kimbie87
Member
It's from the Coventry City London Supporters Club January newsletter.
It's from the Coventry City London Supporters Club January newsletter.Swiss Ramble always does excellent analyses.
Where was this article taken from?
Swiss Ramble always does excellent analyses.
Where was this article taken from?
God, it reads like it!Newsletter, def not AI
That’s what I first thoughtGod, it reads like it!
This just cannot be possible with the amount of retro shirts I’ve bought recently.The club is operating at a financial loss, meaning there are limited funds available for new signings. It is a delicate balance between investing in players and ensuring the clubs remains financially stable.
I know how chatgpt works toointeresting take on things
Coventry City Owner Doug King and Head Coach Frank Lampard face several challenges in this window as they work to strengthen the playing squad while navigating financial and strategic constraints.
The club is operating at a financial loss, meaning there are limited funds available for new signings. It is a delicate balance between investing in players and ensuring the clubs remains financially stable.
The EFL Financial Fair Play regulations limit how much can be spent on transfers and wages relative to the club’s revenue. Frank Lampard will have identified the most pressing areas for improvement in the squad and target affordable players.
Competing for high-quality players is always a challenge, especially in the January window, when prices are often inflated, and options limited. Convincing players to join with our current league position when other teams are vying for their signature will not be easy. Overpaying for short-term fixes could also hurt the club’s financial stability. Developing and integrating young talent (the current model) requires time and patience.
With funds also needed for stadium-related decisions, whether to secure a long-term lease or move towards ownership, any transfer spending will put additional pressure on Doug King to balance competing priorities.
We must believe that the owner and head coach have a clear and united approach in January, focussing on strategic, value-driven signings that address the squad’s weaknesses without overextending the club’s finances. Creative deals, such as loans and free transfers, will likely play a key role in navigating this challenging window. The competing priorities are to ensure the club is finacially secure as well as competitive in the league.
As we reflect on our near-promotion to the Premier League—falling just a penalty kick short against Luton Town—it’s clear that reaching the topflight is an exhilarating but costly journey. Last season we narrowly missed the play-offs and reached the FA Cup semi-final, raising expectations for the future.
Supporters thought we were going to be promoted this season (me being one), but with the change in management and where the team’s League position sits at the end of 2024, are those expectations fading?
Promotion and the Financial Realities.
As we move into 2025 it’s clearer than ever that success of football clubs requires careful financial management, significant investment, and bold decision-making. With the unwavering support of supporters and strategic leadership, we still believe the Sky Blues can realistically aspire to reach the Premier League.
The financial realities of the Championship are stark. We have touched on this in previous newsletters. Our revenue and payroll position us among the lower end of the Championship sides, but that hasn’t stopped clubs like Luton and Huddersfield from achieving promotion in recent times.
In an ideal world, football club owners are temporary guardians, respectful of the club’s history, mindful of its future, and aware that if the game belongs to anyone, it’s the fans. Sadly, this isn’t always the case in modern football.
Experts like Kieran Maguire (The Price of Football) and @SwissRamble (who recently published The Cost of Promotion: What Price Paradise?) have highlighted the financial challenges of promotion, particularly the disparities caused by parachute payments. Here’s a closer look at some of the numbers in their reports.
It seems clear that higher revenue means a higher budget, so a better chance of promotion. @SwissRamble does make the point that “clubs with low income do have a chance of going up by outsmarting, rather than outspending, their rivals – though a generous owner helps”
The Cost of Promotion in the last 10 seasons
1) Revenue
The revenue of two of the promoted clubs in 2022/23 were Burnley (£65m) and Sheffield United (£64m). Newcastle recorded the highest revenue pre-promotion with £86m (2016/17). However, five clubs in this period have achieved promotion with less than £20m revenue: Luton, Watford, Huddersfield, Brentford and Bournemouth
For comparison our 2022/23 revenue was £20.4m, showing we are within reach of achieving promotion. Not owning our stadium, with the access to 365 revenues, is problematic. The EFL regulations stipulating football clubs need to have a minimum 5 year commitment has been covered elsewhere, but remains a major consideration.
2) Parachute Payments
The disparity in finances in the Championship is widened by parachute payments made to clubs relegated from the Premier League. Relegated clubs receive significant financial advantages: £48m (Year 1), £39m (Year 2), and £18m (Year 3).
In the last five seasons, two of the three promoted clubs each year were in receipt of parachute payments.
3) Wages
Over the last 10 years the promoted teams’ wage bills have average £70m, with the highest being: Fulham (£90m), Aston Villa (£83m), and Newcastle (£80m). Our local rivals Villa spent £29m more on wages than their total revenue that season, losing £84m in their promotion season (2018/19) via the play-offs.
Luton succeeded with £18.4m (2022/23), while Huddersfield (£22m, 2016/17) and Watford (£21m, 2014/15) also achieved promotion on low budgets.
Again, for context, the Championship wage average in 2022/23 was £29.7m. Burnley (£53.6m), Sheffield United (£48.7m), and Watford (£48.7m) topped the list, while Blackpool had the lowest (£13.5m). Our 2022/23 wages were £18.5m, among the lowest in the Championship.
4) Profit and Loss
All the promoted clubs from the Championship to the Premier League over the past 10 years made financial losses. No fewer than 12 of the 27 promoted clubs since 2014/15 lost more than £50m in doing so. The lowest loss was Burnley (£3.6m, 2015/16) and the highest loss Aston Villa (£84m, 2018/19).
In 2022/23 we lost £4.9m, relatively modest compared to many clubs, but costs that need to be covered.
Insights from Recently Published Accounts (2023/24)
A few clubs have already released their 2023/24 accounts, revealing interesting comparisons. Wages for Norwich City were £51.8m, Preston North End (£22m), The promoted sides from League One Sheffield Wednesday (£21.8m) and Plymouth Argyle (£16.8m).
Hull City have also recently published their 2023/24 accounts. Wages rose 25%, from £23.7m to £29.6m. Under new owner Acun Ilicali, wages have doubled since he took over, and £38.5m in losses have been covered with loans. Their Revenue increased to £21.2m (from £18.1m). Hull’s revenue is still approximately £100m lower than their last season in the Premier League, highlighting the vast financial gap between the two leagues.
For comparison, our revenue for 2022/23 was £20.4m.
We await the publishing of our accounts for 2023/24.
Whilst supporters want owners to spend on exciting new players, prudent management of finances is key.
#Keep the faith
We're 66/1 to go downBe careful, a no mark prick will be along soon to dismiss talk of going down.
Already said it’s a newsletter ?I know how chatgpt works too
damn, I’ve been rumbledIt does read like GPT output. Probably put some data and a sketch in and got ChatGPT to flesh it out.
Alternative view is that you don't spend your way out so easily and attracting a coaching team who can re-ignite our ability to realise potential from the academy is a more certain / safer way to acheive the goal. Might explain Burroughs and Howley returning perhaps.As much as we want to get out of this league we need to do it sensibly, getting to the play off final was way ahead of what we were planning for, maybe where we are now is more realistic ? or Just maybe this current recruitment team haven’t got a clue and just wasted the best chance we may of had ? used all the profit from gykores and hamer and the cup run and blown it on poor players,?
Leicester were 5000/1 to win the Premier leagueWe're 66/1 to go down
I'm with you with the memory thing, so I can't be trusted that far back. However, I do remember (correctly hopefully), Cattlin getting a lot of stick then there was something in the Telegraph saying his nickname was Spider. Suddenly, everybody thought he was brilliant and he responded accordingly.I seem to remember Chris Cattlin made a big impact straight away. Didn't he mark George Best out of the game on his debut? Memory might be playing tricks of course
I’ve got £10 at 10000-1Same odds as Gemma Collins being the next james bond. Shows how unlikely their prem win wasView attachment 40776
XXXX-007Same odds as Gemma Collins being the next james bond. Shows how unlikely their prem win wasView attachment 40776
Well that definitely proves you're not over reacting to the chances of us going down when you come compare it to a once in a millennium event...Leicester were 5000/1 to win the Premier league
0- TalentSame odds as Gemma Collins being the next james bond. Shows how unlikely their prem win wasView attachment 40776
Well that definitely proves you're not over reacting to the chances of us going down when you come compare it to a once in a millennium event...
Some of us are old enough to remember seasons in the old Div 1, when we were top half of the table at Christmas. Then going on a winless run until April and end up requiring to win our last few matches to stay up.Not over reacting at all. Stating facts
Cant lob 66/1 around like it's some sort of miracle if we get dragged into the bottom 3
I'm sure many of us have had a 66/1 plus accumulator / horse whatever come in
It's hardly lottery winning chances is it
not bad odds. Heard there’s a remake in the pipeline….Doughnuts are foreverSame odds as Gemma Collins being the next james bond. Shows how unlikely their prem win wasView attachment 40776
I have this clear memory of Colin Stein smashing a header against the bar in one game and as he was getting up saying 'You lucky bastard' to the opposition goalie at which point half the Kop burst into laughter. Strange how memory works isn't it.Some of us are old enough to remember seasons in the old Div 1, when we were top half of the table at Christmas. Then going on a winless run until April and end up requiring to win our last few matches to stay up.
So, whilst I recognise the odds.....we do have a history of almost achieving relegation from more positive positions than we are currently in.
Leicester were 5000/1 to win the Premier league
Can't have her at LB mate, she wouldn't even make onto pitch she of got carried away clearing out Greggs, plus she doesn't know her way around she only knows from her house to maccies then back home againSums up our transfer window when Gemma collins is the name being banded round, slot her in at LB
I just find the negative mentality of some of our fans weird when they think a 66/1 shot is far more likely that a 12/1 shot, which is our top 6 oddsNot over reacting at all. Stating facts
Cant lob 66/1 around like it's some sort of miracle if we get dragged into the bottom 3
I'm sure many of us have had a 66/1 plus accumulator / horse whatever come in
It's hardly lottery winning chances is it
Is Kevin Kyle coming out retirement?Anyway back to transfers......
You lot are gonna laugh at this. I did. And if it happens it shows just how fucked we are. Not naming them
Not Billy Gilmore againAnyway back to transfers......
You lot are gonna laugh at this. I did. And if it happens it shows just how fucked we are. Not naming them yet as it's early stages, but they've been mentioned on here in a manner of ridicule for a good few seasons now.....
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