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To quote: “Over the last four years we ve had (playing) budgets of £1.3m, £1.9m, £1.3m and £1.5m."

That's an awful lot of money, yet they're still here.

Have they ever even reached the playoffs? I think part of Bradford's problems are that the high budgets cause high expectations - so when it doesn't work immediately - they clear out, so have a huge player turnover and an unsettled side as a result.

Had to laugh at the comment elsewhere that Accrington manage to get where they are on a playing budget that must be around a measly 850k. I'll eat my bicycle if Accrington have a playing budget of 850k!

Bradford fans have no idea seemingly of how massive their budget has been compared to the rest of the league if they think the lowest playing budget is 850k

Shit. The. Bed!

What sort of lunacy is this? Just so we're clear, what does the playing budget cover? We imagine: signing players, paying wages and maybe also the coaches and manager too. Anything else?

Matt.

I've also wondered what the term "playing budget" means. Between £500,000 and £750,000 for us would seem in range. Then of course there are non playing and administrative staff.

League/TV/gate receipts/cup runs must make our turnover per season in excess of £1,500,000.

I'm no accountant, but like lawyers, the robbing b'stards carry a briefcase.

What are you angry about now?

Matt.

Trojan 67 wrote:I've also wondered what the term "playing budget" means. Between £500,000 and £750,000 for us would seem in range. Then of course there are non playing and administrative staff.

League/TV/gate receipts/cup runs must make our turnover per season in excess of £1,500,000.

I'm no accountant, but like lawyers, the robbing b'stards carry a briefcase.

If i remember rightly, our wage bill was around 1.2m recently (covering everyone at the club). As we all know there have been cuts to the playing budget this season so a bit less then that now. No idea how much is just players though...

I'd guess our playing budget would be around 850k.

I don't think we've ever skimped on wages (and credit to the board for this) and I think some would be surprised how ours compares with other teams in the division. When we're battling other teams to sign players, we seem to win more than our fair share. While this may be partly to do with Buckle convincing them, we must be offering at least the same, maybe more, than other teams.

I doubt the 600k loss last year was bigger than our entire playing budget - I also doubt our wages for the back room staff are too high, as we are a little thin on the ground in that respect.

£500k is Stockport's current playing budget and I'd imagine Barnet are similar. Accrington and Macclesfield are who I'd imagine would have the lowest - maybe £400k - low gates and constant financial troubles.

Just found Morecambe is £1.2 million plus £317,000 management wages for this year - reaching the playoffs last year suddenly doesn't seem as big an achievement as I thought for them.

So I'd guess around 250k for our management. Morecambe seem to have a lot of staff as well as a lot of players - someone should perhaps whisper quality not quantity in their ear.

It also suggests that Stanley's wages that we're paying are a lot higher than we may have thought. Robinson's wages are also pretty high for this level I believe. I guess the fact that we've willingly taken on these wages is a good strong signal from the board regarding ambitions, the playing budget and competitiveness to attract the better players available in this division.

How are you getting this info Baz?

Matt.

I hate Crawley as a town and as a club, but if we don't make promotion then it would be nice to have another southern away game next season.

Although to give them some credit they have won the league with 5 games still to play, and although they still have to play some difficult games they could break the 100 points mark. I would also like to see AFC Wimbledon come up, they are one of the few clubs who deserve league status with their history. Although Crawley may need reminding, they have never been a league club, and the 2 seasons we were down we made the play offs both times and we didn't have a secret donation to the club.

basil75 wrote:Just found Morecambe is £1.2 million plus £317,000 management wages for this year - reaching the playoffs last year suddenly doesn't seem as big an achievement as I thought for them.

So I'd guess around 250k for our management.
Morecambe seem to have a lot of staff as well as a lot of players - someone should perhaps whisper quality not quantity in their ear. [/color]
It also suggests that Stanley's wages that we're paying are a lot higher than we may have thought. Robinson's wages are also pretty high for this level I believe. I guess the fact that we've willingly taken on these wages is a good strong signal from the board regarding ambitions, the playing budget and competitiveness to attract the better players available in this division.

You're way off the mark there.

As for the wages of Stanley and Robinson, there's nothing there to suggest anything of the sort, it's just your take on what they could be earning.

I'd also say the ambitions of the Board do NOT match those of anyone wanting promotion.

Southampton Gull wrote: You're way off the mark there.

As for the wages of Stanley and Robinson, there's nothing there to suggest anything of the sort, it's just your take on what they could be earning.

I'd also say the ambitions of the Board do NOT match those of anyone wanting promotion.

That final bit should be of concern to all who pay to watch TUFC.

I've been here before (1967/68 season) when it was said then that we "couldn't afford to go up".

After that season gates dropped steadily as the myth/fact did its damage.

Trojan 67 wrote: That final bit should be of concern to all who pay to watch TUFC.

I've been here before (1967/68 season) when it was said then that we "couldn't afford to go up".

After that season gates dropped steadily as the myth/fact did its damage.

To be honest, seeing as we have made large losses for the last couple of seasons, I'm happy if the board are reluctant to "splash the cash". We only need to look down the road to see where "chasing the dream" can get you! I would imagine that every manager in the country (except Arsene Wenger) feels that his board isn't giving him enough to spend, but then it's always easier spending someone else's money!

I agree with you Jerry, however, what is the point in adopting the ethics of Mike Bateson and just going through the motions of keeping a side in a certain division? Following a football club should allow a degree of expectation and the promise of better things, take that away and you risk destroying the club anyway as we all know could have happened to us recently. Going up "could" show the public that there is something worth investing time and money in. I would rather we went up and struggled with the same squad than invest money we dont have trying to stay there, at least it would give us a season in the sun. We need to show that the product is worth buying before the public start to come and see us. What is the point of someone in a similar position to myself investing time and money following a club who just want to sit still? I might as well follow Eastleigh and catch up with the odd game at Torquay when I'm in the region. For my money I want at least some hope that we're trying to be successful.

No argument from me Dave, a club should always be looking to progress both on and off the field. It's a difficult juggling act though and, I'd imagine, a fine line between ambition and putting the future of the club at risk.

The trouble is Dave, that many "locals" don't see it the same way you do. They will turn up for a few games when/if we start putting on a decent run in the league above, and then disappear as soon as we lose a game.
That said, there can't be that much difference between this league and the one above (at least not the middle of the league down), I think there is little difference between us and the Greasers in terms of players, and they seem to be doing rather well in that league.