Dear Jonny Williams,

[Sweeney Todd]

This just isn't true. We are in a fantastic financial position at the moment and another season in the Premier League will only help this. There is plenty of money going towards improving the infrastructure at Palace, and we're capable of remaining competitive as a mid table Premier League team without spending most of our budget on the playing staff.

As for suggesting that you'd rather be a decent Championship team than 11th in the Premier League, I don't believe you. We've got better players, a far better manager and a hell of a lot more money than you have. Things are looking spectacularly good for Palace at the moment.

Please understand that we really do not envy you. I am proud of what we have done, and of how we have done it, and am confident that we will be in the PL before long.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

This just isn't true. We are in a fantastic financial position at the moment and another season in the Premier League will only help this. There is plenty of money going towards improving the infrastructure at Palace, and we're capable of remaining competitive as a mid table Premier League team without spending most of our budget on the playing staff.

As for suggesting that you'd rather be a decent Championship team than 11th in the Premier League, I don't believe you. We've got better players, a far better manager and a hell of a lot more money than you have. Things are looking spectacularly good for Palace at the moment.

You've better players because you can pay them more due to current income.

We shall see about the manager in time.

More money ? That's a bit misleading. You have a higher current income, but are also massively behind on the state of the stadium and training ground. I cannot guess how that can be quantified in financial terms, perhaps 80 million as a minimum?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Oh, and the applause coming from right around the ground for toure was comical

That was so Gerrardesque

 

[Se20]

Despite a season beyond all expectations I would be slightly nervous about the future if I were a Palace fan. Without big crowds, your success has been built upon a business model which relies on keeping in the black by developing youngsters and selling them on. You now have a manager who will bring short term (relative) success on the pitch, but whose history is not based on youth investment:

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stok...cial-figures/story-19359845-detail/story.html

Can you see him developing Jonathan Williams or buying someone like Joey Barton?

In the championship, the owners worked in two year cycles, funding the club, then sell a youth product to cover the loss, that seems like a sensible way to do things.
Whereas your business model seems to be get the debt under £8 million per season.
Unsustainable in the championship, that's why you NEED to go up.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

In the championship, the owners worked in two year cycles, funding the club, then sell a youth product to cover the loss, that seems like a sensible way to do things.
Whereas your business model seems to be get the debt under £8 million per season.
Unsustainable in the championship, that's why you NEED to go up.

Sensible assuming you have a guarantee that you have a youth player 'worth' £10m. They've only had one chance to balance the books that way so far.

 

[Se20]

Sensible assuming you have a guarantee that you have a youth player 'worth' £10m. They've only had one chance to balance the books that way so far.

True, but hopefully that won't be the case for a few seasons.

 

[churley1]

We have got the infrastructure bit just right, thanks, and are happy with our progress on the pitch.

The trouble with being a medium-sized club just promoted to the PL is that it has to spend more than its entire Sky windfall on inflated transfer fees and players' wages, so that spending on infrastructure has to be shelved. In Palace's case, capital spending is desperately needed, but funds cannot be committed because remaining competitive on the pitch is imperative. If and when they go down, the television revenue will diminish drastically, their best players will leave, Selhurst Park will still need rebuilding, but there will be no money to make even cosmetic improvements (such as a bit of cladding here and there).

The only part of what I've just said that would apply to us when we reach the PL is the necessity to put together a competitive team: the infrastructure is in place; and, if we went down, we would still have one of the best stadiums in the world and the most sophisticated training complex in the country.

All things considered, I would rather be where we are.

So in effect, what you're suggesting is that it's utterly pointless that we should try and stay in the PL? Come on, you know full well we haven't spent anywhere near our total revenue for the season, crowds and tickets prices have increased by 7,000 on average which is a boost to the accounts and we're going to recoup practically all our transfer spending this season by finishing 11th, we'll make about 20 million more than 17th place does, staggering really. I wouldn't like to comment on what our balance sheet actually looks like but I think far rosier than yourselves.

We'll spend in the summer because we have to quite frankly but going down really isn't the end of the world if we are able to upgrade the stadium in the near future. Everyone is well aware that until we do so, we will find it virtually impossible to maintain finishing in the middle of the pack.

I'm more than gracious to accept your infrastructure is far better than ours at present but given that your losses are far, far bigger than ours in recent seasons (we posted a profit last season!), I get the feeling you're in a relatively relaxed race against time to get promoted because Uncle Tony can't solely finance the club forever.

Nevertheless, it's great that in very different ways, we're both happy with our progress, despite some people being impossible to please on here and the BBS. When was the last time we could all say that?

 

[churley1]

Would you have preferred to do it our way, if it meant that Premiership football is guaranteed? It's really exciting for us Brighton fans at the moment. We can see real tangible progress of the pitch, but I'm sure all us Brighton fans know that we need to get to the Premiership for it all to work long term, and there is no guarantee that it will happen, and the consequence of us not getting there is a little scary.

The problem is and it is not a dig at Brighton given what you went through for over a decade previously, but for someone to come in and build a brand spanking new stadium and training ground really isn't that feasible. Quite frankly, I'm still pretty surprised that Bloom has done so much for you given how much you've lost since moving to Falmer despite the high crowds. The longer we stay in the PL, the more we'll be able to benefit off the pitch, our owners are still definitely very much learning but there is absolutely no way they're going to only invest in the team, if there is to be any long term vision at CPFC, two new stands at the very least is the way forward and if we can do that, there's no reason why we can't stay in the PL for a long time.

 

[ThePaddy]

Sensible assuming you have a guarantee that you have a youth player 'worth' £10m. They've only had one chance to balance the books that way so far.

Once Joel Ward signs his new contract he'll easily be worth that. One of only a very few Palace players in recent years that could start for a top half Premier League team.

 

[The Last Dodo]

Second season syndrome. Isn't it wonderful to be in that predicament?
Oh sorry, none of youse will know that feeling.
Well not that Premiership feeling.
Anyways.

 

[Stato]

In the championship, the owners worked in two year cycles, funding the club, then sell a youth product to cover the loss, that seems like a sensible way to do things.
Whereas your business model seems to be get the debt under £8 million per season.
Unsustainable in the championship, that's why you NEED to go up.

You are not in the championship anymore, so your previous model is irrelevant. However (after they waited to buy the club to ensure that others paid off the debts) the owners had a sustainable model going, but Pulis has already shown with purchases like Ledley and Puncheon that he works in a different way. These type of players will not make a profit when you come to sell them.

If these estimates are anywhere near correct: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/c..._873_2013_default_default_alle_a_default.html you have spent over £26 million on transfers this year. With estimates of average Premier League wages for 2012/13 being at £30k per week, it would be a cautious estimate that your annual wage bill is equal to your transfer spend. £52 million gone leaves approx. £10 million of your share of the TV money plus gate receipts and sponsorships to pay everyone else at the club before you come to a figure left to spend on infrastructure. If you assume that players wages won't rise because the TV money has gone up (They will.) Let's estimate that you have £20 million left to invest in infrastructure each year (You won't.) You would need to spend the next five years in the top league before you could make the capital investment that built our stadium three years ago, or longer if you want to upgrade your training complex.

Of course, you will go down. Apart from the Manc clubs, the Scouse ones, and the three big London ones, everyone in the Premier league has to assume that they could be relegation candidates at some point in the next three to five years. When you go down, the wages of the players that Pulis has signed will swallow the parachute money. Where will this leave you? Bolton, QPR, Blackburn, Wolves could not get into the black by selling a Rooney, let alone a Zaha.

By the way, what you call our business model is actually adhering to FFP. >£8m for this year, It will be >£5m for the next and continues to reduce in order to become sustainable. The challenge for us will be the same as yours, should we go up, finding a sustainable model which is not based solely on staying there.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Second season syndrome. Isn't it wonderful to be in that predicament?
Oh sorry, none of youse will know that feeling.
Well not that Premiership feeling.
Anyways.

We've been subjected to [nth] season syndrome regarding crowds from the PAlace lot and it doesn't seem to be working thus far.

Do you have anything to add other than trolling? Youse seem to forget that this is a site for adult conversation and your mock Irish stuff is dull.

 

[Red'n'Blue]

Start a thread on a Palace player (most of the thread full of shit) then wonder why Palace fans respond. Bit odd.

 

[rubin]

You are not in the championship anymore, so your previous model is irrelevant. However (after they waited to buy the club to ensure that others paid off the debts) the owners had a sustainable model going, but Pulis has already shown with purchases like Ledley and Puncheon that he works in a different way. These type of players will not make a profit when you come to sell them.

If these estimates are anywhere near correct: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/c..._873_2013_default_default_alle_a_default.html you have spent over £26 million on transfers this year. With estimates of average Premier League wages for 2012/13 being at £30k per week, it would be a cautious estimate that your annual wage bill is equal to your transfer spend. £52 million gone leaves approx. £10 million of your share of the TV money plus gate receipts and sponsorships to pay everyone else at the club before you come to a figure left to spend on infrastructure. If you assume that players wages won't rise because the TV money has gone up (They will.) Let's estimate that you have £20 million left to invest in infrastructure each year (You won't.) You would need to spend the next five years in the top league before you could make the capital investment that built our stadium three years ago, or longer if you want to upgrade your training complex.

Of course, you will go down. Apart from the Manc clubs, the Scouse ones, and the three big London ones, everyone in the Premier league has to assume that they could be relegation candidates at some point in the next three to five years. When you go down, the wages of the players that Pulis has signed will swallow the parachute money. Where will this leave you? Bolton, QPR, Blackburn, Wolves could not get into the black by selling a Rooney, let alone a Zaha.

By the way, what you call our business model is actually adhering to FFP. >£8m for this year, It will be >£5m for the next and continues to reduce in order to become sustainable. The challenge for us will be the same as yours, should we go up, finding a sustainable model which is not based solely on staying there.

That's a lot of guesswork and assumption.

Don't worry about Palace. Our owners won't be taking risks.

 

[Sheebo]

Start a thread on a Palace player (most of the thread full of shit) then wonder why Palace fans respond. Bit odd.

Tbf it was about an Ipswich player really. One that was v smug & a bit if an arse when they beat us who now has zero chance of finishing above BHA - that was the point of the thread...

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

We wouldn't stand a chance anyway, I imagine Barcelona are probably leading the race.

Or that Massive Club on Portsea Island. I'm sure he'd jump at the chance at playing in front of the best fans in the world.

 

[Stato]

That's a lot of guesswork and assumption.

Don't worry about Palace. Our owners won't be taking risks.

I gave you the link to your transfer spending.

The 'guesswork' on the average Premier wages 12/13 is from Deloittes: https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news...premier-league-player-earns-30-124222362.html. The 'assumption' that wages will rise is based on the fact that they have doubled over the last six years. This is before the new TV deal.

The 'assumption' that Pulis will sign experienced pros is based on his career at Stoke, who got rid of him because they wanted to develop youth and on his four permanent purchases since he became Palace manager (all 27+)

The 'guess' that you will be relegated sooner or later is based on the fact that only seven teams have played all seasons of the Premier League since its inception.

So, call it guesswork and assumption if you like, but its based on some evidence. What is your assumption that Palace owners won't be taking risks based on, Mark Goldberg or Simon Jordan?

 

[churley1]

You are not in the championship anymore, so your previous model is irrelevant. However (after they waited to buy the club to ensure that others paid off the debts) the owners had a sustainable model going, but Pulis has already shown with purchases like Ledley and Puncheon that he works in a different way. These type of players will not make a profit when you come to sell them.

If these estimates are anywhere near correct: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/c..._873_2013_default_default_alle_a_default.html you have spent over £26 million on transfers this year. With estimates of average Premier League wages for 2012/13 being at £30k per week, it would be a cautious estimate that your annual wage bill is equal to your transfer spend. £52 million gone leaves approx. £10 million of your share of the TV money plus gate receipts and sponsorships to pay everyone else at the club before you come to a figure left to spend on infrastructure. If you assume that players wages won't rise because the TV money has gone up (They will.) Let's estimate that you have £20 million left to invest in infrastructure each year (You won't.) You would need to spend the next five years in the top league before you could make the capital investment that built our stadium three years ago, or longer if you want to upgrade your training complex.

Of course, you will go down. Apart from the Manc clubs, the Scouse ones, and the three big London ones, everyone in the Premier league has to assume that they could be relegation candidates at some point in the next three to five years. When you go down, the wages of the players that Pulis has signed will swallow the parachute money. Where will this leave you? Bolton, QPR, Blackburn, Wolves could not get into the black by selling a Rooney, let alone a Zaha.

By the way, what you call our business model is actually adhering to FFP. >£8m for this year, It will be >£5m for the next and continues to reduce in order to become sustainable. The challenge for us will be the same as yours, should we go up, finding a sustainable model which is not based solely on staying there.

Our highest earner is Chamakh on around 30k a week so I highly doubt our wage bill is anywhere near what you are suggesting, we might have a surplus of players but a fair few will be out of the door in the summer. I'd like to see a table of annual wage bills, given that Hull are paying Jelavic and Long 50k each a week, I bet we're still bottom or very near the bottom.

I'm amazed you lot are so confident in our apparent future demise, it's even more remarkable from fans of a club who have never played in the Premier League.

 

[Stato]

I'm amazed you lot are so confident in our apparent future demise, it's even more remarkable from fans of a club who have never played in the Premier League.

I'll ignore the suggestion that football started in 1992 and say that this season we will be the highest finishing team never to have had a share of the very fairly distributed Premier League TV money. Last year and the year before we were second behind Cardiff. Its very difficult to break into a club when the members wish it to be exclusive, but if you go about your business the right way on and off the field, it will come. Then we too may know the thrill of visits to Hull and Stoke and appearing last on Match of the Day whilst Shearer pretends to care.

 

[rubin]

I gave you the link to your transfer spending.

The 'guesswork' on the average Premier wages 12/13 is from Deloittes: https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news...premier-league-player-earns-30-124222362.html. The 'assumption' that wages will rise is based on the fact that they have doubled over the last six years. This is before the new TV deal.

The 'assumption' that Pulis will sign experienced pros is based on his career at Stoke, who got rid of him because they wanted to develop youth and on his four permanent purchases since he became Palace manager (all 27+)

The 'guess' that you will be relegated sooner or later is based on the fact that only seven teams have played all seasons of the Premier League since its inception.

So, call it guesswork and assumption if you like, but its based on some evidence. What is your assumption that Palace owners won't be taking risks based on, Mark Goldberg or Simon Jordan?

'Some', being the operative word.

Our current owners are sensible business men, and we have the most under rated manager in English football at the helm.

As long as he's here, we'll be fine.