We’ve missed put on so much sponsorship and investment over the years. In the majority of the Premier league years, we had either JJB of D.W. Sports as the stadium “sponsor”. But how do you give money to yourself, for something you own? So all those years where we had a great opportunity to attract decent sponsorship for the stadium, and we missed out on it. We even had JJB as our lit manufacturer and also our front of shirt sponsorship. Why? Yes, it maximised brand exposure for our owner and his businesses. But look where JJB is now…gone. So that did well then…
The income we missed out on though, due to that cronyism. As soon as the Whelan’s sold up, we were f@&£d big time. With them steering the ship, and backing the managers, we did amazingly well over the years.
From the moment they went, we were dodging sea mines. The nightmare of Choi, then Talal and his gang, we’ve just not had proper financial management of the club since the Whelan’s went. We now have the wealthiest owner we will likely every have, but to what aim or end, none of us are actually sure, or convinced.
Any owner at whatever level, really has to put some money into a club somewhere along the line. You have to have ambition and aims, or else why bother? At the moment, I’ve no idea what our actual aim is. I can tell you what my fear is though. My fear is we sink into the relegation mire and I fear we wouldn’t get out of it. Wigan Athletic in League Two? Well, it’s happened to Bradford and they get really good home gates. And if we do fall down to League Two, if Danson really does want to see us progress, he’s then going to have to spend even more money. The trouble is, we will be a harder sell to attract players, so the task of getting a good side together will be even harder. If we did fall down this season, we need to pack in with signing loads of loan players. There is no longevity to it. It’s our own players we need to bring through and pick up players who are OUR players who we can sell on in the future. Having a squad full of loan players means your losing out on having any value into the squad. I’ve no doubt we will be lucky to have Tickle and Asgaard after the transfer window. That will be two really big losses. Can we replace them without spending money? No. Don’t forget we’ve sold Charlie Hughes already. Some of that money shouldve been used for strengthening. I am surprised at the poor quality of the players we have brought in. None have impressed me especially. Maybe I set my sights too high.
