Anyone really understand this fair play malarky ?

[Wild Rover]

The rules in the Championship are slightly more different – and slightly more convoluted – but can be summarised as follows: next season, Championship clubs are allowed losses of up to £8m. Of that, £3m allowed is operating losses and £5m in equity, not including loans. Those figures must then decrease to £6m in 2014/15 and £5m in the season after that, with clubs being required to submit their annual accounts from the previous season or financial year on the first of December of each year. There will be no sanctions for a failure to comply next season in terms of points deductions – that doesn’t start until the 2014/15 season – but clubs have to start preparing for this now if they haven’t already, and on top of this a ‘Fair Play Tax’ which will be pushed upon those who break the rules, with excesses of between £1 and £100,000 incurring with a charge of 1% of the excess and any excess over £10m “earning”, for the want of a better phrase, a 100% charge. It’s not all bad news for the clubs, though – there will be a potential reward for clubs that do live within their means. All proceeds from the ‘Fair Play Tax’ will be divided amongst those clubs which have complied with the regulations for the corresponding season.

[Jenny]

Its ridiculous, those who live beyond their means can probably also 'afford' to suffer the tax, it won't create a level playing field, it will just keep inflating it.

[bradford exile]

Hi Paul

It's just another way of keeping the "Elite" as the have everything's and the rest of us as have not's.

How can the smaller clubs "THE LIKES OF DONCASTER" hope to compete against the elites of this world.

It's totally unfair and another way for the FA to show their supposed rule and iron fist over the leagues.

Manure, Asenal, Liverpool etc, etc,etc must be laughing up their sleeves.

Rant over   

Regards

Ray

[silent majority]

Its ridiculous, those who live beyond their means can probably also 'afford' to suffer the tax, it won't create a level playing field, it will just keep inflating it.

But its not meant to create a level playing field, its meant to create sustainability, in other words protect clubs from themselves.

If we really wanted a level playing field then you'd need a franchise system, pot sharing of income and draft picks for players, much like the NFL.

[albie]

It is a curious version of sustainability that provides for further annual losses, on top of existing burdens of debt which are often very large.

I agree that it may help protect clubs from themselves, if they want that protection. Fairer to say that it looks to limit the damage that overspend can inflict chasing the dream.

I assume by a franchise system you don't mean MK Dons stealing another clubs identity, but a licence system where annual financial performance targets must be met in order to be eligible.

It is going to be a long road to sort out the mess that is football finance, not least because there are always clubs and owners trying to game the system.

[silent majority]

albie,

Its not perfect but its a start. A restriction of losses to £8m in the first season reducing to £5m does account for some gambling but not (hopefully) the catastrophic losses we have seen in recent years which virtually wipes out a clubs existence. Leeds, Portsmouth, Coventry, Rangers are just a few examples.

No I didn't mean MK as that wasn't a franchise in the true sense. But yes, a proper license system (something that we are close to achieving) would help in ensuring clubs are kept under a tighter reign. But a proper franchise system, as operates in the NFL where all income is shared and wages are capped, is probably the only way to have a level playing field. It can be seen in action in the USA where a fan owned club, Green Bay Packers, has as much chance as winning the Superbowl as anybody else.

[RedJ]

albie,

Its not perfect but its a start. A restriction of losses to £8m in the first season reducing to £5m does account for some gambling but not (hopefully) the catastrophic losses we have seen in recent years which virtually wipes out a clubs existence. Leeds, Portsmouth, Coventry, Rangers are just a few examples.

No I didn't mean MK as that wasn't a franchise in the true sense. But yes, a proper license system (something that we are close to achieving) would help in ensuring clubs are kept under a tighter reign. But a proper franchise system, as operates in the NFL where all income is shared and wages are capped, is probably the only way to have a level playing field. It can be seen in action in the USA where a fan owned club, Green Bay Packers, has as much chance as winning the Superbowl as anybody else.

Question - is there a danger of this moving on to a true franchise system?

[albie]

It wasn't a dig, SM, its just that most fans think of MK Dons when you talk about a franchise. The Lincoln Ladies to Notts County is another "franchise" change sanctioned by the FA.

I agree that the new rules are a step in the right direction, but the big boys don't want a level playing field anytime do they, they want to keep their privileges, just look at the parachute payments.

Much as I would prefer a  fairer income distribution, like in your example, I think it will never happen in my lifetime. Saving clubs from money meltdown is a great ambition, but football needs a massive culture shift to achieve it.

[silent majority]

RedJ,

No. It's just regulation that we've asked for, maintained and administered by the FA. It will include the Owners and Directors test, transparency on ownership and FFP. I doubt it will ever become a franchise, certainly not in the men's game, but surprisingly it seems to be the answer for the women's game.

[silent majority]

Albie,

It wont happen in my lifetime either, but hopefully the current system where the strongest rule and the greedy become greedier will cease. Andy Burnham did a wonderful job of destroying the image of the PL and FA at our Supporters Summit at the weekend. He supports our position on just about every issue.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fa-must-reclaim-english-football-1980803

[Dagenham Rover]

We've got MP's that think like the common or garden football fan ..... I'm impressed

[Filo]

We've got MP's that think like the common or garden football fan ..... I'm impressed

I`m just impressed that an MP can actually think!

[Dagenham Rover]

We've got MP's that think like the common or garden football fan ..... I'm impressed

I`m just impressed that an MP can actually think!

  

[BobG]

He's an impressive bloke. I met him. fairly briefly, several years ago.

BobG

[Filo]

He's an impressive bloke. I met him. fairly briefly, several years ago.

BobG

Did he have the ability to think when you met him Bob?

[RobTheRover]

Thats the gift that Bob bestowed upon him.  He was clueless up until then.