Would it be unreasonable

[Icy Gull]

to expect Dick Knight to dip his hand in the coffers and buy us a decent target man. It is likely to make the difference between having a chance this season and having none.

We haven't spend anything of consequence since we paid 100k for BZ unless the Knight rumours are true and the costs really are a spit in the ocean compared to the debt we've already got.

I would think 200k including transfer and wages should get us someone well up to standard in this division.

Yes I know all the arguments about good housekeeping and Falmer etc but a decent signing once every 5 years doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Who knows it might even mean we can fill Withdean every week this season.

Please don't respond with "nothing matters except Falmer"

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

well in my opinion nothing matters except fa....oh

anyway i cansee your argument and would love us to splash some cash once in a while but i trust knight and if he feels we cant financially do it then i dont feel its a risk worth taking.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Should never have let Sir Anthony Rougier go.

 

[Bob!]

We can't afford the risk of buying someone that might not fit in. The way we get these gems is by getting them on loan as a sort of trial. Then buying them if they turn out to be good.

Zamora
Knight


Of course the risk of this is that some other team might pick them up instead

Sidwell
Ingimarrson

 

[Icy Gull]

We can't afford the risk of buying someone that might not fit in. The way we get these gems is by getting them on loan as a sort of trial. Then buying them if they turn out to be good.

Zamora
Knight


Of course the risk of this is that some other team might pick them up instead

Sidwell
Ingimarrson

So what's to stop us letting clubs know that we will pay if the player turns out ok if we can have him on trial. Gotta have more chance of getting them to agree than saying "sorry we've got no money any chance of borrowing one of your players, we can probably pay 10% of his wages over 3 months if it works out"

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Yeah but a proven Div 1/2 goalscorer for a fee wouldn't be a gamble. Probably.

 

[aftershavedave]

he hasn't got any money , never has , never will! we're not talking of a moneybags chairman here, far from it. no prospect of him paying up!

 

[ditchy]

Lets wait and see what happens once the transfer window closes .. prem clubs will then have players who wont neccessarily figure and will want first team footie on loan ....figers crossed

 

[m20gull]

The problem is not the signing fee, but the wages. The Football League is trying to get clubs to keep their wage bill below 60% of gate money. With the limited income from Withdean and a squad of 28 we must be struggling to find any extra salary, hence lower division signings and cheap youngsters.

And as we mentioned Falmer, the re-opened public enquiry is going to cost at least £200K.

 

[Icy Gull]

The problem is not the signing fee, but the wages. The Football League is trying to get clubs to keep their wage bill below 60% of gate money. With the limited income from Withdean and a squad of 28 we must be struggling to find any extra salary, hence lower division signings and cheap youngsters.

And as we mentioned Falmer, the re-opened public enquiry is going to cost at least £200K.

That is a very good point

 

[Bozza]

I would think 200k including transfer and wages should get us someone well up to standard in this division.

This is an incredibly simplistic view.

Why, oh why do people always look at headline transfer fees and assume that if fees are not being paid then players are not costing anything. At all levels of the game now, the cost of a player is more about wages than transfer fees.

A forward with any sort of track record signing for a team in 'The Championship' is likely to cost far more than your £200k in wages alone in one season. Then there is the fact that he will probably want a 3 year contract, 2 at the least which would give the Albion a possible financial burden into following seasons if things don't work out.

And all this is ignoring signing on fees/agent fees too...

 

[Locky]

Actually I don't think you are being unreasonable.
Whilst we must balance the books, we did make a few bob from Cardiff, and IMHO to spend maybe 200K of that money on a decent player would be money well invested.
After all do we want a lovely Stadium with our team in Division 2 or The Championship. We would have a much better chance of filling it if we are still in The Championship.

 

[Lammy]

Sorry I thought we already had a quality target man in Leon Knight?

Let's wait until he is allowed to play before we start asking for more expensive strikers. I really don't think we need one.

We have Knight and Molango as first stringers. Behind them we have Robinson and McPhee.

We also have strength AND depth in defence. The only place in my view that has serious question marks is midfield.

Players who can cope at this level;

Chippy, Nicholas, Jarrett.

Players than can still do a job for us at the level;

Hart, Jones, Oatway & Reid

Players that should have been given their P45 ages ago;

Lee, Currie

To me we are still lacking a first division quality midfielder. Unfortunately I don't think we can opt for a youngster with potential either (the cheap option) we really need someone who has proven himself at this level, I player that the others can look up to an learn from. This option won't be cheap and probably out of our budget but if we want to get the best from the players we have got it is a risk we need to take in my view. If we can get someone of Kitson's calibre in then we can get a midfielder with similar experience.

 

[m20gull]

You're alone. I thought he was pony. I am, however, prepared to give him a chance. I'll judge him after about five games, not the one I've seen him in so far.

.

Players that should have been given their P45 ages ago;

Lee, Currie

 

[Bozza]

We would have a much better chance of filling it if we are still in The Championship.

In the main I'd disagree. A team pushing for promotion pulls in bigger crowds than one that's bumbling along in mid-table in the division above.

I think the optimum position for crowds at Falmer would be to have a successful promotion chasing season in 'League 1' which brings in big crowds who are clamouring for more for the following season in 'The Championship'.

 

[Icy Gull]

Re: Re: Would it be unreasonable

This is an incredibly simplistic view.

Why, oh why do people always look at headline transfer fees and assume that if fees are not being paid then players are not costing anything. At all levels of the game now, the cost of a player is more about wages than transfer fees.

A forward with any sort of track record signing for a team in 'The Championship' is likely to cost far more than your £200k in wages alone in one season. Then there is the fact that he will probably want a 3 year contract, 2 at the least which would give the Albion a possible financial burden into following seasons if things don't work out.

And all this is ignoring signing on fees/agent fees too...

Was thinking more along the lines of taking over the contract of a player who was surplus to one of the bigger clubs requirements, maybe getting on a bit and with a small fee and for no longer than a year.

I threw in 200k as an approximate figure, if it rose to 400k would it really break the bank?

How long can DK rely on the fans goodwill and understanding without investing in the team. Not for ever. How many fans didn't renew their season tickets this year, for better quality football. Withdean may be a shithole but I guarantee we would have no trouble filling it if we can compete in this division. If we can't I can see crowds dipping below 5,000

 

[Tooting Gull]

Re: Re: Re: Would it be unreasonable

How long can DK rely on the fans goodwill and understanding without investing in the team.

I couldn't agree more. The problem with talking about Knight on here is that it'a always black and white, a polarised 'debate'. He's either Moses, or a tight-fisted charlatan.

Despite his many heroic achievements (and the biggest one hopefully is yet to come) I've always believed that his inability to get some money in is an acute failure.

I don't buy this 'there's no one out there with money that we could trust'. It's a hugely prosperous part of the country, the money is there. It's Knight. He loves the kudos of being chairman, the main man, and won't let go or dilute his influence.

Friends of mine who have nothing to do with the Albion have said 'I've heard your chairman on the radio again, he loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?' Clearly he has to be keeping Falmer on the radar, but he milks it.

Knight is not a mega-rich individual, no problem with that as he's a good leader. But the correct judgment from such a leader would be to bring in some money. Even if Falmer gets the green light, it'll be three years - and the ticket prices vs facilities, and lack of money to invest in the team issues are at breaking point.

 

[aftershavedave]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Would it be unreasonable

I couldn't agree more. The problem with talking about Knight on here is that it'a always black and white, a polarised 'debate'. He's either Moses, or a tight-fisted charlatan.

Despite his many heroic achievements (and the biggest one hopefully is yet to come) I've always believed that his inability to get some money in is an acute failure.

I don't buy this 'there's no one out there with money that we could trust'. It's a hugely prosperous part of the country, the money is there. It's Knight. He loves the kudos of being chairman, the main man, and won't let go or dilute his influence.

Friends of mine who have nothing to do with the Albion have said 'I've heard your chairman on the radio again, he loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?' Clearly he has to be keeping Falmer on the radar, but he milks it.

Knight is not a mega-rich individual, no problem with that as he's a good leader. But the correct judgment from such a leader would be to bring in some money. Even if Falmer gets the green light, it'll be three years - and the ticket prices vs facilities, and lack of money to invest in the team issues are at breaking point.

well said

 

[CHAPPERS]

We play in a 7,000 seater athletics stadium.

 

[Lammy]

Stop nit picking!

He is pony and I doubt very much he will come up to scratch but I'm going to give him a chance before I start calling for his head. I still feel that we should never have signed him though as he is getting on a bit and has played his entire career in the lower divisions.

Does this make sense?