Barnsley's Cauley Woodrow (centre) scores his side's third goal of the game

THE RECENT Soccerex Football Finance 100 showed that English football is the dominant force in world football at the moment. Of the many clubs from the Premier League and Championship, there was one name that certainly made you look twice to ensure your eyes were not playing tricks – Barnsley, the 65^th strongest football club in world football.

Barnsley? The team of Michael Parkinson, cricket umpire Dickie Bird, Skinner Normanton and brass bands? One of those clubs that, to a large degree, is a standard bearer for regional identity.

Barnsley it certainly was, sitting at the bottom of the Championship on the morning of February 15. How could a football club with a turnover of around £ 14 million and a wage bill of £ 11 million be so high and be looking down on luminaries like PSV Eindhoven, Lazio, River Plate, Boca Juniors and CSKA Moscow?

Big Barnsley

Did the Barnsley fans who travelled to London and Fulham realise their club was mixing in such exalted and decorated company? The Tykes may have won only five times in the league before heading down south, but they are apparently “bigger” than PSV, a club that won the European Cup in 1988 and has played host to some of European football’s big names.

Such is the nature of modern day football, where a wealthy gang of owners can transform the business perception and reality of a club. It is, however, a tall order and we’ve seen what happens when overseas owners dip their toe into provincial Britain and then realise that, after all, the UK economy and media revolves around London. More often than not, such investments end in disillusionment, but Yorkshire needs a few more successful football clubs – there’s only one representative in the Premier League (Sheffield United), although Leeds United could join them in 2020 if they don’t implode once more.

Barnsley, of course, had a brief flirtation with the Premier League in 1997-98, but it was a one-season affair and it had a long-term effect on the club in the years that followed. In 2017, the ownership model changed at Oakwell when an international consortium rolled into town and bought 80% of previous owner James Cryne’s stake.

The consortium comprised an intriguing group of individuals, including: Chien Lee, a Chinese billionaire who still has a stake in Swiss club, Thun; American businessman Paul Conway and his partner Grace Hung, both of the Pacific Media Group; data expert Neerav Parekh; and the Billy Beane or Moneyball fame. Media reports suggested that Barnsley’s ownership group was the second richest in the Championship, hence the high placing in the Soccerex Football Finance 100.

The arrival of this group of investors created no small amount of excitement, particularly among fans who salivated over the prospect of Barnsley competing with the big guns in English football, but the message was one of realism and a gradual increase in the financial power of the club. Barnsley were relegated in 2017-18, just a few months later, and their coach, Paul Heckingbottom, who had just signed a new contract, left Oakwell to join Leeds. The new era had to start at the lower level of League One.

In 2018-19, Barnsley won promotion back to the Championship with coach Daniel Stendel in charge, but the popular German was sacked in October 2019 with the club in 16^th place in the Championship. Some Barnsley fans were upset about the way the board treated Stendel. His replacement was Gerhard Struber, an Austrian who was previously Wolfsberger’s coach.

Better off?

It’s questionable whether Barnsley are actually any better off for making the change. Since Struber took over, and before facing Fulham (a club that has used Billy Beane’s methods to build their squad with varying degrees of success) he had won four games out of 16, almost identical to his predecessor, and had lost eight times compared to the seven defeats suffered by Stendel. But rather than 16^th place, Barnsley were now bottom and 16 more games had been played. In other words, the situation was deteriorating. And in meeting Fulham, they were up against a team chasing promotion. Their only away victory in 2019-20 was in London, at Millwall.

The boisterous Barnsley fans, who gave their club a low satisfaction rating over ownership (27.5%) in a recent survey, had plenty to cheer about at a wet and windy Craven Cottage. Fulham were woeful, but the Tykes seemed to have a spring in their step. Barnsley deserved their 3-0 victory on the banks of the River Thames and in the face of the oncoming Storm Dennis. Players like the tricky Conor Chaplin and Cauley Woodrow impressed and Fulham really didn’t rise to the occasion and looked a little leaden-footed. Their Slovakian goalkeeper Marek Rodák had an afternoon to forget.

Barnsley fans taunted the sedentary home fans with a chorus of, “you must be shit, we’re winning away”. If any team looked like promotion contenders, it wasn’t the one in white, despite their wage bill being more than four times the amount paid by Barnsley.

It is possible that Barnsley just need to consolidate this season before some sort of promotion plan is put into play for 2020-21 and beyond. Investors with big money will not want to be playing League One football again and in the unpredictable, dog-eat-dog world of the Championship, a well organised and fit team can be moulded into play-off pretenders. Fulham manager Scott Parker said there are no surprises in the championship, but at the same time, he revealed he was “shocked” by the result. Some Fulham fans are now calling for Parker’s head, a premature and knee-jerk reaction if ever there was one.

The Premier League is on Fulham’s agenda this season and at some point, Barnsley’s monied owners may well be looking at steering their investment towards the big time, knowing full well that the club’s last sojourn ended with problems. First, though, there’s a six-point margin between Barnsley and safety. That has to be reduced quickly, for there are only 13 games to go, starting with a home game with Middlesbrough on February 22.

@GameofthePeople
Photo: PA

Categories: English Football

Tagged: Barnsley, Championship, Craven Cottage, Fulham, Lead, London, managers, top slot

It costs to watch London clubs like Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 16, 2020

IF football is a supply and demand industry in England, then on first glance it appears to be working. Crowds in the Premier League are at their highest level since the 1950s and some clubs have waiting lists for season tickets that stretch back years and years. True, there is an argument that “modern football” is pricing people, notably the traditional working-class out of the market, but the stadium occupancy rates at the top level are well north of 90%. Somebody is buying the ticket.

The theory that fans can be “priced out” is not a new one in football. Even in the game’s early history, not everyone could afford admission prices. For a long time, an old shilling (5p) was the standard fee, but it would often be raised for big games. This was an acute problem in parts of the UK where unemployment was high, such as in south Wales and the north of England.

Football is a discretionary activity but the fans have rarely shown their displeasure at pricing structures – they still line-up for tickets when the most effective way to demonstrate would be to stay away. Likewise, they complain about costly merchandise, but still they buy replica shirts every season. Football remains an addiction to many people.

A recent survey, jointly produced by eToro and KPMG, showed that fans of Premier League clubs are spending more and more in pursuit of their favourite pastime. Over the past five years, total spending has risen by 31% and in 2019-20, the survey estimated that fans will part with around £ 1.3 billion.

Interestingly, while the most expensive season tickets in actual terms are to be found at Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea, the disparity in average wages across the country has a bearing on affordability, according to data provided by Sporting Intelligence. For example, Liverpool’s lowest season ticket in 2018-19 was £ 685 representing 3.1% of the average wage in the city of Liverpool (£ 21,762). By contrast, Chelsea’s £ 750 ticket accounts for just 1.8% of the £ 40,788 average wage in that part of London.

Arsenal are the most expensive team to follow (home and away) with an average spend of £ 2,238 for the season. Newcastle United are next, with a spend of £ 2,124 – this figure arguably makes them the most passionate given the lack of success by the club, even if the current situation at St.James’ Park has driven some fans away. The Magpies’ last major trophy was 50 years ago, but still the Geordies love their club. The average cost per fan in the Premier is £ 1,888 which is the equivalent of 8% of the average UK take-home salary.

One of the reasons why Newcastle fans spend so much is their geographical position. They can travel some 9,000 miles per season, which is almost double the Premier League average. Travel costs amount to more than £ 1,500. Mostly, there is a correlation between success and the amount of expenditure by fans.

Clubs with higher prices and higher attendances obviously enjoy greater levels of matchday income, but the gulf between the top and bottom underlines the huge imbalances in English football. Average matchday income in the Premier League, € 37.7 million, a figure only achieved by six clubs. This average is greater than the rest of the big five leagues. The Bundesliga is the nearest competitor with just under € 30 million per club, La Liga comes in at € 26.5 million while Serie A (€ 13.4 million) and Ligue 1 (€ 12.9 million) are way behind.

Manchester United generated £ 110 million in matchday revenues, which equated to 19% of overall revenue in 2017-18. Huddersfield, with the lowest cheapest ticket (£299), generated just £ 5 million in matchday income, which was just 4% of their overall total. The average across the Premier in 2018 was 14%, a figure that is exceeded by the broadcasting income received by clubs.

KPMG said the overall cost of tickets between 2014 and 2019 has remained stable with an overall increase of just 1%, which is significantly below the rate of inflation. Although people continue to complain about ticket prices, it should be noted that current pricing models have been firmly embedded in the system for some time. Between 1989 and 1999, top flight ticket prices rose by 312% in a time when the retail price index increased by 54.8%. By 2011, there were suggestions that some clubs had increased ticket prices by 1,000% over a 20-year period.

Where fan spend has increased substantially is in paying for TV subscriptions, which are now seen as a vital part of being a dedicated follower of football. While the main pay-per-view channels are seemingly on the decline – Sky’s subscribers in 2019 total around 8.6 million, there is more diverse competition for viewers. A Premier League game screened by SKY can draw between 250,000 and 1.5 million people, small beer when compared to the 26 million that saw England play Croatia in the World Cup on mainstream channels. Expenditure by fans on TV subscriptions has increased by 40% since 2014-15 and form around 25% of a fan’s overall outlay on the game. Both BT and SKY’s current subscriptions are heading towards £ 500 per season.

Merchandise spend has grown by 21%, hardly surprising considering the marketing effort that gets behind new shirts and other products. The most expensive replica shirts are at Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle, all costing £ 65. Mostly, shirts have gone up almost 20% in the past five years, but still they fly off the shelves – Manchester United sell around 1.85 million per season, Liverpool now dispose of over one million, while Arsenal and Chelsea sell over 800,000 per season each.

Football fans will always find a way of raising the cash they need to watch their favourite team. Newcastle United and Liverpool both spend around 14% of disposable income on following their clubs. This is a reflection of the relatively low average wage in these areas, but also indicates the lengths that these supporters will go to in order to watch their team. Andrea Sartori of KPMG Football Benchmark, said in the company’s report: “The financial commitment of UK football fans is remarkable…although the Premier League has become a global entertainment product with a worldwide audience, dedicated and engaged returning fans are still the heart and soul of clubs.”

Football in the UK has to be cautious, however, for all good things do come to an end. Football is a market and all markets have the potential to create bubbles. The crowds and the TV money are both at a high at the moment, but how long can that continue? If there is another financial crisis – and these things are cyclical – the bubble could burst. Clubs also need to be aware of changing demographics, the Premier audience is able to afford high prices because it is relatively mature with an average age of 40-plus. Considering these factors, the Premier League can ill afford to be complacent about its future.

@GameofthePeople

Photo: PA

Categories: Culture

Tagged: admission prices, fans, finance, merchandise, top slot

Manchester City 67-70 – Mercer & Allison’s alchemy

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 16, 2020

THERE HAVE been more successful Manchester City teams in recent years, and certainly more expensive, but it is unlikely that any of the 21^st century City line-ups will be as loved as the side that won four trophies in three seasons between 1967-68 and 1969-70.

That team was immortalised in the late James Lawton’s new book, Forever Boys, a heartfelt reflection of an exciting era that ended a period of red dominance in Manchester.

City’s team, characterised by the triumvirate of Lee – Bell – Summerbee, played an exciting fast-flowing brand of football that not only left Maine Road crowds purring with delight, but also made them the neutral’s favourite. They were led by a classic “good cop, bad cop” partnership of avuncular manager Joe Mercer and his number two, the wise-cracking Malcolm Allison.

Lawton was joined by two members of the City team from that era, the giant goalkeeper, Joe Corrigan, and the often under-rated defender Tommy Booth, at the London Sports Writing Festival at Lords when the book was launched. Neither were part of the team that won the Football League title in 1967-68, but over the course of the next two years, both youngsters were introduced to the City first eleven.

Mercer and Allison

“We would have run through brick walls for them,” said Joe Corrigan, describing the feeling the players had for Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. It was a curious relationship in many ways. Mercer was a much-loved figure from football’s golden days. The fact he is remembered fondly at three major clubs – Everton, Arsenal and City – says a lot about the impact he made on the game, and it is often overlooked that he baby-sat the England job after Sir Alf Ramsey was sacked in 1974.

Mercer was appointed City manager in 1965. He had recently endured some health issues, and at the age of 51, wanted a younger man to work alongside him. He opted for Allison, who had been manager of Plymouth Argyle.

While Mercer was called “wise and warm” by Fleet Street, Allison was brash but in many ways, a progressive and adventurous coach, schooled by the famous West Ham “Academy” that also gave the football world coaches like Dave Sexton, Frank O’Farrell, John Bond and Noel Cantwell. Corrigan recalled: “Malcolm was 20 years ahead of his time… focusing on players’ diets, physiotherapy, weight and sprint training.” He also wanted to ban the back-pass, some 20 years or more before it actually happened. “The tool of the cowardly coach,” he would call it.

In 1965-66, the duo’s first season in charge at Maine Road, City won promotion to the first division. A year earlier, interest in City was at a low ebb, with crowds averaging just 14,000. In 1966, they were up to 27,000 and in 1966-67, they averaged 31,000. Something was definitely building at Maine Road.

A team takes shape

In contrast to City’s 2012 and 2014 Premier title winners, the team of the late 1960s cost very little, even by the standards of the time – just over £200,000. Four of the 1967-68 team came from the club’s youth set-up: Glyn Pardoe, Mike Doyle, Alan Oakes and Neil Young. Mike Summerbee was signed from Swindon Town for £35,000 after playing more than 200 games for the Wiltshire club. The wonderful Colin Bell arrived from Bury in 1966 for £45,000, despite the interest of many clubs, and Tony Book, at the veteran stage of his career, was signed from Plymouth where he had played under Allison. Book had landed in the Football League after a lengthy non-league career, turning out for Bath City. His story provided many a photo opportunity as zealous snappers shot him wielding a trowel and laying bricks, his former profession. Experienced centre half George Heslop was picked up from Everton for £25,000.

In 1965-66, City won the second division title, losing just five games and remaining unbeaten at home. Pivotal in their promotion campaign was Northern Ireland international Johnny Crossan, who added experience to a young team as well as 12 goals. Crossan was eventually sold to Middlesbrough before the City bandwagon was in full flow, a victim of ill-health and a car crash.

Back in the top flight, City finished 15^th in 1966-67, adding Doncaster Rovers winger Tony Coleman to the team for a fee of £13,000. There was little sign that this squad could mount anything like a championship challenge in 1967-68.

In the early months of that season, Mercer and Allison signed goalkeeper Ken Mulhearn from nearby Stockport County (£ 25,000) and Francis Lee from Bolton (£60,000).

Lee would go on to become a City legend and, like Colin Bell, an England regular, representing two of City’s best ever dealings in the transfer market.

Quietly getting on with it

City started the season slowly, losing two of their first three games and conceding six goals in those two defeats. They then notched up five consecutive wins to take them to the top three, level on points with a cluster of clubs.

By December, City were considered to be title contenders, and when they beat Tottenham 4-1 on a snow-bound pitch, the TV cameras saw for themselves what was on offer at Maine Road. They called it “Ballet on ice”, and the TV coverage remains the only decent footage of the 1967-68 City side.

Into 1968, though and City had fallen away and were five points behind leaders United. The title race was very tight in 1967-68, though, and as well as the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Leeds were also in with a shout.

City’s title credentials were underlined at the end of March 1968 when they beat neighbours United 3-1 at Old Trafford in a midweek derby. That pushed City up to second, level on points with first-placed Liverpool and United in third. Mercer, speaking in the national press, said, “that was the day when the boys grew up….they laid a bogey in their own minds.”

They slipped up a week later against Leicester and when Chelsea beat City 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on April 16, many people started to write-off the young pretenders to United’s crown. Desmond Hackett of the Express wasn’t too convinced by Mercer and Allison’s team: “They are well groomed but without any memorable personalities.” Ken Jones of the Mirror added: “Manchester City now need a miracle to take the title…they cannot be considered as more than fading outsiders.”

But United were also feeling the strain – they had the European Cup on their minds and had hinted they may rest George Best and Bobby Charlton in their remaining league games.

The killer evening was April 29. City won 2-0 against Everton in their final home game while United were getting trounced 6-3 at West Bromwich Albion. City went top for the first time of the season with two games to go. But both of their fixtures were away – at Tottenham and Newcastle. United, meanwhile, were at home to Newcastle and Sunderland.

Over in Liverpool, Bill Shankly still had hopes of another championship win. On May 4, his team travelled to Leeds and the ever-optimistic “Shanks” predicted: “This is the championship decider, the team that wins this match will win the title.”

The league table on the morning of May 4, 1968 showed City on top with 54 points from 40 games, United on the same points but behind on goal average. Leeds and Liverpool both had a game in hand, Leeds a point worse off than the Manchester duo. Liverpool were fourth with 51 points. Tottenham hosted City and Leeds and Liverpool came head-to-head. United were at home to Newcastle.

Mercer tried a touch of kidology in the press that weekend, tipping United to win the league. “If we win at Tottenham, though, I don’t think there will be any stopping us.” City won 3-1 at White Hart Lane and United hit six past Newcastle. Liverpool won at Leeds and Don Revie’s side all but capitulated with a 4-3 defeat at Arsenal in midweek. On the final day, May 11, it was all about Manchester.

Mercer was now confident: “The title is ours for the taking, but if we fail, then I can think of nobody better I would like to see the championship go to than my friend down the road at Old Trafford, Matt Busby.”

The Times, previewing the finale, said City were “probable new champions”, but added that they “have to prove themselves”. It was a see-saw afternoon on the last day:

13 minutes: Newcastle 0 Manchester City 1 (Summerbee); 14 minutes: Newcastle 1 (Robson) City 1; 16 minutes: Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 (Suggett); 32 minutes: Manchester United 0 Sunderland 2 (Mulhall); 32 minutes: Newcastle 1 City 2 (Young); 35 minutes: Newcastle 2 (Sinclair) City 2; 44 minutes: United 1 (Best) Sunderland 2.

At half-time, City were on 57 points, United on 56

49 minutes: Newcastle 2 City 3 (Young); 64 minutes: Newcastle 2 City 4 (Lee); 86 minutes: Newcastle 3 (McNamee) City 4.

And that was it – City were champions! There was some consolation for United, however, as 18 days later, on May 29, Benfica were beaten 4-1 at Wembley as Matt Busby’s boys became the first English club to win the European Cup.

The venerable Geoffrey Green of the Times declared that City, “had emerged as a breath of fresh air” while pointing out that they had a small squad that would need strengthening for the rigours of European football in 1968-69.

Terrorising Europe

Malcolm Allison, always good copy, promised that “City will frighten the cowards of Europe”. Allison had not been impressed by the teams that had come up against United in the European Cup that season, claiming that Gornik and Real Madrid, for example, had shown a distinct lack of invention. “Europe’s top clubs win in spite of their coaches,” he said.

In the summer of 1968, though, cold war Europe reared its head again and with the Russian invasion of Czechoslavakia causing some tension, UEFA decided to keep east and west apart in their competition draws. This prompted Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Bulgarian and East German teams to withdraw from the European Cup, Cup-Winners Cup and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Commentators said Europe’s major competitions had been devalued.

The new English champions were drawn to meet Turkey’s Fenerbahce. In the first leg at Maine Road, City’s forwards could just get past the Turks. According to the press, they “lacked tactical cunning”. They travelled to Istanbul for the second leg as underdogs. Amid a passionate atmosphere, all smoke and hissing rockets, City took an early lead but lost 2-1. Allison’s bold prediction that City would cause havoc in Europe suddenly seemed very silly.

City actually found the crown of champions a little uncomfortable in the early part of 1968-69, although they did beat Leeds 3-1 at the end of September – one of only two clubs to inflict defeat upon the team that would succeed Mercer’s men.

Better in cups

Manchester City’s 1968 title winners would not get another sniff of the grand old trophy, although in 1971-72, they were narrowly close to success in just about the most engaging title race of all time.

City became renowned for their flair and for their ability to produce some brilliant football from some talented players, but consistency was always an issue. Cup success was more in keeping with their style.

In 1968-69, City’s title defence floundered as they finished in 13^th place. But they found joy in the FA Cup, beating Luton Town (1-0), Newcastle United (2-0 after 0-0), Blackburn (4-1) and Tottenham (1-0) before winning 1-0 in the semi-final against Everton.

The scorer that day was Tommy Booth, who recalled his winning goal with a broad smile when we spoke. Booth was just 19 years old when he netted the goal that took City to Wembley.

City beat a Leicester side that was bound for Division Two in the final, the winning goal coming from Neil Young. Tony Book was named joint Footballer of the Year that season.

The following season, City won two more trophies – the Football League Cup and the European Cup-Winners Cup. By now Joe Corrigan was in goal, but it was a match with West Ham United at Maine Road in March 1970 that stays in the memory. It was notable because it was Jimmy Greaves’ debut for the Hammers. He scored twice in that game, which was played on a mud-bound pitch. It was a goal by Ronnie Boyce, however, that still haunts Corrigan. He kicked the ball out and ran into his goal with his back to the action. As he did, Boyce had already volleyed the clearance first-time into the goal.

Corrigan, then just 21, was called up to to the boardroom after the game. Waiting for him was another goalkeeping great, Bert Trautmann. “I just wanted the earth to open up,” said Corrigan. “But Bert wanted to give me some words of encouragement. ‘Forget the defeat’, he simply said. He was a gentleman, a real inspiration”.City won 2-1 against West Bromwich Albion on another bad pitch at Wembley in the League Cup final after beating their nearest neighbours in a pulsating two-legged semi-final 4-3 on aggregate.

Later in the season, they completed a double by lifting the Cup-Winners Cup on a soggy night in Vienna. They beat Gornik Zabrze 2-1 in front of fewer than 8,000 people in the famous Prater Stadium.

Four trophies in three seasons, an impressive achievement, completely overshadowing Manchester United in that time. Players like Colin Bell and Francis Lee were among the nation’s finest and there were promising youngsters like Corrigan and Booth to enhance City’s potential.

But it never quite happened. In 1971, there was some boardroom chaos at Maine Road and this divided the management team. The new broom wielded by the likes of Peter Swales wanted the iconic Allison as manager. Mercer left after an attempt to push him “upstairs”. Life was never the same again at Maine Road as Allison relocated to London – could argue that they’ve only recently recovered. “You have to blame the directors,” said Booth. “After Joe left, it was more or less all over.”

For whom the Bell tolled

In October 1977, I walked around the Stamford Bridge pitch 49 times to help raise money for Chelsea. A tall, imposing figure cruised up alongside me, also on the sponsored walk in between signing autographs. It was Malcolm Allison, who was coach of Galatasary at the time. “A bit of a surprise to see you here,” I said. “Have you flown over from Turkey?”, He said he had. “I loved your Manchester City side – especially Lee and Bell. I saw Colin Bell score a cracking volley in that goal,” I added, pointing to the North Stand end we were just walking past. “That was some goal,” he recalled, I remember it. “And he was some player. We had a special team in 68.”

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Categories: Teams

Tagged: Colin Bell, featured, great reputations, Joe Mercer, Lead, Malcolm Allison, Manchester City, top slot

Paris Saint-Germain top the Soccerex FF100

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 13, 2020

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN may be waiting for their first UEFA Champions League trophy, but they are arguably the most powerful football club in the world, according to the third edition of the Soccerex Football Finance 100.

Once again, Game of the People was involved in producing editorial for the report, which uses a methodology based on player values, cash, debt, tangible assets and the wealth of club owners.

The 2020 report shows that squad valuations of the top 100 have grown by 24.5%, tangible assets are up by 12.6% and ownership wealth has risen by 21.2% to € 1.1 trillion. At the same time, debt among the top 100 has fallen by 8%.

PSG have overtaken Manchester City, the club that topped the FF100 in 2018 and 2019. This was largely due to improved financial management, higher levels of cash and a reduction of debt.

PSG’s rise to first place comes at a time when big-time football has become more polarised, characterised by clubs increasing their financial strength due to the support of very wealthy investors. Increasingly, clubs seek-out investors that can elevate them to a new level. “Whereas clubs with billionaire backing were the exception a decade ago, the modern football is increasingly drawn to oil magnates, speculators and huge corporations,” said Soccerex.

FF100 by region and country

Europe	73	England 23 Spain 11 Italy 11 Germany 10 France 8 Russia 5 Holland 2 Portugal 2 Ukraine 1
North America	20	USA 15 Mexico 3 Canada 2
Asia	5	China 3 Japan 2
South America	2	Argentina 2

PSG, Manchester City and Chelsea all fall into this bracket, but of this triumvirate, only Chelsea have won the UEFA Champions League. “It is often overlooked that clubs with huge resources are part of a band that is similarly wealthy, either through investor capital or through self-perpetuating heritage,” said Soccerex.

Europe dominates the FF100, with 73% of clubs coming from the region. England contributes 23 clubs, with five in the top 10. Soccerex points out, however, that the top clubs are no longer the sole property of the countries where they are located. The top 30 of the FF100 evidences the global nature of ownership, with just under 50% of clubs in the hands of non-European owners.

The Premier League enjoys relatively high player valuations, but they also have high debt levels. The two clubs with the highest debts are Tottenham (€ 898 million) and Manchester United (€ 800 million), although clubs in Spain and Italy have significant debts. Increased debt contributes to Manchester United’s surprisingly low place of 16^th, also due to a big drop in their squad value and lower cash.

		FF100 Score
1	Paris Saint-German	5.318
2	Manchester City	5.197
3	Bayern Munich	3.888
4	Tottenham	3.441
5	Real Madrid	3.336
6	Arsenal	3.150
7	Chelsea	2.893
8	Liverpool	2.616
9	Juventus	2.195
10	Borussia Dortmund	2.154

Across Europe’s top leagues, the football institutions that dominate domestic football are also the richest: Bayern Munich in Germany, Juventus in Italy, Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain and PSG in France.

The Soccerex Football Finance 100 provides few surprises, but it does paint an interesting picture of the business dynamics of global football. It is very obvious that the biggest clubs are putting more clear blue water between themselves and their rivals, which is not necessarily a good thing.

Soccerex cautioned: “Few would disagree on the importance of ensuring football’s eco-system remains healthy and that the game’s spirit and authenticity are both preserved in the face of ever increasing commercialism. Football clubs are invariably linked to the identity of cities, towns and even villages, and therefore, they bring pleasure to many people who see “their club” as an essential part of the community.”

The ongoing corporatisation of football has helped drive its popularity and media saturation, but it also represents a threat to many clubs, casting them into the role of also-rans. The stronger the big names become, the more pressure there will be to create elitist competitions that could result in a very fragmented industry. “Whatever happens has to handled sensitively and pragmatically, and must be in the interests of all clubs, not just the richest,” insisted Soccerex.

While the past decade has seen unprecedented growth in the game, with clubs feasting on spiralling revenues from broadcasting, the future looks very uncertain for football as players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo prepare to leave the stage. “It is an industry in a state of flux,” said Soccerex. “But when has it truly been any different? And isn’t that part of the sport’s attraction – constant evolution?”

To see Soccerex’s Football Finance 100, click here

@GameofthePeople

Photo: PA

Categories: Finance & Business

Tagged: Football finance, Football Finance 100, Lead, Paris Saint-Germain, Soccerex, top slot

Barnsley chop down Fulham, despite Dennis

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 18, 2020

Big Barnsley

Better off?

It costs to watch London clubs like Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 16, 2020

Manchester City 67-70 – Mercer & Allison’s alchemy

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 16, 2020

Mercer and Allison

A team takes shape

Quietly getting on with it

Terrorising Europe

Better in cups

For whom the Bell tolled

Paris Saint-Germain top the Soccerex FF100

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on February 13, 2020