[Albion] Is the Prem even worth staying in?

[Steve.S]

The premier league seems to be 3 mini leagues in one. The top 6 followed by a few teams who don’t have to worry about relegation, at the same time don’t have the resources to break into the top 6 unless one of the big teams has a bad season. Then you have the rest who spend the whole season trying to survive, they are looked down on by the big clubs and if they had their way would get very little money from tv revenues. Championship clubs think they would be a lot better then them in the premier league and those that think they maybe in with a chance of coming up start talking about poaching a few of the players. Then cup games, well every club wants to giant kill you, you dare not go on a cup run because it could hurt your chances of survival. Lastly when the big teams come to the Amex, you suddenly find out that most of your fans support them ( joke) and want their shirts and selfies with them. So if you don’t mind watching your team park the bus and still lose then yes it is better. My opinion I would rather see us have an attacking style of football whatever league we are in. I have watched teams like Bristol City and Norwich take on the top 6 over the last few weeks and show no fear and that’s what I want to see

 

[Stat Brother]

And the last Championship side to go bust was.....?

That's alright then, unkie Tony can carry on footing an annual £30m debt in perpetuity, just so you don't have to see a silly kid bought up badly by poor parents.

I also don't go to the Albion to watch the other teams 'stars'.

I'm enjoying watching what is the very best Albion team I've ever seen grow, develop, and improve.
I'm excited to see the new fella and hopefully will be able to write that a couple more times over the coming week.

 

[Weststander]

A few wins and we'd all be feeling differently (caveat: the wins might not be this season).

Hopefully we'll win at least one game between now and May.

 

[nicko31]

Journey very possibly better than the destination. But once you are there you have to want to stay up. Imagine the scenes at the last home game if we do - be like the game v Stockport at Withdean times ten !

Gonna be tough, but I think the level of investment from the club has been sensible. I'd rather do a Burnley than a QPR

 

[Weststander]

But because of modern football being competitive in the Championship costs between £30-£40 million.

You can't have it both ways.
You hope to be a good Championship side and still have a football club x years down the line.

This.

As opposed to the financially unviable (and unfair to TB) view point, that the club is better being a top Championship club indefinitely. The club's Championship level income is a bare minimum of £10m short per season, to be able to sustain a competitve squad.

 

[Guinness Boy]

That's alright then, unkie Tony can carry on footing an annual £30m debt in perpetuity, just so you don't have to see a silly kid bought up badly by poor parents.

Absolutely totally missed the point. The point being if he doesn't someone else will. I wouldn't want it to be anyone else but that's the way it is. Millions and millions being lost every season and no one goes bust. As usual with you you've oversimplified the second point. I've already given you a long list of things I don't like about the Premier League but you've chosen to focus on the one you think will get more sympathy for your point of view.

 

[theroyal]

I had the exact same experience the last time Reading were in the Premier League (2012/13). We didn't win a game until November, and aside from a great run in January which saved us from finishing bottom (miraculously, QPR were somehow worse), it was pretty miserable. By the end of February I just wanted the season to end.

That said, the pleasure of going up counterbalances that for me. I'd much rather be a yo-yo club than a club like Stoke. It must be so dull to be a Stoke fan. And there's always a chance you might continue your momentum and have a good season in the Premier League.

I hope you guys don't go down, and you have a couple of seasons in the Prem at least. If you do get relegated, at least you won't have to go to the Madejski next season, as we'll be in League One...

 

[Triggaaar]

I worded it wrongly for sure, as if we stay up it means we would have put in some decent performances and been entertaining. But just about surviving every year, or aiming to finish 12th doesn't fill me with much enjoyment.

What's the alternative, hoping to finish 12th in the Championship?

Maybe I've been treated to too much the last few seasons

We have, and it's been on the back of both paying for a team that our income can't support, and also outperforming teams that spent even more than us. It's not sustainable. Surviving in the PL is a more sustainable model than trying to get promoted from the Championship.

 

[Weststander]

Absolutely totally missed the point. The point being if he doesn't someone else will. I wouldn't want it to be anyone else but that's the way it is. Millions and millions being lost every season and no one goes bust. As usual with you you've oversimplified the second point. I've already given you a long list of things I don't like about the Premier League but you've chosen to focus on the one you think will get more sympathy for your point of view.

I agreed with many of your original points. For example, to me but I appear to be in a minority, I preferred our 3 home wins this season a thousand fold more than the games against ManC and Chelski. Whereas others got rather excited to see Aguero and Hazard, which sweetened their pills in seeing their Albion outclassed.

But finances override all, it's the life blood. The Albion is such an expensive club to run that only PL income can stop it from struggling financially and ultimately pay for a decent squad.

 

[WonderingSoton]

I'm not sure the stadium and training ground would have got built in the first place without the possibility of getting into this league with it's funds at some point. Nor are they sustainable forever in the Championship.

 

[Guinness Boy]

But finances override all, it's the life blood. The Albion is such an expensive club to run that only PL income can stop it from struggling financially and ultimately pay for a decent squad.

I totally get that. I just don't like it much.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

20 years ago this could have been

Football league, is it worth it?

 

[Weststander]

I totally get that. I just don't like it much.

I agree.

Winning games of football is far more enjoyable and naturally that's easier down a division. A warm glow on leaving the Amex after a win that sets up your weekend ... you can't beat it.

Shame that the money side is a reality.

 

[Stat Brother]

Absolutely totally missed the point. The point being if he doesn't someone else will. I wouldn't want it to be anyone else but that's the way it is. Millions and millions being lost every season and no one goes bust. As usual with you you've oversimplified the second point. I've already given you a long list of things I don't like about the Premier League but you've chosen to focus on the one you think will get more sympathy for your point of view.

I agreed with most of your original posts about all things Premier League.
I frequently find myself agreeing with PPF and RotR.
I don't like the financial behemoth that is professional football.
But I also remember just how shite it was before hand.

My pleasures are different now, Duffy to Suttner to Jose = goal was magnificent.

I've always had a 'this can't last forever' feeling about Tony and the debt he was taking on.
Last seasons promotion and everything that went with that, coupled with this season watching Gross & Ryan as well as Dunk and (almost) March stepping up, with more to come, means that fear goes away.
I'm struggling to see what there is to moan about beyond 'not winning every game'.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I'm not sure the stadium and training ground would have got built in the first place without the possibility of getting into this league with it's funds at some point. Nor are they sustainable forever in the Championship.

Well, they're both there now so I don't see how they could be unsustainable. The build costs would be far more than the upkeep and running costs.

 

[Weststander]

Well, they're both there now so I don't see how they could be unsustainable. The build costs would be far more than the upkeep and running costs.

They give large depreciation charges in its company accounts (an added cost contributing to the losses), cost a small fortune to maintain, business rates, and the club carries a very large payroll at both locations.

 

[Stat Brother]

They give large depreciation charges in its company accounts (an added cost contributing to the losses), cost a small fortune to maintain, business rates, and the club carries a very large payroll at both locations.

IKEA and the housing estate would make that look like a drop in the ocean.

Anyone know what's happening with plan?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I agreed with most of your original posts about all things Premier League.
I frequently find myself agreeing with PPF and RotR.
I don't like the financial behemoth that is professional football.
But I also remember just how shite it was before hand.

My pleasures are different now, Duffy to Suttner to Jose = goal was magnificent.

I've always had a 'this can't last forever' feeling about Tony and the debt he was taking on.
Last seasons promotion and everything that went with that, coupled with this season watching Gross & Ryan as well as Dunk and (almost) March stepping up, with more to come, means that fear goes away, I'm struggling to see what there is to moan about beyond 'not winning every game'.

I think I've spent a lot of time on this thread replying to individual points made by you and [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] that you're starting to infer stuff I don't mean. Let's be clear:

- Being us now is better than being Sunderland
- Of COURSE the Amex is WAY better than Withdean and many (but not all) of my favourite Albion matches have been there.
- Last season was my favourite ever watching Brighton (and there the problem starts)
- I'm grateful for everything Tony has put in and continues to. I've done a 180 on Paul Barber. I think CH is one of the most impressive human beings on the planet.
- I have (like [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION]) enjoyed our home wins but not so much the Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea games. In fact not at all
- Nevertheless I can appreciate good players - Gross is FANTASTIC. Ryan is much better than I thought he would be. Propper is about what I was expecting. Schelotto is my new Albion cult hero. I LOVE him. Izquierdo has disappointed though.
- On the field by far the most disappointing thing has been the shackling of last season's flair stars, Knockaert and March in to a defensive formation that frankly doesn't work.

So, all that said, the issues to pull out are:

- I'm always going to prefer winning to losing
- I don't want us to be the next Arsenal
- I don't want us to be the next West Brom either
- I probably have no choice that we're going to be one of the two middle things if we are to survive financially - and frankly I HATE that prospect.

 

[Weststander]

IKEA and the housing estate would make that look like a drop in the ocean.

Anyone know what's happening with plan?

True, but they're development costs treated as work in progress (an asset) in a totally separate limited company.

 

[WonderingSoton]

Well, they're both there now so I don't see how they could be unsustainable. The build costs would be far more than the upkeep and running costs.

Have you seen the ongoing running costs in the accounts over the years?