When are the FFP fines going to kick in?

[drew]

The FL are allowed to have rules. To be in the league, your club would have to agree to those rules. If those rules are that you can be fined if you spend too much, then you can be fined according to those rules, regardless of the fact that you're no longer in the league. You will have signed to say that's ok.

I actually don't think it would be that impractical. Clubs will be sorting their accounts out for the current season before they know what business they can do in January. It really doesn't take a lot of effort to show these accounts as they're filled in.

You can sign up to the rules for a club but when you are no longer in that club, are you bothered about their rules? It will only affect you when need to get readmission to that club!

As for the accounts, they will be for season 13/14 which has only just ended. How soon after the final game do you think a club can submit audited accounts, assuming their financial year ends in May and not the beginning of June or July?

 

[Triggaaar]

You can sign up to the rules for a club but when you are no longer in that club, are you bothered about their rules? It will only affect you when need to get readmission to that club!

If you joined a club (say a gym) and didn't pay your fees, and then left the club, the club can still chase you for the fees you should have paid. Legally, you owe them the money, regardless of whether you want to go back.

How soon after the final game do you think a club can submit audited accounts, assuming their financial year ends in May and not the beginning of June or July?

The accounts don't need to go to companies house or to HMRC straight away, but for FFP calculations I'd think clubs could have accounts done pretty quickly.

 

[drew]

If you joined a club (say a gym) and didn't pay your fees, and then left the club, the club can still chase you for the fees you should have paid. Legally, you owe them the money, regardless of whether you want to go back.

The accounts don't need to go to companies house or to HMRC straight away, but for FFP calculations I'd think clubs could have accounts done pretty quickly.

This is getting silly but let's carry on. The fees are not the same as fines. They are what you owe for services already provided to you, the same as if you walk out of a shop without paying for what you have taken. As for the accounts, can you imagine the problems with basing fines that go into the millions on unaudited accounts! I agree that the sooner sanctions are imposed the better but you have to be realistic!

 

[Triggaaar]

This is getting silly but let's carry on. The fees are not the same as fines. They are what you owe for services already provided to you

Surely it would depend on the contract? If the contract says that you will follow a set of rules, and if you spend more than the amount specified, you agree to pay the FL x amount. It's irrelevant whether you're still in the 'club', you signed a contract that says you owe people money.

As for the accounts, can you imagine the problems with basing fines that go into the millions on unaudited accounts! I agree that the sooner sanctions are imposed the better but you have to be realistic!

I don't know how long is really needed for a club to hand in their accounts. As I said, the clubs should have a good idea of their accounts as they go anyway. HMRC give us a fair amount of time to sort out our accounts, to cover an enormous range of business types and company sizes, but I don't think a football club actually needs anything like that long. I realise I may be wrong, just my gut feeling.

 

[drew]

The FL are allowed to have rules. To be in the league, your club would have to agree to those rules. If those rules are that you can be fined if you spend too much, then you can be fined according to those rules, regardless of the fact that you're no longer in the league. You will have signed to say that's ok.

I actually don't think it would be that impractical. Clubs will be sorting their accounts out for the current season before they know what business they can do in January. It really doesn't take a lot of effort to show these accounts as they're filled in.

I think we just need to agree to disagree and move on to another thread.

 

[The Fifth Column]

Back to FFP, Forest have made another £1m signing today, they really are knocking one out into the face of FFP.