Talk at this time of season tends to move towards rumours of playing budget’s amongst other things and what clubs are shelling out with incomings seemingly above their usual pay grade.
It’s something that carries on right through the season and has done for many years. Some will call it jealousy, others will say it’s perfectly fine. Which it is, but there are one or two words that sometimes get forgotten along the way.
Sustainable, living within means, the most common to be trotted out and those people have a point. Football clubs are generally insolvent businesses, very few turn a profit from year to year and above non-league levels they are actually allowed a certain amount to be able to class as a satisfied loss almost.
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Clubs though below I believe Step 4 don’t have to declare a financial plan for the season. Both that particular step and the one above have only come online within the last few years so there is nothing to stop anyone in the lower reaches plonking a huge amount of cash into a club and trying to take miles up the pyramid.
Now, on the face of it why not? It is the beauty of the pyramid in the English game that allows club and owners to dream and match ambition, hand in hand.
I’ve always felt the game should be more transparent in terms of the budget each club allocates to the playing and coaching side. That’s not and never to suggest they release the details of whose paid what, never should that be disclosed unless the player or coach himself chooses to reveal all.
But why shouldn’t we know the overall figure? We know some clubs swear blind their budget is small, we know some are clearly paying more than others and it’s not to play one off against the other.
All are aware the playing field isn’t level, never has been across the years and never will be. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but surely those who do well with a smaller amount to spend should be lauded and applauded that little bit more?
Others argue that those with more to spend would be under more pressure, but the last time I looked every single manager can point to that week after week regardless of the cash they have to spend.
Surely if you have more money then better players you should be able to attract hence SHOULD be doing better than most in the league, but as we well know money doesn’t guarantee success.
The only time I see fault with it is when clubs are lashing out on players but allow the facilities to got to wrack and ruin. The bricks and mortar remain long after those paying the wages and those receiving them will be moving on.
But those who either balance it well enough or invest in the areas supporters look towards when they frequent the club and maintain a good level of payment, hats off to you all.
I’ve seen clubs relegated because they decide competing on the pitch is more sensible than carrying out the groundwork they needed to, ensuring they stay at that level thanks to both the performance on the pitch and off it as well rather than one sliding and causing an immediate return to whence they came from.
It’s a part of the game that will always be a bone of contention, but in 2025 is there the need for the secrecy that still remains around a budget level? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
