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Jun 17

Stockport Fans S'PORT

There’s only two S’PORT teams!

I said only Stockport County in this blog….”S’PORT”; not to be confused with Southport.  Yet the two S’ports will now meet in the Blue Square Premier (BSP) League next Season.

The other S’port has had its ‘punishment’ of relegation rescinded and will actually feature in the BSP. Despite finishing fourth from the foot of this Division, the expulsion of Rushden and Diamonds has saved them from descending to the Blue Square North. Rushden and Diamonds were thrown out at the League’s AGM because of its continuing uncertainty and financial instability.  In effect, it could not guarantee to be able to fulfill its fixtures for 2011-2012. A court hearing followed after a major creditor issued a winding-up order over unpaid debts. Déjà vu?

It has been a tough year at Rushden after they had earlier faced a five-point deduction for submitting incorrect financial information. The Club’s Chairman has said: “We weren’t allowed to attend the AGM as we were suspended from membership so we were not allowed to voice our opinion”.

The Ground has since been repossessed and without external investment the future looks bleak its’ supporters’ trust, ‘Save RDFC’, has announced.

Jun 15

Stockport Fans S'PORT
2 Comments

Supporters’ Directive

An ultimatum and directive have resulted from a perceived mis-use of social media by the then Chief Executive of Supporters’ Direct (SD). It is the overseeing organisation formed by the Government (with cross-party agreement) to provide support to ‘supporters’ trusts (fans) to secure a greater level of accountability and democracy within football clubs and more recently in other sports.  

The alleged remarks, reported in The Guardian, made his position untenable and has resulted in his, only this week, using the hashtag on the same platform, Twitter, #gizzajob.

£1.2M funding has been pulled (SD’s enabling fund for the next three years).  This decision courtesy of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), a grant-giving body the Premier League wholly finances. The FSIF board stated the withdrawal of funds was in response to insulting comments, including swearing, by the Chief Executive after AFC Wimbledon won promotion to the Football League.  Naturally some of our clients are pro-greater supporters’ involvement as was much of our recent Turkish conference.  I have only worked on projects in consultation with former SD employees Brian Lomax (earlier Managing Director) and Simon Binns who conducted themselves professionally (others less so) – and a former Director, Sean Hamil now at Birkbeck College, who was credible as a guest speaker at our aforementioned conference also.

Jun 12

Vernon Bear

Hoddlegate

So National media today publishes an interest in investment by GHA (Glenn Hoddle Academy) to Stockport County.  No surprises where this might have come from with the Tottenham connection.  A strategic alliance ‘yes’ but takeover ‘not sure’.  With ‘Wardy’ and ‘Lordy’ currently in post, the indigenous team are more than capable of continuing their already impressive record of talent spotting and developing youth.  I could even assist with my Turkish connections. 

My fear is the amount of times that unfounded or unscrupulous characters crawl out to express a desire in owning a football club.  I have witnessed it many times with some household names expressing a potential bid but our ‘due diligence’ actually confirming that they haven’t got a “pot to piss in”.  

The latest publicity will appeal to the fans, but I offer a word of caution on premature excitement.  If some of the characters supposedly involved are true, then I’m already nervous. And claims of Council-relationships that mean an iconic new stadium cause me concern – as that’s not what I’ve heard. 

Whilst, it’s rare for me to agree with much that “County” do these days, I do think that “show me the money” and an honest and robust appraisal is fundamental.

Jun 11

Football Book

Deloitte reports

It’s that time again – the birth of “Deloitte Football Money League 2011” report. Now in its 14th year, often an interesting barometer on football finance and good PR for Deloitte!

You can download the Report.  Some key contents:

(1)    The full ranking of the top 20 Money League clubs including total revenues and the breakdown of the three sources – matchday, broadcast and commercial incomes. 

(2)    Feature article assesses each of the three key revenue streams, listing the top 20 clubs for each, whilst comparing and contrasting these lists with the overall top 20.

In the English Premier League (EPL), clubs posted an all-time high with losses of £445M.  This, the result despite generating record income of £2Bn.  Though note with a time lag in reporting the analysis relates to pre-tax losses in financial year 2009-2010. Of the top 7 clubs in EPL only Arsenal made an actual profit! Is Wolverhampton Wanderers the UK’s top football club? 

A Division below, the Championship League shows a similar trend with £133M losses.  There are plans to adopt “in principle” financial rules similar to those designed by European soccer’s governing body, UEFA. This it is envisaged will reduce insolvencies in the game. Watch this space?  Too many ills in my view to expect improved health in English football overnight, without a new and improved ‘medication’!!

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