Thursday 28 December 2017

The year ahead

It is very unlikely that Charlton will secure one of the automatic promotion places. Wigan are soaring ahead and even if Shrewsbury falter Scunthorpe or Blackburn Rovers could easily take that place.

If we do get into the play offs, and that very much depends what happens in the transfer window, we have to remember that they are a lottery. A return visit to Wembley could result in the disappointment of defeat.

Clubs in the Premier League can turn a profit given the large broadcasting income (Everton are the latest example). However, Championship clubs have to spend big if they want to win promotion: Bournemouth spent 237 per cent of turnover on wages in their promotion year. You have to spend just to stand still. Marcus Evans has owned Ipswich for ten years now and, in effect, has spent £100m just to keep them out of League One.

Even a League One club is no place for a disinterested hobbyist. So what are the prospects of a takeover? Normally reliable sources are giving mixed messages, but it is evident that the real sticking point is Roland's asking price.

There has been talk of interest from the Middle East, but some think this has been talked up to increase the interest of the Australian bidder.

There has been talk of resuming protests, but it has been pointed out that doing that now makes it look as if we only complain when the results are poor. What seems clear is that the really effective protests, in terms of getting a response from Roland, are those that take place in Belgium.

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