The unfair Financial Fair Play shackles

[Nick Bateman]

The Football League are like an old dinosaur full of pomp and protocol, but no purpose.

They impose this draconian Financial Fair Play system which is meant to protect clubs from running up debts they cannot afford, but in actuality, restricts many wealthy clubs from strengthening and competing at the highest level.

In some cases, the FL actually want to bankrupt a club which has been deemed to have transgressed their bloated bureaucrasy.  Look at the cases involving QPR and Bournemouth for example.

One really believes, if some club takes the FL to court, they would get these rules thrown out based on restriction of trade and freedom of movement.

Why should a wealthy owner be restricted to the same low standards as the likes of Doncaster or Darlington?  The Premier League and UEFA tried the same tactics, to protect Manchester United and Arsenal who they claimed were "big clubs" and therefore alloed to spend much more per season, while Manchester City and Paris St.Germain were deemed "small".  Once it was threatened to go to court, both governing bodies relented and relaxed their laws, but the Football League still persist with similar constraints.

Fulham were banned from the transfer market, only allowing loanees one season.  Thankfully, now in the PL we are free of this abhorrent and illegal suppression which could have sent us to a lower division.

I would have to give our board some credit for managing the books to allow Jokanovich to build such a worthy team, but one does fear for the many others who are being harmed by the ruling organisation stuck in the dark ages!

[davew]

Good post Nick.

[grandad]

The concept of FFP was welcome. However in reality it does not work in practice. What other business owner is prevented from spending his own money on investment. This restrictive trade practice has to be challenged. Small clubs will stay small & the "big" 6 will get stronger.

[hovewhite]

They need to find a better solution,as the aim is good for clubs and fans as no one wants to see there team go bust and must say the aim of keeping clubs solvent is important.
Awnsers on a postcard to the FL.

[Twig]

The aim is laudable, the solution does not work.  Rethink required.