You and I have been discussing football finances here since 2004. In our early years Celtic lost several million pounds each year, CQN’s call was ‘we must breakeven over any business cycle’, an incredibly controversial view in those times of indulgent bling.
By 2004 Celtic hadn’t added a player who held down a sustained first team place for three years (since John Hartson in 2001). We also lost a talisman that summer. The pressure was on to spend, from the stands and the dug-out, but Brian Quinn, our chairman, had concerns about running at a permanent loss. In the face of considerable criticism from the bling-brigade he stood firm.
Celtic won three of the next four league titles while reaching new territory in the Champions League as others continued to spent beyond their means and exploit unconventional taxation policies, which ultimately saw them liquidated, but while the end game was predictable, most didn’t predict it. This resulted in strife at our club.
Finance was a focus of CQN in the early years when we produced granular analysis of accounts and budgetary forecasting. As we became less of a basket-case the time spent debating money reduced.
We can all talk about strikers and defending, policing and political influences, good corporate governance and the SFA, but if you scratch below the surface of those with many years of CQN behind them, I suspect you’ll find people who can’t resist a football club’s cost and revenue breakdown spreadsheet….
The document which appeared on the internet yesterday on a former football club [let’s call them ExCo] was a joy. To me, anyway. It provided many small details which add up to one or two enormous conclusions.
ExCo forecast current year spend for 2011-12 on cleaning costs to be £380k, electricity at £455k, insurance at £374k, postage and carriage at £146k, IT at £261k, professional fees at £613k and telephone costs at £149k. Stewarding was £593k, policing, £343k, match day ambulance, £89k. They spent £160k on finance salaries and £176 on press office salaries while ticket operation salaries cost £268k. The list is exhaustive, 10 pages of costs detailed.
Operating costs, before items like our old friend, amortisation, and tax (don’t laugh), were predicted to come in just shy of £37m, but the key message in all of this detail, is that if you want to operate a football club which can accommodate circa 40,000 spectators you need an infrastructure which costs around £20m.
The police, building maintenance, insurances, grass seed and everything else has to be budgeted for before you can look at player wages, not to mention transfer fees. £268k might sound like a lot to pay for ticket office staff but if you need to issue tens of thousands of tickets you need fulfilment staff. All those assets: enormous properties, thousands of fans, blanket media attention, can feel like liabilities to the guy with the responsibility to pay for them.
On reading this the overwhelming memory I had was of former Rangers director, Paul Murray, who a year ago told the world that Newco Rangers would not be viable, and he was hoping a Newco would have SPL football back then. New clubs cannot qualify in European competition until after they have completed three years trading (a minimum of four years without Europe).
With no European revenue for four years, Newco would be unable to pay all those ‘fixed’ costs and put a competitive team on the field. A big club can’t survive trapped in a small league with no European revenue.
This is reality. Scotland has one healthy large club and has a dozen or more potentially healthy small ones, but nothing will ever be the same again.
Thanks to everyone who has bought Willie Wallace autobiography. Orders in from Belfast, Blackpool, Bonnybridge, Burntisland and Blackrock. If you order now you will receive a copy signed by the man himself….
Email me if you have an article for CQN Magazine inside of you waiting to get out; celticquicknews@gmail.com.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mprAKT27C0
Fortunes Favour Mibbes 01:34 on 18 May, 2013
I’m not up to date this week. Been busy (for a change!)
Is Charlotte really Craigy then, right enough?
——————
I wondered. But also suggestions that s/he may really be a journalist who’s been working on the story but has been told it can’t be run.
That’s if it’s not RTC……
OG
Nae Ex Machina :))))
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
I don’t think Craigy is even Craigy
FFM
01:32 on 18 May, 2013
Every day is a school day here, I wish I was back to school. ;))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WowZLe95WDY
And an additional track, to take you back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7frTig8Alo
I wouldn’t worry about who it is. I’d just be grateful
Oooh, charlotte tweeting that more audio coming up :)
Is it the 8 min epic audio?
Forgot to mention Paul67 won an excellent prize tonight in the raffle, congrats Paul
Thanks Cowie bhoy for the lift home
Good night CQN
BT,
Have been following sporadically (good word that :))).
Yes, you do sound like an ex-smoker :)) Of course, you don’t. You winge a bit more. Hope you recover quickly amigo :))
O.G. Rafferty, the irish is a bit too sweet for my taste buds but you fire away. I notice you dont comment on the clothing, furniture or smoking materials I suggested?
Are you Basil Rathbone?
lionroars67 @ 01:35
Brilliant. Thanks for the report, sir.
John Lennon
Words will ring a bell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8YzsS2T97Q
A Ceiler Gonof Rust, 01:42
I’m a man or more modernist tastes since I relocated from Baker Street
O.G. don’t know, it’s hasn’t appeared yet. Am watching and waiting….
Congrats to Kris and also to BBJ and Neil for just doing what they do well.
FFM, there is a dark, deep and sinister side to these huns that manifests itself at times like this.
We should all be very very careful when out in pubs where the sons of darkness collect.
Petec, I’ve got cubic metres of the stuff, I’ll never run out but I might fall down on the odd ocaision.
oops,………hic:)
It’s all good.
Goodnight bampots
01.44 post………………………………….Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh
PSML and spat ma dram oot.
Hhhhhoooooowwwwlllllllll
From York
HH Bruv et al.
•-:¦:-•** -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-• @ 01:37
Surely it’s got to be him? Where would the info come from? Where would RTC get the info from??
I know what it is – there’s a factor we’ve all exluded from all this. Karma.
And I remember the line, “Karma woke up last year, and asked, ‘How the feck have I missed these bastards all this time??'”.
RTC/ Charlotte is a manifestation of all their evil doings coming back to reclaim the price. From which their is NO liquidation :)))
O.G.Rafferty @ 01:37
:)) I refer you to my post of 01:48 :)))
Nah, joking aside, it’s always, ALWAYS Minty. Always. Always.Always. Always.Always. Always.Always. Always.
Innit?…
OG
never knew u were a “night owl”!!
lionroars67 et al, sounds like a great night had by all!
Charlotte – hurry up :-) ….Hello Karma my old friend :-)
Congrats Kris well deserved!
Pedro @ 01:38
You’re wise beyond your years amigo. Which is a curse on anyone.
Hawoooooooooooooow yersel pedrovanman67 bro. Whit ye doin in york?
Did you miss out the new before york, are you blootered again?
Your canines are getting longer by the week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsRuurcTTSk
Latest from Charlotte
https://t.co/FB9yXDAF9S
4mins, so not the 8min epic OG refers to
ACGR @ 01:42
:)))) Basil Rathbone :)))
He sounded like a cartoon dog, but no, he was Sherlock Holmes !!! :)))
Beatin the bookie on the knavesmire…splendid day…..5 yes 5 winners…..K……Ching.
FFM
Gimme some Truth.
A favourite track of mine.
Amazingly prescient reference to ” son of tricky Dicky ” pre Watergate revelations.
PC67, give me a call when you sober up. I’m planning a day off maybe the week after next to take oor wee maw and oor cus for a wee excursion, a trip to loch lomond. A nice little outing down the loch and back at full pelt. ha ha :-)
I’m not sure how they’ll feel about the eight hours pike fishing off the Endrick bank I have planned though:-) Bring wine!!
Bell me and we can connive something special.
Fortunes Favour Mibbes
01:53 on 18 May, 2013
Pedro @ 01:38
You’re wise beyond your years amigo. Which is a curse on anyone.
________________________________________________________
Me wise? aye ok, you finished the smart price asda already? :))
Yer a gem of a person, you look out for people and I’ll never forget you sticking yer neck oot for Kevjungle when many would rather have had his neck off.
Now everyone is off ooting, he is like an underground CQN hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_aWXGS4yFM
philvis.csc
A Ceiler Gonof Rust @ 01:46
Wise words, Sir. It’s more relevant now for a few reasons.
1. It’s the real “die-hards” that are still hanging around like wasps around a dying nest.
2. Their actions will be covered up as random attacks. This current government has made its intentions clear. They buried the statistics for a reason. Any surge in such crime will not be reported.
3. Point being. Every innocent Celtic Supporter needs to be aware. It’s not defiance and rebellion to go out carelessly. There is NO protection out there. Care is needed. >:((
pedrocaravanachio67
01:58 on 18 May, 2013
n1, the cyber pints are on you then. ;))
Pedro67, good to see you getting some winners. Dinner’s on you then bruv.
HH
The latest from Charlotte surely gets it home to the deluded southsiders the depth of the con…..stupid h***……
ACGR
Far too busy for pike fishing, brownies…..now that’s a different story:-)
Too drunk….sleep now.
Hhhhhhhhoooooooooowwlllll.