Here are some figures that might reveal how precarious the financial situation is:
Last year the club lost £2.23million before player sales, on an average gate of 6,802, and with TV income of £1.26 million
This season crowds are averaging 5,977, a decrease of 825. If the club makes £14 per ticket on average (which takes into account VAT and travel vouchers), then gate receipts are down £266,000. TV income is down £626,000 this season.
This means that the loss for the year to 30 June 2007 is standing at £3.122million, or £60,000 a week, before taking into account wage cut cluases that will come into play for being relegated last season.
In the year to 30 June 2006 the total wage bill was £4.08million, and we had 88 full time staff members (including players). In addition there are 215 staff for match days. I have assumed that the part time staff are paid £5.50 an hour, and have a 5 hour shift on match days. Their wage bill comes to £148,000 for the year, leaving £3.93million for the playing and admin staff, an average salary of £44,681 per person.
If the players had on average a 10% pay cut this season, then the wage bill might be down by about £400,000 in total.
This still leaves an estimated loss of £2.72million this year, before taking into acount the fact that we have sold CKR (next income to club £100,000 after paying Bury), and about £200,000 from the West Ham game.
The loss is therefore looking at about £2.42million, or £46,500 a week.
On those figures it is clear that the playing budget is going to be very tight.
The club has total debts of about £13.5million at 30 June 2006, of which I suspect about £5.7million is due to the directors, directly or indirectly, the overdraft is £334k, season ticket advances are £1.3million, and there is £4.3million of 'other loans' which may be due to a bank.
Last year the club lost £2.23million before player sales, on an average gate of 6,802, and with TV income of £1.26 million
This season crowds are averaging 5,977, a decrease of 825. If the club makes £14 per ticket on average (which takes into account VAT and travel vouchers), then gate receipts are down £266,000. TV income is down £626,000 this season.
This means that the loss for the year to 30 June 2007 is standing at £3.122million, or £60,000 a week, before taking into account wage cut cluases that will come into play for being relegated last season.
In the year to 30 June 2006 the total wage bill was £4.08million, and we had 88 full time staff members (including players). In addition there are 215 staff for match days. I have assumed that the part time staff are paid £5.50 an hour, and have a 5 hour shift on match days. Their wage bill comes to £148,000 for the year, leaving £3.93million for the playing and admin staff, an average salary of £44,681 per person.
If the players had on average a 10% pay cut this season, then the wage bill might be down by about £400,000 in total.
This still leaves an estimated loss of £2.72million this year, before taking into acount the fact that we have sold CKR (next income to club £100,000 after paying Bury), and about £200,000 from the West Ham game.
The loss is therefore looking at about £2.42million, or £46,500 a week.
On those figures it is clear that the playing budget is going to be very tight.
The club has total debts of about £13.5million at 30 June 2006, of which I suspect about £5.7million is due to the directors, directly or indirectly, the overdraft is £334k, season ticket advances are £1.3million, and there is £4.3million of 'other loans' which may be due to a bank.