2013/14. How much of a hit did Tan take financially?

[blue lewj]

I have read here on numerous occasions that Tan got his fingers burnt the last time we were in the Premier League and it is given as a reason, which could be right, as to why he is holding back from spending freely this time around. How much of a financial hit did he take though?

Certain sources have our spending at the mid £30 million for transfers in that season. Wiki has it at £36 million plus which is a bit of guess work in parts but something to start with.
A lot of them signings were decent value in Premier League terms with Cornelius being the big exception but one that we made some money back on his return to Copenhagen (although City inevitably made a big loss on the fee paid).

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2014/05/14/where-the-money-went-liverpool-top-premier-league-prize-cash-in-2013-14-140501/

This link shows that City made just over £63 million in the same season. It is backed up by many other sources.

I can't be the one that feels we got some decent value with our signings.
I rated Medel. Theophile-Catherine did a job.
Some of the Norwegians gave the impression of 'jobs for the boys' under Ole but none were big money in Premier League terms.

How true is it that we got burnt last time round and, if so, to what degree? Was it as bad as it is made out to be in some quarters. Personally I feel that it is being used as an excuse by many for Tan being thrifty this time around when the numbers show something very different and we did not do that bad at all financially given the prize money was up over £20 million on the previous season.

As mentioned previously as well, most of those signings saw some money coming back in after relegation. Medel is about the best example of that.

[Rjk]

On the other hand, we could have spent £100 million + this time around and still have been favourites to go down, and then have a team full of players on ridiculous salaries that we can't get rid of.

The financial implications aren't just felt in the season we are in the premier League, but several seasons afterwards.

[fred keenor]

Dont just count malkys signings, look at ole,s as well and the ridiculous wages paid also.

[Harry Monk]

Why are people making excuses for Tan's "thriftiness"? He owns the club, he can decide how much the club spends.

[Wales-Bales]

More than he bargained for is my guess.

[Rjk]

Why are people making excuses for Tan's "thriftiness"? He owns the club, he can decide how much the club spends.

That's true, but it is also true that he's put in a lot more money than anyone else

[the other bob wilson]

On the other hand, we could have spent £100 million + this time around and still have been favourites to go down, and then have a team full of players on ridiculous salaries that we can't get rid of.

The financial implications aren't just felt in the season we are in the premier League, but several seasons afterwards.

Correct, it was those "ridiculous salaries" that were the big problem.

[Rjk]

Correct, it was those "ridiculous salaries" that were the big problem.

In some ways, the best thing the upper management of the club has ever done was to react so quickly when it became obvious that we weren't going back up the last time we were relegated. A couple of months into the season and they completely changed the direction, started stripping cost out mercilessly and turned the club around.
Yes it have us a couple of seasons of Russel Slade, but it was exactly what we needed at the time.
Other clubs haven't been as quick to react and found themselves in a lot worse trouble in the long run.
You could argue that the appointment of warnock was a better decision than that, but I would argue that it was a lucky decision, as I have no faith that the next managerial appointment will be any good.

[the other bob wilson]

In some ways, the best thing the upper management of the club has ever done was to react so quickly when it became obvious that we weren't going back up the last time we were relegated. A couple of months into the season and they completely changed the direction, started stripping cost out mercilessly and turned the club around.
Yes it have us a couple of seasons of Russel Slade, but it was exactly what we needed at the time.
Other clubs haven't been as quick to react and found themselves in a lot worse trouble in the long run.
You could argue that the appointment of warnock was a better decision than that, but I would argue that it was a lucky decision, as I have no faith that the next managerial appointment will be any good.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but, even with all of that cost cutting in 14/15, we still found ourselves under an embargo for the back end of 15/16 when we were in the race for a Play off place and only got Zohore to the club after some convoluted arrangement with Kortrijk which saw them loaning him to us.

[cardiff55]

What we bought Medel, Caulker and Cornelius for we got pretty much the same back in fees, except of course for Cornelius. but we sold Mutch at the end of the season for a big profit so it sort of cancels it out. Odemwingie went in part exchange for Kenwynne Jones .

The problem seems top be when OGS signed a load of players in the January, Eikram, Berget, Daehli, Jones, Fabio, Cala and Zaha on loan when we already had a squad of about 25. So in a year we would presumably lost all the signing on fees those players cost and potentially a chunk of the agents fees.

Then when we got relegated OGS was allowed sign Morrison and Manga at £5m each, Le Fondre for about £2.5m , Adeyemi for about £1, Pilkington for £1.5m and Dikgacoi, Guerra and Macheda on frees. And Gabbidon too when we already had 5 centre backs! All those signing on fees, agents fees and wages. And we had a squad of about 35 players!

Just after OGS was sacked and Slade came in the cost cutting started. Berget, EIkram and Dahlia all went (although got £2m for Daehli). Hudson was sold for £300k, Brayford for about £1.5m. Guerra, Cala and Kim were paid off too.
Later that season we were signing the likes of Peltier, Revell, O'Keefe, Doyle, McAleny and Kennedy.

Of the ones that stayed I'd say Macheda, Dikgacoi, Le Fondre, Adeyemi were flops. Only Peltier, Pilkington , Manga and Morrison of those proved a success.

It took a few years, probably until Warnock came in to get rid of all the deadwood. Revell, Macheda and Dikgacoi soon went. We got £3m for Mason and £2m for Fabio which helped. Doyle didn't last long either. O'Keefe and Pilkington are winding down their contracts and Jones was eventually sold ( I think he was sold?).

Then we signed Saadi (not very got but we allegedly got £2m for him a year ago), Immers and Zohore (the only positive one).

Even two years ago we were selling Marshall for the fee (£4m), and Moore £500k). We still signed a few duff ones like Gounongbe, Huws, Lambert, Amos (on loan).

The turn around definitely started when Warnock got here. Hoilett and Bamba were great signings, he got Pilkington and Zohore playing well. Then he signed Etheridge, Mendez- Laing, Tomlin(?), Ward and a string of loan players.

I think 2013/14 and 2014/15 could have bankrupted us if it wasn't for Tan's support. Thankfully now we have an owner who financially supports the club, and won't go belly up some clubs. We can now laugh at out neighbours down West instead!

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

What we bought Medel, Caulker and Cornelius for we got pretty much the same back in fees, except of course for Cornelius. but we sold Mutch at the end of the season for a big profit so it sort of cancels it out. Odemwingie went in part exchange for Kenwynne Jones .

The problem seems top be when OGS signed a load of players in the January, Eikram, Berget, Daehli, Jones, Fabio, Cala and Zaha on loan when we already had a squad of about 25. So in a year we would presumably lost all the signing on fees those players cost and potentially a chunk of the agents fees.

Then when we got relegated OGS was allowed sign Morrison and Manga at £5m each, Le Fondre for about £2.5m , Adeyemi for about £1, Pilkington for £1.5m and Dikgacoi, Guerra and Macheda on frees. And Gabbidon too when we already had 5 centre backs! All those signing on fees, agents fees and wages. And we had a squad of about 35 players!

Just after OGS was sacked and Slade came in the cost cutting started. Berget, EIkram and Dahlia all went (although got £2m for Daehli). Hudson was sold for £300k, Brayford for about £1.5m. Guerra, Cala and Kim were paid off too.
Later that season we were signing the likes of Peltier, Revell, O'Keefe, Doyle, McAleny and Kennedy.

Of the ones that stayed I'd say Macheda, Dikgacoi, Le Fondre, Adeyemi were flops. Only Peltier, Pilkington , Manga and Morrison of those proved a success.

It took a few years, probably until Warnock came in to get rid of all the deadwood. Revell, Macheda and Dikgacoi soon went. We got £3m for Mason and £2m for Fabio which helped. Doyle didn't last long either. O'Keefe and Pilkington are winding down their contracts and Jones was eventually sold ( I think he was sold?).

Then we signed Saadi (not very got but we allegedly got £2m for him a year ago), Immers and Zohore (the only positive one).

Even two years ago we were selling Marshall for the fee (£4m), and Moore £500k). We still signed a few duff ones like Gounongbe, Huws, Lambert, Amos (on loan).

The turn around definitely started when Warnock got here. Hoilett and Bamba were great signings, he got Pilkington and Zohore playing well. Then he signed Etheridge, Mendez- Laing, Tomlin(?), Ward and a string of loan players.

I think 2013/14 and 2014/15 could have bankrupted us if it wasn't for Tan's support. Thankfully now we have an owner who financially supports the club, and won't go belly up some clubs. We can now laugh at out neighbours down West instead!

Good post to read.
Feck me I forgot half of those signings, Adeyemi, Doyle and Dikgacoi especially.

[Rjk]

Good post to read.
Feck me I forgot half of those signings, Adeyemi, Doyle and Dikgacoi especially.

Adeyemi had been fairly highly rated when he came here.
Doyle not so much.