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A quote from Darren Royle in November
“I think for Wigan Athletic the academy creates a huge opportunity; the north-west is a powerhouse of football and we can provide a niche in our area in terms of creating a pathway, which is something Gregor Rioch and Paul Cook are trying to further develop.”
Just found the notes posted on here shortly after the Fans Forum…
“6. Joe Gelhardt mentioned. Cook described him as an exceptional talent. Aswell as some others. Can’t give them opportunities with survival still on the line”
Trouble is most of our best youngsters are 15-17. So I wonder how many are upto the Championship physically.Would be ideal for someone like Lang. But of course he’s better off getting experience, playing each week, for Oldham.
Gelhardt 16 (17 next month), Jolley (17), Weir (17), Maffeo (18) are just 4 names that keep cropping up regualrly. 2 of them starters in the England youth set-out. Age isn’t an issue. Most decent players break into the starting line up in their teens. Look at Reece James. Correct me if im wrong, but he’s yet to make an appearence for his parent club.
Cook was asked about the giving some of the youngsters a chance at the last fans forum at the turn of the year. He confirmed we have some real talent (mentioned Gelhardt by name) but the time wasn’t right. He couldn’t throw them into a dog fight.
Well the dog fight is over. Time to see how good some of these lads are (or can be).
I’m suggesting we give 2/3 stand out performers 15/20mins here and there. That can hardly be classed as weakening the team.
The game against Birmingham is a dead rubber and I suspect the Millwall game will be.
1. They had no intention of selling Grigg. Final bid came in at 9pm just as they were planning on going home. 7 bids previously rejected. 200k to 4million in 2 weeks. Every player as his price. Even at clubs like United/Liverpool.
2. Money is available. We made two 7 figure bids but were knocked back in January.
3. Some “exciting” news regarding our youth traing facilities will be announced in the near future. We want our youth teams to be playing against better quality opposition. We’ve out grown the current level. We want to be a tier 2 youth development.
4. New owners looking at improving match day experience. Didn’t go into to much detail.
5. We’ve been talking to Powell’s representatives since the summer. Sounds like he’s keeping his options open. My own opinion on this is, we can’t yet offer him what he is looking for. Securing championship survival might help. But my gut feeling is he’ll leave in the summer.
6. Joe Gelhardt mentioned. Cook described him as an exceptional talent. Aswell as some others. Can’t give them opportunities with survival still on the line.
7. 6000 season ticket holders last season, 7000 season ticket holders this year. Ticket prices mentioned. But I got the impression from Jonathan Jackson that reducing prices doesn’t have an upsurge in numbers as you’d expect.
My opinion – We could open up the turnstiles and let people in for free and we’d still get 9000 on.
Wage bill won’t be ten million. Top earner at club is Nick Powell on 8K per week. Rest nowhere near that.You were right Bigroy. The wage bill wasn’t 10million last season. It was 11.7million!!
I’ve found a trend amongst a section of our supporters who flat out refuse to accept any negative financial comments about our club.
I had a debate/argument with a number of fans on twitter 12 months ago about this very subject. All because I had the nerve to suggest that our wage bill was 10million+ and it gave us a real advantage in League One.
I think they are trying to cling on to the Whelan years. Having a financial advantage over everyone in the division. Making them feel superior to all other clubs.
Those days are over.
Had a debate elsewhere recently about the financial position of our club and what the future might look like. Some of you maybe interested in what I found –
Starting with the facts. The below relates to the 15/16 season when we were promoted from League 1 (Last set of published figures).
Turnover – £15.7m (This turnover includes £12m in Parachute Payments :( )
Salary Costs – £11.9m
Transfers – £2.0m profit made
Overall loss made – -£2.3m
Below is an assumption of what the financial figures will be for this season (17/18) by using the figures from the last time we were in this League (Less the parachute payments)
Turnover – £3.7m
Salary costs – £10m (Assumed a small reduction but could be higher, Powell, Morsy, Grigg will be on decent wages)
Transfers – I’m going to ignore any profit made from players sales because the club cannot rely on having a 6/7m Yanic Wildschute to sell every season.
Overal loss of – £6-7mill (Surprisingly a similar figure we received for yanic)
To Summarise
– Current wage budget maintained due to Yanic money. Squad would look a lot different from the one you see today if he wasn’t sold in January
– Failure to get promoted back to the Championship will result in the squad being broken up and wage bill reduced to around the 4million mark (a 60% reduction). Alternatively, the club rack up debts of about 6/7mill a year.
– Being in the championship worth about £8mill extra a year to our club (Heard Jonathan Jackson say this once). Essential that we get promoted to have a chance of keeping the likes of Morsy, Grigg, Powell, etc.
– Parachute Payments may have stopped, but we are still benefitting from the effects of the investments made with the premier league money. Yanic being one of those investments. This wont last.
I’ve obviously made a lot of assumptions above. Feel free to correct me.
Thought I would bump this back to the top having just viewed the latest set of financial figures that cover the 16/17 season. My prediction for this seasons finances appear on target based on the latest figures
We will post a 6/7million loss for this season ending 31st May 2018 (figures for this season will be realeased this time next year). This is unless we sell players to cover this loss in January.
The perspective new owners will know this. Will they be happy to cover the losses or will they persue a sustainable future?
Interesting times.[/quote]
B)
Right on the money. [pardon the pun]
Whopper hey? I’ll let you know next time he’s over you can tell him to his face, that ok?Full of shite it is then.
One lad i know (Doogie) some will have heard/know of him, emigrated to Australia a few years back still buys a season ticket to show his support for the club!
Let me get this right. You know someone who spends the best part of £300 a year on a season ticket that they will never use?[/quote]
Yep thats correct, well done! :silly:[/quote]
Either you’re full of shite or your mate is whopper.
If it’s the latter, then I can suggest more worthy causes for his £300
One lad i know (Doogie) some will have heard/know of him, emigrated to Australia a few years back still buys a season ticket to show his support for the club!Let me get this right. You know someone who spends the best part of £300 a year on a season ticket that they will never use?
With nearly 6 weeks until the start of the season, we have plenty time to pick up the 4 players we need (2 left backs, centre half cover and a holding midfielder cover)
We are also top heavy so I would expect Lang, Flores to go out on Loan. Possibly Cole aswell.
Northern rail will be chuffed bits with the 5.30 kick off when there’s a couple of hundred pissed up Wiganers trying to get on the last rail replacement bus service from Piccidilly.2 Trains will be running from Manchester Piccadilly at 22:37 & 22:46. I’ve spoken to someone at National Rail Enquiries and they have confirmed that those 2 services will be running in between all the bus replacements that evening.
For anyone still thinking about the train. Below is what I’ve found which appears to avoid the Bus Replacements.
Out
12:22 Wigan North Western to Doncaster (Change at Manchester Piccadilly). Arrive in Don about 2:30Return
20:44 Doncaster to Wigan North Western (Change at Leeds and Man Picc). Arrive in Wigan about 23:15About £35
Pretty sure the Picci to Wigan is a bus this Sat.[/quote]
According to National Rail Enquiries the 22:37 & 22:46 services are running as planned from Piccadilly to North Western and Wallgate. All the other services either side of these times are showing as a bus replacement.
Worst scenario we get a train back to Newton Le Willows and jump in a taxi from there.
YES, IT’S A VERY GOOD FACILITY. BUT TOO BIG. AND DESIGN PREVENTS OTHER USES SUCH AS CONCERTS ETC BECAUSE NOISE ESCAPES TOO EASILY.Noise Escapes to Easily? Do Glastonbury organisers know this?
Maybe the reason is the stadium is a dual sport stadium and is used all year round.
For anyone still thinking about the train. Below is what I’ve found which appears to avoid the Bus Replacements.
Out
12:22 Wigan North Western to Doncaster (Change at Manchester Piccadilly). Arrive in Don about 2:30Return
20:44 Doncaster to Wigan North Western (Change at Leeds and Man Picc). Arrive in Wigan about 23:15About £35