The Summer Transfer Window (Press Submit)

[islander200]

22 minutes ago, JustARover said:

We won't get that for Szmodics he's almost 29 with no top league experience

You don't spend all the money you make as a club from sales especially when you're in as much debt as we are

I'd be buzzing with 20mil for Szmodics if we do sell him but could see it being more 15mil

Saying that then adding in other sales on top with the money we'll get from Raya we'll be at around 45mil made from transfer fees

We're a club in major financial trouble we aren't seeing all of that in fees to sign players if anything we'll spend at most 5/8 hopefully then you have to factor in loan fees and wages

This is a summer were venkys either make a statement and back us with fees for better signings or we continue with frees and loans with maybe 1 or 2 small fees

No matter what though we need to spend money to climb this table or this time next season we're league 1 unfortunately 

Why would you be buzzing if we get 20 million for Szmodic?

The others would expect him to be replaced for 200k or free

[JustARover]

13 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Why would you be buzzing if we get 20 million for Szmodic?

The others would expect him to be replaced for 200k or free

Because it looks like we're going to lose him unfortunately so of course I'd be happy with a large fee

I don't think most fans would expect us to replace him for free or 200k the board and owners definitely would 

But once he leaves we will have no one currently in the squad who would generate such a fee and that's when venkys normally spend 1 or 2 mil on a couple of players

Like they did with Hyam who went from being incredible in his first season to terrible last season then there's Szmodics who was finding himself in the team in his 1st season then became the go to man to rely on

I'm praying like the rest of the fans we spend close to 10 mil this summer

But if we're honest that's a dream at the moment in time especially over the last 3 windows 

[speedies gonna get ya.]

I suspect Peterborough will have negotiationed a decent sell on fee for Sammie. So any sale would have to factor that in.

 

[KentExile]

15 minutes ago, speedies gonna get ya. said:

I suspect Peterborough will have negotiationed a decent sell on fee for Sammie. So any sale would have to factor that in.

 

That is the exact amount that Darragh McAnthony said they negotiated with us 

"Still we might get a decent sell-on fee if he gets a move to the Premier League"

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/why-peterborough-united-missed-out-on-a-sammie-szmodics-windfall-and-the-need-to-finish-in-the-top-four-in-league-one-4597734

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, JustARover said:

We won't get that for Szmodics he's almost 29 with no top league experience

You don't spend all the money you make as a club from sales especially when you're in as much debt as we are

I'd be buzzing with 20mil for Szmodics if we do sell him but could see it being more 15mil

Saying that then adding in other sales on top with the money we'll get from Raya we'll be at around 45mil made from transfer fees

We're a club in major financial trouble we aren't seeing all of that in fees to sign players if anything we'll spend at most 5/8 hopefully then you have to factor in loan fees and wages

This is a summer were venkys either make a statement and back us with fees for better signings or we continue with frees and loans with maybe 1 or 2 small fees

No matter what though we need to spend money to climb this table or this time next season we're league 1 unfortunately 

What 'major financial trouble' is the club in?

Over the last 3-4 years it has barely spent anything be that on transfers, facilities etc.

Our wage bill has been drastically cut.

We make substantial annual losses but we are no different to any other non-parachute laden Championship side in that respect.

If you are referring to the 'issues' preventing the owners from sending money over that's a different matter altogether. That is their issue and their problem to sort. It isn't the club's fault or a result of the club's financial structure.

With or without Szmodics being sold we should be in a very strong financial position going into the summer. As you rightly state we have already brought in over £25 million from sales since last summer and are likely to go past the £30 million mark with Raya joining Arsenal. None of that has been reinvested yet.

Most other professional clubs would be ready to push 'go' on multiple quality signings using a large chunk of that cash to ensure we hit the ground running this summer and next season.

We all know this won't happen and it sums up the miserable existence of BRFC in 2024 that rather than relish a rebuild and reinvestment and a brighter future pretty much all the transfer talk is about weakening ourselves further by offloading the one positive from this season. Unfortunately many will be suckered in by false promises of reinvestment which won't materialise and then they'll come with more ridiculous excuses about admin issues as to why not.

[Mercer]

If we even spend £2million on transfer fees then I will be amazed.

Feel sure the Raos will see the monies from the Wharton sale, the Raya clause and the almost certain sale of Sammie as an opportunity to claw back some of their £200million and to save on further funding.

I also think it's pretty certain the Indian court case will sabotage the dreams of some of our lofty dreamers on this MB.  Despite the noise from Waggott and Broughton, which I think is bullsh1t, I think this pending court case is  going to be a high hurdle to clear and will hit hard any player trading plans Broughton thinks he might have. 

As for Sammie's fee - the lad will be going on 29 when the new season kicks off and has never played in the PL and I think £15million is as much as we can expect and it does sound as though some of that will end up with Posh.  Like Armstrong, Sammie scores goals for fun in the Championship but as Armstrong found out, the PL is a totally different level. 

Like many on here think, until we have both new owners and a new CEO then Championship survival is I think the best we can hope for and my goodness, even that will be one helluva challenge next season.

 

Edited May 6 by Mercer

[RTM08]

Whilst I know we need players, I'm perplexed by a number of people wanting to keep the likes of Ayari and Chrisene. We'd only get them on loan at best, and it's not like they were pulling up tress in what was already a very poor squad. 

We need a major squad overhaul and the players we get in have to be able to hit the ground running in the Championship. 

What we will get will likely be way short of this and we will be doing well to finish higher than 24th next season.

[danger19_80]

Do we know Sammie doesn't have a release clause in the new deal he signed? Might we still lose him on the relative cheap?

[LDRover]

I give it a couple of pages before Buckley is being touted as the second coming.

Again.

[joey_big_nose]

35 minutes ago, danger19_80 said:

Do we know Sammie doesn't have a release clause in the new deal he signed? Might we still lose him on the relative cheap?

It would be odd if we offered a new deal with a sell on clause when he still had 2 years on his old deal (1 year + 1 year option) Better just to leave him on that.

I imagine of anything new contract would have been a big pay rise to remove any such release clauses in the previous deal, or (more likely) just get him under a longer contract to put us in a better negotiating position.

[lraC]

I have always thought the court case is going to mean they can’t send any more funds. With the funds already in, plus the likelihood that of a decent fee for Szmodics, that may mean we stay afloat for a season or two. Beyond that thought we would be in trouble, but hopefully it will mean they are forced to sell. 

[onlyonejackwalker]

3 hours ago, JHRover said:

What 'major financial trouble' is the club in?

Over the last 3-4 years it has barely spent anything be that on transfers, facilities etc.

Our wage bill has been drastically cut.

We make substantial annual losses but we are no different to any other non-parachute laden Championship side in that respect.

If you are referring to the 'issues' preventing the owners from sending money over that's a different matter altogether. That is their issue and their problem to sort. It isn't the club's fault or a result of the club's financial structure.

With or without Szmodics being sold we should be in a very strong financial position going into the summer. As you rightly state we have already brought in over £25 million from sales since last summer and are likely to go past the £30 million mark with Raya joining Arsenal. None of that has been reinvested yet.

Most other professional clubs would be ready to push 'go' on multiple quality signings using a large chunk of that cash to ensure we hit the ground running this summer and next season.

We all know this won't happen and it sums up the miserable existence of BRFC in 2024 that rather than relish a rebuild and reinvestment and a brighter future pretty much all the transfer talk is about weakening ourselves further by offloading the one positive from this season. Unfortunately many will be suckered in by false promises of reinvestment which won't materialise and then they'll come with more ridiculous excuses about admin issues as to why not.

We lose anything from sixteen to twenty million per year. Just let that sink in. 1.5 to 1.75 million per month. 400k a week. 55k per day.

Our debt rose 11 million from 152 million to 163 million. 144 million of which is owed to the owners. We have a wage to turnover ratio of circa 123%.

Far be it for me to stick up for the people who got us into this mess. Wasting all the brilliant work, investment and income from PL money, Uncle Jack, John Williams, quality managers, countless players and thousands of fans.

The financial negligence and overall stupidity of these owners has been astounding.  We used to lose 2-3 million per year in the PL, turning over circa 50 million. An amount easily covered with the occasional player sale.

But now we lose circa 20 million per year. 

However, I keep reading how a poxy 20 million here, a percentage sell on clause there, a potential player sale to come, suddenly means we have cash to burn. We don't. We are skint.

We will lose another 20 million this season. Bang goes the Wharton money. We will lose 20 million next season. Bang goes the Szmodics money.

This doesn't touch or make in-roads into the debt. That is simply running costs. The owners aren't suddenly cash rich from Rovers. There is zero money available. Zilch. Nothing. Empty purse.

Meanwhile I keep reading how a more astute commercial team would generate huge money at the Rovers! How? More programme sales? More perimeter board advertising? More weekly lottery sales? Concourse advertising? Shirt sponsors? Merchandise sales?

No chance, unless the team is doing well. Take it from me, absolutely no chance at all, when you are getting battered away at Huddersfield, Wednesday and Bristol. The commercial team actually do really well to retain what they get. I'm amazed we haven't lost more sponsors. Plus we have some very loyal supporters / companies willing to maintain relationships.

You will only sell more programmes, shirts, burgers, lottery tickets, concourse advertising and sponsorships if the team is doing well on the pitch, there is a feel good factor around the club and more people attend the matches. Guaranteed. Selling anything to do with the team when the team is getting battered is like trying to sell double glazing.

As to half price tickets, ticket giveaways etc. It costs a fortune to open additional stands, on stewards, police, ground-safety, turnstile operators etc. 

12,500 fans at £ 25.00 = £ 312,500.00

20,000 fans at £ 15.00 = £ 300,000.00 - plus a ton more fixed costs. It's a no brainer to simply cater for the die hards.

The only reason we have stayed afloat is money from player sales in Armstoing, Kaminski, Bereton, Wharton and others. That is why we sold Adam and our captain in January. Because we are flat broke.

We have actually done quite well in player trading despite the constant criticism on here. The Raos deserve credit for that and also for not letting us fold. But so they should as the first five years of their reign caused all.of this.

There is no way to fix this unless you want a big cash injection from.the owners and a winner takes all gamble. Or we get lucky with a manager like Ipswich have, on an average salary at 9k per week.

Commercially we are broke and the business does not function. Jusr like 80% of all other clubs. God knows why these clowns keep funding the debt. 

Edited May 6 by onlyonejackwalker

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

...We dont do programmes.

[tomphil]

We haven't done well on player trading at all the model is a selling one the issue is we should have had a trading model years ago.

That's how similar sized clubs boost their income/wage bill and out perform Rovers, many of them also losing 20 mill per season at times also.

Not all under pinned by billionaires either.

[Mattyblue]

The only reason Blackburn Rovers is ‘broke’ is because the Rao’s are no longer funding their business.

If any other non parachute club had owners who had turned the taps off (or had the authorities turn them off for them) they’d be broke too. There is nothing fundamentally different about BRFC, we just have owners under investigation for financial irregularities.

[lraC]

It is purely and simply down to this court case. They were allowed to cover the losses and they no longer are. That’s left us with no option than to sell Wharton and likewise with Szmodics. Had they not been banned from sending funds due to their illegal payments, we could probably have retained Adam Wharton and got his real value in another 12/ 18 months. As it transpired, despite Waggott telling me to my face that the court would allow funds to be sent in February, as we now know that was not the case. It is being touted that August will be a breeze too, but I have serious doubts that they will simply not be allowed to send any more.

To those who may have forgotten or not been aware, we were told it was due to a change in Indian tax laws that the funding was being cut, yet the truth all along was their illegal payments meant that they are not allowed to send any more funds without the courts permission and even that is on the proviso that they put a bond up for the same amount. That tells us all we need to know about how crooked they are. 

[roversfan99]

We didnt sell Brereton, those same owners who are getting credit chose to stubbornly reject bids. Same with Rothwell.

If you own a Championship club then losses are unfortunately par for the course unless you get promoted.

[islander200]

57 minutes ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

We lose anything from sixteen to twenty million per year. Just let that sink in. 1.5 to 1.75 million per month. 400k a week. 55k per day.

Our debt rose 11 million from 152 million to 163 million. 144 million of which is owed to the owners. We have a wage to turnover ratio of circa 123%.

Far be it for me to stick up for the people who got us into this mess. Wasting all the brilliant work, investment and income from PL money, Uncle Jack, John Williams, quality managers, countless players and thousands of fans.

The financial negligence and overall stupidity of these owners has been astounding.  We used to lose 2-3 million per year in the PL, turning over circa 50 million. An amount easily covered with the occasional player sale.

But now we lose circa 20 million per year. 

However, I keep reading how a poxy 20 million here, a percentage sell on clause there, a potential player sale to come, suddenly means we have cash to burn. We don't. We are skint.

We will lose another 20 million this season. Bang goes the Wharton money. We will lose 20 million next season. Bang goes the Szmodics money.

This doesn't touch or make in-roads into the debt. That is simply running costs. The owners aren't suddenly cash rich from Rovers. There is zero money available. Zilch. Nothing. Empty purse.

Meanwhile I keep reading how a more astute commercial team would generate huge money at the Rovers! How? More programme sales? More perimeter board advertising? More weekly lottery sales? Concourse advertising? Shirt sponsors? Merchandise sales?

No chance, unless the team is doing well. Take it from me, absolutely no chance at all, when you are getting battered away at Huddersfield, Wednesday and Bristol. The commercial team actually do really well to retain what they get. I'm amazed we haven't lost more sponsors. Plus we have some very loyal supporters / companies willing to maintain relationships.

You will only sell more programmes, shirts, burgers, lottery tickets, concourse advertising and sponsorships if the team is doing well on the pitch, there is a feel good factor around the club and more people attend the matches. Guaranteed. Selling anything to do with the team when the team is getting battered is like trying to sell double glazing.

As to half price tickets, ticket giveaways etc. It costs a fortune to open additional stands, on stewards, police, ground-safety, turnstile operators etc. 

12,500 fans at £ 25.00 = £ 312,500.00

20,000 fans at £ 15.00 = £ 300,000.00 - plus a ton more fixed costs. It's a no brainer to simply cater for the die hards.

The only reason we have stayed afloat is money from player sales in Armstoing, Kaminski, Bereton, Wharton and others. That is why we sold Adam and our captain in January. Because we are flat broke.

We have actually done quite well in player trading despite the constant criticism on here. The Raos deserve credit for that and also for not letting us fold. But so they should as the first five years of their reign caused all.of this.

There is no way to fix this unless you want a big cash injection from.the owners and a winner takes all gamble. Or we get lucky with a manager like Ipswich have, on an average salary at 9k per week.

Commercially we are broke and the business does not function. Jusr like 80% of all other clubs. God knows why these clowns keep funding the debt. 

What I don't understand is we lose £20 million per year every year?

When our top earner was Rhodes on 35k a week and had other high earners the owners had to put in £20 million to keep us afloat.

Now we have the third lowest wage  budget in the league and spend hardly anything in the transfer market but we still have to find £20 million,?

[lraC]

4 minutes ago, islander200 said:

What I don't understand is we lose £20 million per year every year?

When our top earner was Rhodes on 35k a week and had other high earners the owners had to put in £20 million to keep us afloat.

Now we have the third lowest wage  budget in the league and spend hardly anything in the transfer market but we still have to find £20 million,?

If I was guessing, I would be tempted to think that there are certain people from the very beginning who still need paying for their sterling work in finding a buyer. It makes no sense that despite all the cuts and all the sales that the losses are still at that level. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

...We dont do programmes.

or turnstyle operators

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

 

As to half price tickets, ticket giveaways etc. It costs a fortune to open additional stands, on stewards, police, ground-safety, turnstile operators etc. 

12,500 fans at £ 25.00 = £ 312,500.00

20,000 fans at £ 15.00 = £ 300,000.00 - plus a ton more fixed costs. It's a no brainer to simply cater for the die hards.

 

I'm sure you pretty much preach this teacher to pupil type sermon every summer and i'm sure most of our fans are well aware of all the details.

The ST thing above is such a weak argument i'm surprised you included it to be honest, getting fans back into the ground regularly is a priority. In order to do that a small hit in takings will have to be swallowed like Preston have done, like Bolton have done.  Their cheapest STs are over a hundred quid less than ours.

A fortune to open stands ?  Again what bullcrap the bloody things are already open all it would need to comply is a few more stewards.  The extra spend in the ground/shop etc will easily cover that.

The figures you posted are a nonsense, how is 12,500 grand per game going to bankrupt the club ?

It is easily covered by the extra tv money or a good cup run or loose change from the near 40 million quids worth of players we'll have sold in a year by the time Sammie departs.

Get fans in, take the hit, rebuild the ST base number ONE priority.

Edited May 6 by tomphil

[OsloRover]

19 hours ago, JustARover said:

When Graham left and Dack got his injury Armstrong stepped up, then Brereton Diaz when he left and Szmodics did last season when Brereton Diaz left, so maybe we could guess who steps up if Szmodics leaves 

No one guessing Telalovic? I'll have that then. Stranger things have happened.

If nothing else he's got the best abs in the team photo.

Edited May 6 by OsloRover

[onlyonejackwalker]

27 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I'm sure you pretty much preach this teacher to pupil type sermon every summer and i'm sure most of our fans are well aware of all the details.

The ST thing above is such a weak argument i'm surprised you included it to be honest, getting fans back into the ground regularly is a priority. In order to do that a small hit in takings will have to be swallowed like Preston have done, like Bolton have done.  Their cheapest STs are over a hundred quid less than ours.

A fortune to open stands ?  Again what bullcrap the bloody things are already open all it would need to comply is a few more stewards.  The extra spend in the ground/shop etc will easily cover that.

The figures you posted are a nonsense, how is 12,500 grand per game going to bankrupt the club ?

It is easily covered by the extra tv money or a good cup run or loose change from the near 40 million quids worth of players we'll have sold in a year by the time Sammie departs.

Get fans in, take the hit, rebuild the ST base number ONE priority.

Sermon? Teacher to pupil? Sorry if it reads like that. I just get bored people getting carried away when we sell a player.

I like JHRovers posts. But he started by asking what major financial trouble is the club in?  Well it couldn't be any worse.

If it was as straight forward as price reducing tickets as you always lamely suggest, every club would do it. Ask yourself why they don't.

Let's hear your suggestions on how to get more fans in. I'm all ears as I'm sure are all the commercial staff at Rovers.

 

[B16Rover]

The other obvious point is it isn't reinventing the wheel as to the blueprint to drive commercials regardless of the pitch.  Given the last 5 years and looking at the next 5, the work clubs like Derby, Bolton and Pompey have done re fan engagement will have a very clear knock on as thousands of local fans who otherwise would be united, Southampton etc fans turn 16-30 

[Mattyblue]

What’s lame about it? Two very similar sized clubs to our west and south have done just that and are now selling far bigger numbers.

Now, it helps if the reduction is done when there’s a bit of momentum around the club, I.e last summer would’ve been a good time as we’ll struggle to sell decent numbers at any price this summer with everything that’s gone on- but generally at this level (I.e not PL football), only a reduction will see numbers go up at a club like ours.

 

Edited May 6 by Mattyblue