Alternatively those on social media behind the rumour are now laying Eustace at a much shorter price in the betting market than he should be - nice work if you can get it.

What is the source of the rumour ?

The low balance sheet value of the club is a reflection of the realities of operating for years and years in the Championship. Looking at the Bristol City accounts - a club owned by people who are certainly not engaged in creative accounting - there were accumulated losses at June 2023 of just under £195m.

I think if you are going to make claims of the kind you made you need to have rather more evidence than vague claims about what you heard on the grapevine - which apparently these days stretches as far as New Zealand. You have access to the club accounts on the internet although they will not provide the level of detail needed about the Academy. I'd judge the Academy on the standard of the players it produces which does not appear to have declined since Venkys took over/

Please could you provide the facts in support of that statement.

You're missing the point. If the owners did not want exposure they would not have bought a Premier League club in the first place.

I think a number of our better players in the various age groups are playing at a higher age group level than they have to, be it with the club or out on loan, and that weakens the results of some teams. It's a change of policy that has been introduced this season. I don't think you should read too much in to it; judging from the international call ups and reported interest from other clubs in our players we still seem to be doing pretty well with the Academy.

The accounts don't say.

See my post above.

According to the last pre Venkys set of accounts in 2010 there were 253 employees compared with 221 in 2023 so a loss of 32 jobs over those 13 years. I don't think anybody is suggesting that the club should just exist to provide employment but it seems to me to be callous to be actively hoping for a course of events that will cause some people hardship.

Last season was 15,583 so down 5% or so but home games against Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland coming up in the next few weeks which will push the average up.

We played friendlies in the periods now set aside for the Nations League

We wouldn't be able to pick other times - they are taken up by club competitions .

But the South American, Asian and Oceanic countries are currently playing World Cup qualifiers, the African nations are playing African Nations Cup qualifiers and the Central American nations are playing in their own Nations League. So you are left with the likes of Brunei and Hong Kong to play against ! Tuchel would not be impressed.

According to the Venkys London accounts for March 2024 published earlier this week the debt owed by the club stood at £134m. Some of the money initially injected as debt has been converted in to equity. Having said that, given that the club's turnover is less than £30m there is not much effective difference between that number and £250m.