Football's Magic Money Tree

[Chester Perry]

Earlier in the summer a Premier League 2 breakaway was mooted (Gartside must be smiling somewhere) - now following the Football League's agreement for a new deal with sky which sees Championship clubs getting a little less than £3m per season a rumoured 15 clubs are looking at the idea much more seriously - they believe they should be getting seriously more - others would suggest this is what life would look like if the Big 5 leave for a European Super League.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... eague.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NL Claret]

Think it was tweeted by the price of football that a company called the Boleyn Pheonix purchased the old ground and then sold it to developers / housing for a tidy profit. Boleyn Pheonix were a company who had very few dealings, make of that what you will.

[dsr]

Earlier in the summer a Premier League 2 breakaway was mooted (Gartside must be smiling somewhere) - now following the Football League's agreement for a new deal with sky which sees Championship clubs getting a little less than £3m per season a rumoured 15 clubs are looking at the idea much more seriously - they believe they should be getting seriously more - others would suggest this is what life would look like if the Big 5 leave for a European Super League.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... eague.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If the Premier League don't support the 15, then they're off their heads. How much TV money do they think they would get for an independent secpnd division league that doesn't have promotion?

[Chester Perry]

tuppence I would say - I can understand Leeds griping about the money - they have over 20 games a season on the box and get very little reward for the disruption it causes them - the rights are not worth much even if it became a season ticket to stream every game for each club - this season's red button experiment is already shredding nerves I boardrooms

[Vegas Claret]

tuppence I would say - I can understand Leeds griping about the money - they have over 20 games a season on the box and get very little reward for the disruption it causes them - the rights are not worth much even if it became a season ticket to stream every game for each club - this season's red button experiment is already shredding nerves I boardrooms

aye, maybe those in the boardroom should charge 20 quid instead of 40 for midweek games and fill the stadiums instead of complaining

[Chester Perry]

Bear in mind that what Sky have agreed to pay for the Football league and League Cup is roughly what they saved on the next Premier League deal and have substantially more live matches for it as well (In both cases). Don't suppose the Sky subs will stay the same or reduce though will they - after all the new owner has to make their money back

[aggi]

Think it was tweeted by the price of football that a company called the Boleyn Pheonix purchased the old ground and then sold it to developers / housing for a tidy profit. Boleyn Pheonix were a company who had very few dealings, make of that what you will.

Some of this isn't particularly unexpected. Boleyn Phoenix is owned by Galliard Homes https://www.galliardhomes.com/media-cen ... rk-stadium" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and Vincent Goldstein http://www.vfund.co.uk/project/former-w ... adium-e13/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; who were known to be doing the West Ham redevelopment. It is standard practice to set up new companies for this kind of thing so the fact it had very few dealings is irrelevant.

What is interesting is the profit it made. It seems to have made almost £20m by buying the ground and selling it on which asks the question whether West Ham grossly undervalued it. It's also not clear who it has been sold to. I thought Galliard were doing the redevelopment but there's no indication in the related party transactions note that this was who it was sold to.

EDIT: Looks like Barratt are doing the development https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-home ... n-gardens/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; It appears that Galliard/Goldstein made a tidy profit from the planning for the site.

[Chester Perry]

More on Leeds and other Championship and their appeal for more monies and the level of kick off changes for Leeds for a pitiful return (I am aware many here will have no sympathy for Leeds)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... isruption/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[claretonthecoast1882]

Never understood the leeds chant about sky tv.

They are on TV as much as they are for having a large armchair fanbase

[Chester Perry]

Seems like we are being asked to cough up £250k as thankyou to Richard Scudamore - like he hasn't earned enough

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... amore.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NL Claret]

Some of this isn't particularly unexpected. Boleyn Phoenix is owned by Galliard Homes https://www.galliardhomes.com/media-cen ... rk-stadium" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and Vincent Goldstein http://www.vfund.co.uk/project/former-w ... adium-e13/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; who were known to be doing the West Ham redevelopment. It is standard practice to set up new companies for this kind of thing so the fact it had very few dealings is irrelevant.

What is interesting is the profit it made. It seems to have made almost £20m by buying the ground and selling it on which asks the question whether West Ham grossly undervalued it. It's also not clear who it has been sold to. I thought Galliard were doing the redevelopment but there's no indication in the related party transactions note that this was who it was sold to.

EDIT: Looks like Barratt are doing the development https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-home ... n-gardens/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; It appears that Galliard/Goldstein made a tidy profit from the planning for the site.

Thanks for that Aggi, I'm not too clued up with this sort of thing. That is one tidy profit and I'm guessing as you mentioned West Ham under valued their old ground somewhat and Galliard / Goldstein were the beneficiaries of that.

[beddie]

We and all other clubs should refuse to make a contribution of £250k. For goodness sake, the man has carried out his job on the salary specified with what appears to be very high bonuses. He had a choice, to take the job at the salary offered or not. I'd much rather the club gave £250k to local causes in Burnley, like the homeless etc.

[Chester Perry]

Der Speigel's stories continue - today we have the back story on the Carlos Tevez "welcome to Manchester" signing - from the early days of ADUG ownership

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38168.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Pini Zahavi is the focus of Football Leaks again this time for his apparent illegal control of a Belgian club after he supposedly sold it - the venture was an apparent illegal farming approach and sounds suspiciously like money laundering in places

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... -revealed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Football leaks and another agent - Jorge Mendes - this time involving Besiktas and supposedly dodgy deals

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... tas-deals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


and when you have finished reading that - think to yourself - this is the man who is deeply ingrained at Wolves

[Chester Perry]

What is it with Spanish Football, Ballon D'Or winners and Dodgy tax schemes - Both Messi and Ronaldo have been done - now it seems Modric is in line for a hefty fine and a suspended sentence if he is lucky

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... uZslzk5RzQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With the huge HMRC investigation into our own game this is likely to become a big thing over here soon

[Chester Perry]

And here is an example of why HMRC is paying such close attention - Again part of Football Leaks - it is going to run and run

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38402.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dsr]

There's every chance that Burnley are one of the clubs investigated - every Premier League club is likely to be. If we're competing for the same players, and the same allegedly legal tax dodge scam is being run by so many clubs and every agent knows about it, how many clubs would have the strength of purpose to say that they think this tax scam is morally wrong even if it's legally right? If other clubs are all doing it and apparently getting away with it, there wouldn't be many clubs who wouldn't (reluctantly) join in. If half your income is tax free, that's a 25% competitive advantage in wages for the clubs that join the scam.

[aggi]

And here is an example of why HMRC is paying such close attention - Again part of Football Leaks - it is going to run and run

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38402.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting, I knew there were tax implications re: treatment of agent's fees but I'd never really looked into what they were. As the article said, it's going to be easier to prove in high profile cases but I imagine they'll make their way down the leagues looking at this (although I think Burnley's payments to agents are relatively low so we shouldn't be too exposed).

One of my colleagues, a tax specialist, is here https://www.soccerex.com/events/soccerex-usa-2018" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; at the moment. Shows what kind of focus there is nowadays.

[Chester Perry]

This has been coming for a while but fits in with the farming type stories I have been running on here - but imagine top clubs not being able to sign players over 4 transfer windows as a punishment - January could be spectacular this year if clubs perceive the threat as serious


https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ssible-ban" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Would be amusing to see Chelsea, and others, getting decent length bans.

[Chester Perry]

Back to where this thread started - Man Utd have posted their quarterly results today - wages have jumped 10% (which under Premier League rules means there has been an increase in commercial income - or at £77m are close to what we paid for the whole of last season) on revenues of £135m (again close to our whole season last year) but a 6% fall on last year


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... laid-bare/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... eague.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They still expect to turn over a record £615 - £630m for the year

[Royboyclaret]

A projected Wage bill of £308m is a staggering figure, even for United.

But my suspicions are that City, for the very first time in the PL, will run them very close.

[Chester Perry]

It is still a long way behind Barca which is north of £450m (Messi makes a 100m Euros) and roughly 50% of turnover difficult to argue with other than lack of long term plan, style of play and league position

[Chester Perry]

More on that story from yesterday about FIFA investigations into Premier League clubs and illegal transfers of young players - we know Chelsea are one of the five - but this appears a clear breach of the rules

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... sen-father" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Football Leaks again - Monaco and it's owner Dmitry Rybolovlev

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38822.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Football Leaks - How bankers make money out of football transfers

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38814.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

So Man City become the 2nd confirmed club under FIFA investigation for illegal transfers of youth players - unlike Chelsea they are threatened with a 1 year transfer ban or 2 windows - I said the January window might get tasty just need to find out who the other three are - not Man Utd apparently perhaps they are sponsoring the investigation in the hope that parallel bans for all their rivals will help them with a coherent transfer policy

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... part-fifa/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Accrington's Chairman Andy Holt has his say on the Championship clubs wanting more money - he is very supportive of any move to bring more money into the League pyramid and reduce the growing gaps between the various leagues

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... mand-cash/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Football Leaks - How bankers make money out of football transfers

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 38814.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This one is very interesting.

We all laughed at Bolton and Rovers, to name just two, for borrowing money using future income as a guarantor, but I'll guess none of us would envisage such big clubs doing it.

[Chester Perry]

More football Leaks this time Match fixing in Cyprus for Far East syndicates

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... deception/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Following on from the initial football leaks pieces about a breakaway European Super League Uefa President and ECA President both say it is a fiction - they would wouldn't they - each for very different reasons of course

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46259269" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

It has been building since last week - the pressure on Gordon taylor to quit only seems to be increasing - you get the impression that an awful lot of people have been waiting for this opportunity to stick the boot in - I have never understood how is vast salary can be justified given earnings in the lower leagues - the dirt keeps coming out - remind me, who did he play for? the shame the shame

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... talks-add/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Football Leaks - How Man Utd circumvented Ligue1 rules on bonus payments to clubs for a loan player

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... y-alleges/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Courtesy of Football Leaks we are understanding more the type of scenarios HMRC are looking at in the vast investigations of Tax avoidance across British Football - Here we see how Edin Dzeko funnelled image rights monies to the Emirates

https://www.nacional.hr/football-leaks- ... -emirates/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

A follow up on the match fixing in Cyprus and the main protagonist behind it and how he kills small clubs for his own gain

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... -football/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

In the Premier League era Footballers have grown to be very wealthy and naturally have looked to secure their futures with solid investments - that first generation of Premier League players have encountered some shocking advice that has left them exposed to fraud and HMRC investigation and fines - it is estimated that around 500 ex players have lost over £1billion as a result of this bad advice - and where were the PFA


https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... bad-advice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Today Football leaks takes aim at FIFA and demonstrates what it means by Transparency - could anything be more opaque?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 39587.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

We know finances at Barca are barmy - irrespective of presumed revenue (which the accounts show to be stratospheric) - but just who in the right mind signs a deal with Liverpool which says if we sign another one of your players we have to give you an extra 100m Euro on top of the transfer fee - kudo's to Liverpool though for that one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46290480" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

Football Leaks has already examined the relationship that Jorge Mendes has had with Besiktas (see post 390) - now they turn their focus to his relationship with Wolves

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 39829.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GodIsADeeJay81]

In the Premier League era Footballers have grown to be very wealthy and naturally have looked to secure their futures with solid investments - that first generation of Premier League players have encountered some shocking advice that has left them exposed to fraud and HMRC investigation and fines - it is estimated that around 500 ex players have lost over £1billion as a result of this bad advice - and where were the PFA


https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... bad-advice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Taylor was busy looking after himself.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Football Leaks has already examined the relationship that Jorge Mendes has had with Besiktas (see post 390) - now they turn their focus to his relationship with Wolves

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 39829.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think most people who follow football know it's a big scam at Wolves, just some people will defend it to the hilt citing the showing of ambition meaning it's fine by them.

[Chester Perry]

There's a few Football Leaks stories today - Here is one about a Spanish football team and it's captain (both phenomenally successful)

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 40035.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

2nd up - the super slow investigations into Russian Football

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 40037.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chester Perry]

finally the disparity of rules in women's football - imagine if this happened in the men's game

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 40038.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GodIsADeeJay81]

finally the disparity of rules in women's football - imagine if this happened in the men's game

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 40038.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's a big can of worms

[Chester Perry]

That's a big can of worms

indeed it is - cannot imagine this in the National League so why is it allowed in the top women's League - there are times when women claiming to be treated as second class citizens are right

[GodIsADeeJay81]

indeed it is - cannot imagine this in the National League so why is it allowed in the top women's League - there are times when women claiming to be treated as second class citizens are right

It's very odd.
Sounds like it's never been used, but if that's the case why not just get rid of it?

[Chester Perry]

More from Football Leaks -back to image rights - including (world's best defender - Dejan Lovren -sic) - it is all manna from HMRC heaven methinks

https://www.nacional.hr/football-leaks- ... ss-crimes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


somehow in these stories there are always a queue of middlemen and facilitators greasing their palms, sucking the life and joy from the game

[Chester Perry]

Football Leaks - how another countries football has been corrupted by a Chinese gambler

https://theblacksea.eu/stories/football ... ontenegro/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;