Championship - Spending = Success

[Ordar]

Now not 100% of the time but its pretty obvious that the teams who spend the most money are generally the teams that get promoted. Boro and Burnley easily spent the most money this season (25m+ each) and low and behold they're the top 2 in the league. Leicester and Bournemouth while they might not have spent in the same regions at Boro and Burnley, both clubs were being looked at as failing FFP when they got promoted.

Sod FFP, spend 30m in the summer and get promoted! We basically will need to buy an entire new squad anyway (bar Cairney) due to people wanting to leave, and players not being good enough.

[FPT]

Have Burnley spent £25m? You might want to cut £10m from that and you might be closer.

Interestingly, Middlesbrough's promotion chase is built upon very cheap, but very reliable foundations. They are a terrifically organised and well drilled side; but the goalkeeper was a free and their most frequent back four cost a total £400k with an academy graduate and a free transfer. Adam Clayton cost Middlesbrough £1.5m - an absolute bargain - whilst Grant Leadbitter was another three. That's the defensive core of their side (the best defence in the Championship) and it doesn't even touch £2m.

Sure, Boro have spent to sprinkle the star quality in the final third; but they were defence first and became hard to beat first. It was this summer they blew out after just missing out on an automatic spot to really improve that part of their game.

I don't think how much we spend really matters, Michael Madl will be cheaper than many a starting Championship defender and must be up there in the division. If we're smart, we can do some excellent business for very cheap. I'm looking forward to Slavisa really stamping his personality onto the squad in pre-season and building it more in his image and style; the consistent coaching time is just as important.

[St Eve]

What did Brighton spend?

[FPT]

What did Brighton spend?

In the summer? A shade over £5m - that's gone up with the signings of Knockaert (£2.5m) and Skalak (£1.2m) so £7.5m-£8m

[FPT]

very surprised anyone is challenging the OP's assumption that there's a general correlation between spending and success.

Not challenging. Just it's not as black and white in the cases mentioned. The top three are also the three best drilled and organised sides in the division and didn't spend quite what the original post stated (which is fairly important).

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

very surprised anyone is challenging the OP's assumption that there's a general correlation between spending and success. From 1997-2001 we probably demonstrated more than any other club ever has how to buy your way up the leagues. spending generally delivers success not only in football but in almost every facet of life

the OP actually raises a much more interesting point which is whether it's worth breaching FFP to psuh for promotion and risk being stuck under embargo next season if you fail... imo yes it's worth the risk... and imo we'll see other clubs (eg newcastle if they come down) doing exactly that over the next couple of seasons

Our record of spending big over the years and our record buying nearly a whole new team this last summer should tell you that buying is a risky business. We have got ourselves into trouble with larger fees and higher wages than we can afford and unnecessarily large squads.

We need a strong core group that will play as a competitive team, well-drilled in some effective system and not the threat of further embargoes or fines.

[dannyboi-ffc]

It's hard to argue with the op's opinion. How often does a Leicester happen in the prem? Yet out of nowhere Chelsea and Man City have totally pushed Arsenal and Liverpool off the map and are the power houses nearly every year. And Arsenal hardly spend a penny so its not a coincidence.

What I will say though is that the figure you spend means sweet FA if the players you sign aren't good signings.  Was Andy Carroll worth 35 million? Marlet worth 11? And most recently Mitroglou when we could have bought Shane Long for half the price and probably stayed up.

McCormack's price is justified as he has given a good return but it was pointless if you're going to spend pittance on the rest of the squad. We do need to ignore ffp a little if we are to get promoted. The gap in finances and quality from the prem gets bigger every year and with potentially 2 giant clubs and Norwich the yo yo club going down we have no chance if we don't spend big and wisely.

But the open cheque book scenario is a myth. Not every quality player costs a fortune.  You just need to know what you're doing and looking for. Pringle, Lonners and O hara on freebies will not get you anywhere. That's just being tight, not sensible. After all it almost cost us relegation again.

We also need to risk ffp by giving our players worth building the team around better contracts so that we have a base to work from.