[Albion] Dale Stephens

[Machiavelli]

I think we do Chris Hughton a disservice on this. Yes, the football was not entertaining, but the remit was (or should have been), 'keep the team in the division'.

He achieved it, and I for one don't care about the style. He inherited a team with little confidence and certainly no credible shape or style.

He has now been given the opportunity to shape 'his' team and so far it is going well. We haven't got to September yet, but he does deserve a chance IMO.

Is anyone currently saying that he doesn't deserve a chance (and here I'm referring to the many-headed hydra that is NSC)? Beyond Ernest, was anyone saying over the summer break that we should go into the season with a different manager?

 

[Sheebo]

Is anyone currently saying that he doesn't deserve a chance (and here I'm referring to the many-headed hydra that is NSC)? Beyond Ernest, was anyone saying over the summer break that we should go into the season with a different manager?

Yeh there were a few over the Summer I'm sure. Certainly a fair few who got frustrated back end of last season. The majority said they'd judge him a few months into this season or at the end of this season, thankfully. I really do stand by what I've said all along - the Hughton is negative thing is a load of bollocks, mainly coming from bitter Norwich fans' comments when we got him in...

 

[Machiavelli]

Yeh there were a few over the Summer I'm sure. Certainly a fair few who got frustrated back end of last season. The majority said they'd judge him a few months into this season or at the end of this season, thankfully. I really do stand by what I've said all along - the Hughton is negative thing is a load of bollocks, mainly coming from bitter Norwich fans' comments when we got him in...

I associated CH with the negative thing in the final 10 games of last season. But that's something different from wanting him out.

 

[Blue3]

Rivals trying to destabilise the good ship Albion I guess Darby think it's worth 2.5 million to knock us off track at this early stage of the season remember it's worth 100 million if you do get promotion 2.5 million here and there is nothing in the scheme of things

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Is anyone currently saying that he doesn't deserve a chance (and here I'm referring to the many-headed hydra that is NSC)? Beyond Ernest, was anyone saying over the summer break that we should go into the season with a different manager?

Currently - no.

But you'd do well to go back and look at the Hughton out polls, there were more than a few on there.

 

[Sheebo]

I associated CH with the negative thing in the final 10 games of last season. But that's something different from wanting him out.

Yeh sorry - wasn't saying the 2 were directly linked like that. Just assumed those wanting rid were using this 'negative' thing as the reason. I really don't see it myself and nor did Brum or Toon fans. Been very attacking this year and cautious when needed which is good to see. All opinions though

 

[chaileyjem]

I think most of us would be happier if a reasonable wedge was spent both summers, instead of famine and feast.

It was.

 

[Sheebo]

It was.

It certainly seems like we've spent a lot more this Summer than last. And not lost any players yet. I think most of us didn't believe the 'larger budget' line of last season if that's what you're basing this on. This season I believe it so far though.. Having said that if players like COG & Colunga really were given the salarys mentioned, I can see where Burke absolutely spunked a lot of the budget away..!

 

[chaileyjem]

It certainly seems like we've spent a lot more this Summer than last. And not lost any players yet. I think most of us didn't believe the 'larger budget' line of last season if that's what you're basing this on. This season I believe it so far though.. Having said that if players like COG & Colunga really were given the salarys mentioned, I can see where Burke absolutely spunked a lot of the budget away..!

Well the playing budget, according to the club is bigger than last year as 14/15 was apparently "substantially" bigger than 13/14 which we know to be the 8th or 9th biggest in the league and £1m or so more than Gus's last year (according to the accounts) . Compared to parachute payment clubs and big spenders however its likely to be pretty similar overall year on year.. A top 10 Championship budget but clearly not a top 5 budget or a top 2 budget but obviously having to increase each year to keep up.

Just because last years 11 signings and contract extensions etc resulted in us finishing 20th doesn't mean it didn't eat up the budget.
And likewise for this season. But we haven't suddenly become a top 2 spending club or even a top 6 one.
Baldock, Holla, Colunga, Stockdale, and COG had mixed seasons on the pitch last year. But "cheap" compared to Hune, Murphy, Rosenior, Bong and Hemed. I very much doubt it.

 

[Mowgli37]

Stephens is an excellent player, we'd be mad to let him go.

 

[Sheebo]

Well the playing budget, according to the club is bigger than last year as 14/15 was apparently "substantially" bigger than 13/14 which we know to be the 8th or 9th biggest in the league and £1m or so more than Gus's last year (according to the accounts) . Compared to parachute payment clubs and big spenders however its likely to be pretty similar overall year on year.. A top 10 Championship budget but clearly not a top 5 budget or a top 2 budget but obviously having to increase each year to keep up.

Just because last years 11 signings and contract extensions etc resulted in us finishing 20th doesn't mean it didn't eat up the budget.
And likewise for this season. But we haven't suddenly become a top 2 spending club or even a top 6 one.
Baldock, Holla, Colunga, Stockdale, and COG had mixed seasons on the pitch last year. But "cheap" compared to Hune, Murphy, Rosenior, Bong and Hemed. I very much doubt it.

I know that I just mean I don't believe the budget last season was bigger than the year before that. Accounts don't mean too much as I believe certain things were done for FFP reasons. Either way, if I'm wrong and it was indeed bigger, we didn't spend as much on transfer fees and we must've spunked silly wages in players like Colunga. Undisclosed fees make it hard to tell. Also we sold and made a fair few mil last season and we don't know if that affects the playing budget - do we see any increases as a result... We will never know for sure.

 

[chaileyjem]

I know that I just mean I don't believe the budget last season was bigger than the year before that. Accounts don't mean too much ..... We will never know for sure.

We will. When the accounts are published in January. Until then we can only guess but The club are on record as saying the playing budget between 2013/14 and 14/15 "increased substantially" to its "biggest ever".
Barber said the same about 2015/16 at the forum a few weeks back.

we must've spunked silly wages in players like Colunga.

and Holla, Gardner, COG, Stockdale, Baldock, Tex, Bennett etc etc
In 2014 the Mail estimated the average weekly wage for Champ footballer was about £10K.
Albion's wage budget is above average. In the top 10 of 24.

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/brighton-and-hove-albion-love-at-pier.html
http://www.seagulls.co.uk/documents/doc150115-15012015133454229-2206891.pdf
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-England-earning-average-2-3million-year.html
http://www.northstandchat.com/list.php?category/9-Finance

 

[Sheebo]

We will. When the accounts are published in January. Until then we can only guess but The club are on record as saying the playing budget between 2013/14 and 14/15 "increased substantially" to its "biggest ever".
Barber said the same about 2015/16 at the forum a few weeks back.


and Holla, Gardner, COG, Stockdale, Baldock, Tex, Bennett etc etc
In 2014 the Mail estimated the average weekly wage for Champ footballer was about £10K.
Albion's wage budget is above average. In the top 10 of 24.

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/brighton-and-hove-albion-love-at-pier.html
http://www.seagulls.co.uk/documents/doc150115-15012015133454229-2206891.pdf
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-England-earning-average-2-3million-year.html
http://www.northstandchat.com/list.php?category/9-Finance

There's still plenty of ways accounts won't show the whole truth though. They may put a coat against 'playing budget' one year and not the next. I think I'm a bit more sceptical than you...!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Stephens is an excellent player, we'd be mad to let him go.

That is all that needs to be said.

 

[Eeyore]

Rivals trying to destabilise the good ship Albion I guess Darby think it's worth 2.5 million to knock us off track at this early stage of the season remember it's worth 100 million if you do get promotion 2.5 million here and there is nothing in the scheme of things

Clubs don't spend 2.5m just to annoy others. Well, Chelsea maybe..

 

[chaileyjem]

There's still plenty of ways accounts won't show the whole truth though. They may put a coat against 'playing budget' one year and not the next. I think I'm a bit more sceptical than you...!

Well that would be illegal but yes I guess you are

 

[Hampster Gull]

Lets not repeat the same mistakes of recent season. Keep this squad plus a couple of loans and if necessary buy again in January

 

[nwgull]

There's still plenty of ways accounts won't show the whole truth though. They may put a coat against 'playing budget' one year and not the next. I think I'm a bit more sceptical than you...!

When it comes to FFP limits however, there's no advantage in using accountancy magic to manipulatte your playing staff costs higher; the opposite in fact.

 

[Sheebo]

Well that would be illegal but yes I guess you are

Please be careful what you're saying - that is not what I was saying at all.

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

When it comes to FFP limits however, there's no advantage in using accountancy magic to manipulatte your playing staff costs higher; the opposite in fact.

Just need to do what PSG did and get Sheik Ali Thani or whatever his name is to buy a baguette and camembert on the mainstand concourse. Hand over a cheque for 500million Euros and then say to the club , keep the chnage. It gets the FFP issue well and truly out of the way.

Alternatively get the House of Qatar to sponsor Smmy the Seagull or whatever his name is for the 500m Euros (less the price of a Piglet Pantry Pie).

Accountancy is so easy innit?

TNBA

TTF