Crawley Town/Lower League Finances

Quoted from pen penfras

It can't be bottom 5. We're definitely spending more than when Fenty was in charge and we were 11th highest spenders in Jolley's season. I know there are more big spenders than usual, but not that many more.

There's not that much between 11th and 20th. The top 10 are in a different league though. We're way off the pace. It's going to take an exceptional season to even get close to the playoffs. Big spenders will just be replaced by other big spenders.

Quoted from pen penfras

It can't be bottom 5. We're definitely spending more than when Fenty was in charge and we were 11th highest spenders in Jolley's season. I know there are more big spenders than usual, but not that many more.

You can only speculate but I would think we sit roughly in the lower middle  , there's one's that definitely spend less on wages  - Accrington ,Morecambe , Sutton ,Barrow  and Newport  .

Then there is probably : us , Tranmere , Walsall ,Crewe , Swindon ,Afc Wimbledon ; maybe  Bradford , who even with their big crowds run a tight ship .

All clubs with relatively decent fanbases but not bankrolled .  

So I would say anywhere between  13th and 19th is reality .

The hope must be if we stay up the big spenders leave and are replaced with lesser financed clubs - Cheltenham , Burton etc and then one NL minnow which could help make us more competetive budget wise you would hope .

Quoted from Gaffer58

Off the top of my head Mansfield have spent loads over the last few years, in fact I think it’s the owners wife who’s in charge, so yes they’re looking good at the moment, and if they get promotion then it’s spend on another level in league 1, and I don’t believe there attendances are larger then ours.

I will be interested to see how Mansfield & Stockport go about it if they do go up - their owners are wealthy but not billionaires - will they be willing to throw 10 million quid at it year after year to try and get to The Champ , or even could they ?

You are talking another level up with 4 or 5 teams who get 20-30k weekly with investment on top of that (something that neither are capable of in terms of capacity or fanbase )  . Then a mid table that consists of Lincoln and the like that need to lose 3 or 4 million to stay in the mid pack .

This is why the new deal is so important to lower league clubs however is it close to be agreed by premiershite clubs.It has a form of wage cap im told re income ,sponsorship,redistribution of earned income( sponsorship ,cup money etc etc).Last time a wage cap we nearly went up and competed very well.with bigger clubs* plus we had brennan johnson and morgan rodgers! We are ready for it but are town ? Despite what you may think we are not paying massive wages but are well regarded looking after players,on and off the field.This is where you compete with clubs but you need desperately to find other income streams !

Quoted from David Frazer

This is why the new deal is so important to lower league clubs however is it close to be agreed by premiershite clubs.It has a form of wage cap im told re income ,sponsorship,redistribution of earned income( sponsorship ,cup money etc etc).Last time a wage cap we nearly went up and competed very well.with bigger clubs* plus we had brennan johnson and morgan rodgers! We are ready for it but are town ? Despite what you may think we are not paying massive wages but are well regarded looking after players,on and off the field.This is where you compete with clubs but you need desperately to find other income streams !

I do think Lincoln are one of the better run clubs , I listened to an interview with your CEO who effectively said without the investment you would have a bottom third budget .

I would hope we are ready and that it happens

But much like now would be concerned that the 'wrong un ' clubs will  find various loopholes to gain an advantage still .

Time will tell I guess  

Having read the postings above I decided to pick one of these sites and see what they said.  I randomly came up with "Salary Sport".  I dont know how accurate they are and have rounded up the figures for the players wage bills which are in £millions.
Here is the League table:
Wrexham...........5.2
MK Dons...........4.0
Stockport...........3.7
Bradford............3.6
Mansfield..........3.4
FGR..................3.4
Gillingham.........3.2
Colchester.........2.9
Salford..............2.8
Doncaster.........2.5
Notts County....2.4
Sutton..............2.2
Wimbledon......2.1
Harrogate.........2.0
Tranmere.........2.0
Walsall.............1.9
Swindon...........1.9
Grimsby............1.9
Barrow..............1.8
Crawley.............1.7
Morecambe.......1.5
Crewe................1.5
Accrington.........1.5
Newport.............!.4

It doesn't include transfer fees paid which was also part of the same budget I would have thought

Quoted from Wedidntdidwe

It doesn't include transfer fees paid which was also part of the same budget I would have thought

I wonder what the effect of adding transfer fees would make?
A selling club would generate income.  But may sell because they cant pay enough in wages to keep the player
A buying club would do the opposite. and is likely to be paying higher wages.

Quoted from Balthazar Bullitt

If I win the euro lottery, I'll be rebuilding the Winter Gardens first and then we'll see what's left over for Town

I’ll go halves if you commit to reinstalling the Beer Festival with the mad announcer, and the Bags Ball.

Quoted from trickeymickey

Having read the postings above I decided to pick one of these sites and see what they said.  I randomly came up with "Salary Sport".  I dont know how accurate they are and have rounded up the figures for the players wage bills which are in £millions.
Here is the League table:
Wrexham...........5.2
MK Dons...........4.0
Stockport...........3.7
Bradford............3.6
Mansfield..........3.4
FGR..................3.4
Gillingham.........3.2
Colchester.........2.9
Salford..............2.8
Doncaster.........2.5
Notts County....2.4
Sutton..............2.2
Wimbledon......2.1
Harrogate.........2.0
Tranmere.........2.0
Walsall.............1.9
Swindon...........1.9
Grimsby............1.9
Barrow..............1.8
Crawley.............1.7
Morecambe.......1.5
Crewe................1.5
Accrington.........1.5
Newport.............!.4

I think that's well off in terms of figures some might be right , was it for last season ?

Turnover for us in our promotion season was 4.45million in the NL .

Crowds have grown , an extra million for promotion to the  EFL and a million + through our FA cup run - when the accounts are released for 22/23  (last year it was the end of Feb , so maybe soon) I would expect a big increase in turnover to around  6 million , potentially over 6.5 million.

I would add an extra million onto player wage expenditure for us at least, this season to around 2.7 million + . Last season it was probably under 2.5 million .