest]

Bang on, finally some sense on this board, as it seems to be a very hard struggle for those of us that can look past the obvious.

can't really add to much to that, Lita was gone next summer anyway, unless we got him to sign now he wasn't going to stay anyway, so a good bit of busniess in my mind.

←

In the cold light of day, yes it better for Lita and B.C.F.C if/when he signs and we put the £1,000,000 in the bank

[red as fcuk]

City are paying for years of mismanagement and are still something like £3,000,000 in debt, so they have to sell their best assets in order to continue.  The directors have stumped up the cash to keep City afloat, so why not get some of that money back when the offer is there? 

←

Although this is a great post and you make some valid points, I think the club would be foolish to not RE-INVEST some of the money.

Now I'm not suggesting going out and blowing half a million on one player, but I'd like to use Steve Brooker as an example (a cracking player with youth on his side). We paid 200 grand for him, and I'd say if we wanted to sell him tomorrow we could double our money. Even if we kept him until the season and end up selling him for the same price we bought him, if he helps us gain promotion, we are winners either way.

My basic point is, if we spend a little of that money wisely, it could end up HELPING our finacial position, and who knows we might even get promoted along the way!

[fct]

Its always a case of a balancing act, isn't it? The overriding aim of the board is to keep BCFC a going concern; if they didn't believe that then they would not have stumped up £3,000,000 between them, which for businessmen with other interests is a lot of money, particularly when most of their capital is not disposable and tied up in property and business fixtures and fittings, not to mention other private capital items.

They want the club to be a success but they equally don't want to pour money into it and see nothing back.

By all means get good players but if they get offers to go elsewhere whilst still in contract and its for a damn sight more than the club paid for them, then that's good business and I cannot see why the club shouldn't do that. After all, with these wonderful players in the squad City haven't gone up, have they? You can't always blame the gaffer; City have had 2 in the past 2 seasons and neither have taken the club up. So why persist is keeping the players who have failed to deliver success when you can get good money for them?

Hard-nosed and cold I suppose but this is realism, not wishful thinking.

[red as fcuk]

Thats all well and good if you have an everlasting supply of GOOD talent, You don't have to look too far to find a team that were on the brink of promotion to div2 a few seasons ago only to sell all their assets year after year and be on the brink of relegation, out of the football league.

Now I'm not saying we should've kept Leroy against his wishes, I am saying that we should re-invest this money (well, a small part of it) and stay focused on promotion out of this poo league, by bringing in one or two promising/proven players that will make people sit up and take notice.