Silk from financial sow’s ear

1048

World Soccer Magazine published a fascinating table at the bottom of an article on the respective financial might of Chelsea and Manchester City yesterday, detailing player spend and sales for current English Premier League clubs over the last 10 seasons.

Liverpool have an average net spend of £18.1m as they chase former glories while Manchester United, who stole Liverpool’s place at the top of the English pile, had only a marginally higher net spend of £18.6m.

Fifth on the list is Aston Villa, largely on the back of an attempt to take over the world during Martin O’Neill’s reign, spending a net average of £11.1m.

Most fascinating of all is that 11 of the 20 have a net average spend of less than £4m per season.  They spend big, but apart from the odd team spending some foreign country’s mineral wealth, they also sell big.

Bottom of the table of net biggest spenders in Everton, who sold £7.8m of talent more than they bought during the period.  Newcastle United are also in a surplus, thanks in part to their recently departed director of football, Joe Kinnear, who completed his service without spending a penny.

Crystal Palace clearly have an eye for a bargain.  They successfully negotiated a return to the Premier League, and then bought Joe Ledley as his Celtic contract ran down, with an average net spend of £722k.

The Silk from a Sow’s Ear prize has to go to Arsenal.  The last decade has not been generous to Arsenal, however, their average net spend is only £1.5m per season having sold £277m worth of talent.  Their business model is not right, i.e. they have not been able to compete with those who don’t seem to care if they break even, but they, more than any other club in Europe*, are primed for the Financial Fair Play era.

*apart from Celtic, of course.
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1,048 Comments

  1. Victor Wanyama is quoted in the London Evening Standard today discussing Celtic and Southampton:

     

     

    “I would say that my team-mates here (at Southampton) have been a bit easier to get on with because they are really good mates. They have also been very helpful in making me part of the team”

     

     

    He still regards the goal against Barcelona as the highlight of his career.

     

     

    Bit disappointing that he feels that he makes such a comment about the team atmosphere at Celtic.

  2. cliftonville celt from belfast praying for Oscar the wee legend on

    Cliftonville top of the league cliftonville cliftonville top of the league 8-)

     

     

    Blue noses will be raging tonight – now to watch what Grant Mitchell made of their summer antics

  3. Celticrollercoaster supports the Dambhoys on

    Cowiebhoy supporting the Celtic to 3 in a row

     

     

     

    23:11 on

     

     

    4 February, 2014

     

     

    Don’t know what you mean? :-) Sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

     

     

    Ours are copyright, trademark and patent proof.

     

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  4. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    Police recover over 5000 pounds worth of drugs from a house in Tantallon Dr Townhead Coatbridge.

     

     

    Think its related to that young girls death in Arches

  5. Cowiebhoy supporting the Celtic to 3 in a row on

    Doc & CRC

     

     

    Great effort with the badges, both look the biz

     

     

    Hail Hail

  6. Papa John supports Wee Oscar plus The Dam 5 on

    Doc is Neil Lennon

     

    Ah waant the Masonic wan on the right.

     

    Awerabest PJ

  7. Papa John supports Wee Oscar plus The Dam 5 on

    Doc is Neil Lennon

     

    Keep up the good work, sorry cover yur Wurk.

     

    Awerabest PJ

  8. Doc and CRC,

     

    Congratulations to the design team, particulary like the black and gold.

     

    Put me down for one.

     

     

    HH

  9. SFTBs

     

     

    I have a question for you.

     

     

    If England’s electorate were having a referendum on leaving the UK

     

     

    a. How do you think they would vote?

     

    b. Do you think these people in those cities and places you mention would be sitting there saying I have more in common with people in Glasgow than people living in the South East so we’ll hang on to them?

     

     

    I believe they’d vote to leave everyone else to their own devices and that supposed solidarity with the Scots or some folk in Wales wouldn’t even come into it just as I believe they’ll take us out of the EU regardless of how we would vote.

     

     

    We have as much in common with people of any working background in any country in the world. The only different connection is language and Coronation street.

     

     

    All this we’ve got so much in common isn’t really important. We’ve got a lot in common with people in the USA but we don’t want their health care or education system.

     

     

    For me this is about democracy, systems of government, different pathways and being a proper nation again making its own decisions and standing or falling by them.

     

     

    That’s what I think anyway.

  10. Cowiebhoy supporting the Celtic to 3 in a row on

    Doc

     

     

    45 hits already, must be some lurkers aboot

     

     

    CRC, you in office this week ? I am back up road on Thurs, have a letter from HCPT for you ( also posting one to you Paddybhoy)

     

     

    Hail Hail

  11. Celticrollercoaster supports the Dambhoys on

    Cowiebhoy supporting the Celtic to 3 in a row

     

     

    23:23 on

     

     

    4 February, 2014

     

     

    Will be in Glasgow, Thursday and Friday.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  12. eddieinkirkmichael on

    setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox

     

     

    22:51 on

     

     

    To be fair mate, I didn’t think you were, that’s why I went on to talk about where we are today in the modern world. I don’t believe you could get away with such blatant discrimination nowadays.

  13. Doc/CRC,

     

     

    Do u not need to know if it’s the old style or new style badges we want when emailing?

     

     

     

     

    Ps great to see the passing of the Scottish gay marriage bill being passed is main news in the media tonight. However REPEATED abuse and terrorising of a man doing his job in Scotland, legitimately, only justifies a few comments in the mainstream news programmes!!

     

     

    Off to bed

     

     

    Hail! Hail!

  14. Celticrollercoaster supports the Dambhoys on

    estorilbhoy

     

     

    23:26 on

     

     

    4 February, 2014

     

     

    Yes pls or you can say 1 of each pls! These, as the previous 2 editions will become collector items.

     

     

    The first and second editions are effectively sold out and are still in demand

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  15. Celticrollercoaster supports the Dambhoys on

    BobbyRussell

     

     

    23:29 on

     

     

    4 February, 2014

     

     

    With a name like that, you sure you after a Celtic blog, ha ha :-)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    CRC

  16. cliftonville celt from belfast praying for Oscar the wee legend on

    See ex players have formed a celtic former players association

     

     

    BURLEY BETTER BE BARRED FOR LIFE !!!!!!!!!!

  17. cliftonville celt from belfast praying for Oscar the wee legend

     

    23:33 on

     

    4 February, 2014

     

    See ex players have formed a celtic former players association

     

     

    BURLEY BETTER BE BARRED FOR LIFE !!!!!!!!!!

     

    =========================================

     

    He probably wouldn`t want to join anyway. Which other players should be barred?

     

    Who was that yon blonde striker we used to have in the 80s? Can`t remember his name..

  18. Whitedoghunch

     

     

    There has been no restrictions on what you wear in the lounges for a long time…always wear jeans n trainers n Celtic polo shirt…

     

     

    Kikinthenakas

  19. A Ceiler Gonof Rust Supporting Neil Lennon against brainless thugs and zombies on

    Cowiebhoy, saturday says ACGR. A great night to celebrate a double (I make an assuption that the final is sat afternoon?).

     

     

    Howz thon bad bhoy dram settling in at the cowiebhar?

     

     

    Hope yer happy the greek god is still a tim……hee hee!!

     

     

    HH bruv

  20. eddiegreenhillsbhoy on

    As a long time labour voter I will be voting yes to independence, why? The labour party has changed beyond recognition who are almost as right wing as the tories.I believe if we do get independence the people of Scotland will vote for a socialist (Scottish labour) gov.dismissing the fears of a partisan gov.ktf