An outstanding blog which explains

[hallamblue]

everything regarding Town's strategy and the facts surrounding our financial situation. This should be enlightening to those Town fans who feel Evans isn't doing enough, and informs any visiting scum fans on here the facts about ITFC debts - the correct version.

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... -same.html

[Bluemike]

An excellent piece and after reading it I would be amazed and disappointed that any Town fan would still be shouting out for ME to come up with any more money for signings which would guarantee nothing but more debt. We are so lucky to have him, without ME we wouldn't exist.

[hallamblue]

I agree totally and have said as much on TWTD. Not that it went down that well in some quarters lol.

[marko69]

Nice blog, well written, and certainly does liken Marcus Evans to Jesus Christ Himself....., "The Saviour!"

I don't go along with the view that the club wouldn't exist without him; massively unfair to the stature of the club. If not him, the club are big enough to have interested someone else. Ok, maybe not as wise a businessman as Mevans, but certainly a businessman who would've saved the club back then. All hypothetical I know, but they'd have attracted someone to the outreaches of SoFuck.

[Andym]

A good read indeed. Makes me very pessimistic about the future of footy if no Championship clubs can break even. Wages must drop to sensible levels if the game is to survive.

[herforder]

Great blog by ME's Chief Accountant! (Joke). Well researched, well written; should be made compulsory reading for all Town fans. (Hearts vs Heads etc). It should also inform all comment and debate on this and other forums, and get expectations into perspective. (It won't, of course!).

Interesting that ME stated he has received offers to buy the Club, but remains committed - certainly not for profits or financial gain! Let's hope he stays with it and continues the funding that allows us to exist. The income generation issue is a worry: clearly need to find ways of improving it; but a threat exists if fans fail to understand/accept ME's financial model, and conclude that promotion remains but a dream. They give up.

The riches from achieving PL status continue to persuade some clubs to spend large - and the sums involved, even for those whose snouts are only just in the trough, do seem staggering. However, all other costs increase to rapidly absorb them!

[hallamblue]

I think Evans takes genuine pride in turning round failing businesses.
A professional football Club will either ultimate challenge. ...and he now has genuine affection for his /our Club!

I don't think Evans has ever so off any business acquisition to date.

[patthegimp]

Yes makes sense of things. Only real route is through academy and picking up young talented players from lower leagues/overseas that are hungry. Not really any other option.
Go Mick

[Mach_Polish_Blue]

Sorry to disappoint you Liz and Mike but we're in a disagreement.

Marcus Evans does NOTHING to take the club forward ! Completely nothing !

Why are we so lucky to have him???? He has clearly lost his interest and has no intention to get us into Premier League. If I'm wrong why then:

1. Why doesn't he introduce his further plans regarding the future of the club?

2. As a fan I'd like to know what the club direction is.

3. There is no dialogue between him and fans. All we can hear is the annual tripe from Milne: 'there will be money available for Mick'.

4. That article is saying: 'If Ipswich had managed to battle their way through the play-offs last season, the financial prize for returning to the Premier League would have been immense'. So? We wouldn't even have been in the play-offs if he had backed Mick last January, we would have been in the top 2 race. Premier League would mean a world to us. Not only would we play among the best teams in the country as our debt would be wiped out too.

5. It's so easy for Marcus Evans to please an Ipswich fan and he'll never ever find an easier environment in football to work within. He is well aware how 'nice' Ipswich fans are, he knows they are so 'understandable' and not demanding. And also that they 'love Championship' so there is no pressure on him at all. Other owners (Mike Ashley for example) would love that environment at their clubs. Such a 'nice' fanbase.

-------

Mike, you say that any signings which would guarantee nothing but more debt. First, you never said that when Jewell was ruining the club by spending silly money on fees and wages. You were saying that he wanted to do well for us. We were in debt then too but you didn't mind him spending money.
And second then how on earth any signing would guarantee more debt when we waste money on wages of players who aren't good enough? Players like Coke, Toure, Varney, Tabb and Malarczyk are nowhere near starting 11. So spending on fees would be wrong but paying wages to those players is spot on? WE NEED A QUALITY NOT QUANTITY not littering this squad by bodies.

No-one is that stupid to ask for millions to spend. Just 2-3 quality players that would make us more competitive, don't you think Liz and Mike?

So if anyone thinks that we're lucky to have Marcus Evans must be content with being in this league as this man is happy with us staying in this league too. There is NO AMBITION from him. 14 seasons in the Championship and you don't reap rewards for playing Huddersfield or Rotherham, remaining in the big debt or relying on freebies and loanees. I understand that Jewell, Keane and Magilton wasted loads of money but now we have the best manager since Joe Royle so if he isn't interested in backing him then I don't understand his owning of the club.

There is no intention from him to take us to the Premier League. He's happy for us to rot in the Championship and I'm truly sick of this poxy league. Premier League means everything !

End of the rant ! The day Marcus Evans leaves the club will be the good day for us. As long as he continues his current policy we'll never see the Premier League football again (unless Mick pulls off a miracle).

[Bluemike]

Well we don't disagree on much Mach but I think you are miles and miles off on this one, especially the bit about "a good day when ME leaves this club" to me that is quite staggering and bordering on self destruction. It is ok for people to say there would have been or will be someone else to buy ITFC, that may or may not be so, but who in the right mind would want a Massimo Cellino, Venkys, Mandaric, Oyston etc the list could go on.

Mach, who says he has lost interest in the club ? Would you invest 5/6 million of your own money into something you had lost interest in ? I think I know the answer. As for plans for the future, I take it as giving MM and TC new contracts very much a vision for the future, I see the application for Category One (if it ever gets approved) as a positive step for the future, I see at last we are getting some good youngsters coming through again after years of dross, to me that is planning for the future, a future under klug, the best in the business. Why do you want dialogue between ME and us ? Does it matter ? He has people in place to do that and from time to time issues his visions in the match day programme or local paper.

Mach you cannot say "we would" have been in the premier League with some investment last season, it is impossible to say that, I can offer you Derby County as a prime example, spent bloody Millions and lost out to us over 46 games, they capitulated having spent millions, it guarantees NOTHING. I also don't understand when fans argue against themselves, on the one hand they love to use the old chestnut "we aren't in debt, ME owes himself" then on the other hand they come up with "we need the premier League to wipe out our debt" so which is it ? Does it change to suit the occasion ? The actual fact is that as a business we racked up obscene debt, debt which no normal business would be allowed to build up, I know I can't and I am sure if you ask Marko he can't either. Furthermore it wasn't under ME that most of this debt was accrued, it was under the good old lovely family run club era where the owners etc really cared about their club and fans, yes of course they did by bringing us to our knees. I also disagree that taking on a club with such debt is a easy enviroment to work in, yes he is able to do it, but easy ? No way.

Mach I was never happy under any manager to spend spend spend on players, least of all under Keane & Jewell, yes I was in favour of it at the time because we were bottom of the f**king league and had to get out of it. As for the issue of spending now what quality do you think we are going to attract here to sit on the bench ? It just aint going to happen which is why we have our regular starting Eleven and players of the ilk of Coke and Toure as back up, of course I would like better but being sensible we aren't able to do it, we are where we are and that is how we have to conduct our business, lets not forget the most important thing that most fans forget, quality costs money and I don't mean transfer fees, I mean the monthly wages which ME has to top up every month.

I want ITFC to win EVERY week, no ifs or buts so as such I am hoping we get promoted, that said, I know 200% there would be nothing but doom and gloom amongst the majority of Town fans once the realisation had set in that we would be getting humped most weeks and as fans we would not benefit one single bit, it would without question leave me a lot poorer. The Championship is the toughest and most exciting league in the world, most pundits around the world concur with that, so I don't get why we see it as rotting in this poxy league, the Premier League ain't all that outside the top 4 or 5 teams. That said I would still take it tomorrow, what I wouldn't do is risk the very existance of my club in the hope of obtaining it.

At the end of the day it is all about opinions and we all have one, there is a hell of a lot who see it as you do, unfortunately I believe them to be the ones that are wrong. If you ever get the chance to ask MM his stance on it I know for a fact he will tell you that ME does back him to the hilt, in fact it would not surprise me if it is MM who is reluctant to spend anything.

[derick_ipsw]

http://www.ipswich.vitalfootball.co.uk/ ... p?a=432587 Another view.

[marko69]

Never realised just how indecisive a person I am......., Bloody well worded, heart felt post from MPB, and an outstanding reply from Mike. No one EVER ask me how I feel about ITFC's future......, I have no clue!

And no, I CANNOT have debt. ......, my suppliers are chewing on my balls if I am a week late with payments. Don't get me wrong, I have personal debt, (there ain't no millionaires in this hoose!)......, but I have zero business debt.

[herforder]

Passionate exchanges - viewed from different ends of the blue telescope.

ME's business model minimises the debt owed to him by the Club - currently around the £86M mark, and not written off. Were he to pull stumps, and in the absence of a buyer prepared to take that debt on, the Club would be screwed. Therefore, keeping it to a minimum is viewed as being in the Club's best interests: £5-6M on annual running costs, with income over expenditure running consistently in deficit, will see the overall debt continue to increase. Adding to it by bidding for £2-3M players is therefore seen as irresponsible, from a business viewpoint. Frustrating though that is for success-hungry fans, and causing outright anger in some cases!

Retaining fans' loyalty comes from success on the pitch; belief that the Club is serious in wanting to achieve it, and that promotion to the PL remains a long-term goal. In order to maintain steady progress requires shrewd squad investment; at some point the loans, free transfers and reliance on scouts spotting a 'gem', linked to MM/TC getting the maximum out of them, will need augmenting with some additional quality - to at least sustain our current progress. I think that time may have arrived.

Having recently terminated 3 players' contracts, taken one on board, I believe the club should assess whether there's scope to cull a couple more squad fillers, who are never likely to be first team regulars and, if sensible deals can be done, invest any savings on wages on a couple of better quality signings. Not advocating irresponsible spending, and recognise that money doesn't guarantee success. But I think the risks are worth taking, both in terms of strengthening with a little more quality (creative m/f, defender), whilst reassuring supporters regarding the the club's seriousness about PL ambition.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

Well we don't disagree on much Mach but I think you are miles and miles off on this one, especially the bit about "a good day when ME leaves this club" to me that is quite staggering and bordering on self destruction. It is ok for people to say there would have been or will be someone else to buy ITFC, that may or may not be so, but who in the right mind would want a Massimo Cellino, Venkys, Mandaric, Oyston etc the list could go on.

Mach, who says he has lost interest in the club ? Would you invest 5/6 million of your own money into something you had lost interest in ? I think I know the answer. As for plans for the future, I take it as giving MM and TC new contracts very much a vision for the future, I see the application for Category One (if it ever gets approved) as a positive step for the future, I see at last we are getting some good youngsters coming through again after years of dross, to me that is planning for the future, a future under klug, the best in the business. Why do you want dialogue between ME and us ? Does it matter ? He has people in place to do that and from time to time issues his visions in the match day programme or local paper.

Mach you cannot say "we would" have been in the premier League with some investment last season, it is impossible to say that, I can offer you Derby County as a prime example, spent bloody Millions and lost out to us over 46 games, they capitulated having spent millions, it guarantees NOTHING. I also don't understand when fans argue against themselves, on the one hand they love to use the old chestnut "we aren't in debt, ME owes himself" then on the other hand they come up with "we need the premier League to wipe out our debt" so which is it ? Does it change to suit the occasion ? The actual fact is that as a business we racked up obscene debt, debt which no normal business would be allowed to build up, I know I can't and I am sure if you ask Marko he can't either. Furthermore it wasn't under ME that most of this debt was accrued, it was under the good old lovely family run club era where the owners etc really cared about their club and fans, yes of course they did by bringing us to our knees. I also disagree that taking on a club with such debt is a easy enviroment to work in, yes he is able to do it, but easy ? No way.

Mach I was never happy under any manager to spend spend spend on players, least of all under Keane & Jewell, yes I was in favour of it at the time because we were bottom of the f**king league and had to get out of it. As for the issue of spending now what quality do you think we are going to attract here to sit on the bench ? It just aint going to happen which is why we have our regular starting Eleven and players of the ilk of Coke and Toure as back up, of course I would like better but being sensible we aren't able to do it, we are where we are and that is how we have to conduct our business, lets not forget the most important thing that most fans forget, quality costs money and I don't mean transfer fees, I mean the monthly wages which ME has to top up every month.

I want ITFC to win EVERY week, no ifs or buts so as such I am hoping we get promoted, that said, I know 200% there would be nothing but doom and gloom amongst the majority of Town fans once the realisation had set in that we would be getting humped most weeks and as fans we would not benefit one single bit, it would without question leave me a lot poorer. The Championship is the toughest and most exciting league in the world, most pundits around the world concur with that, so I don't get why we see it as rotting in this poxy league, the Premier League ain't all that outside the top 4 or 5 teams. That said I would still take it tomorrow, what I wouldn't do is risk the very existance of my club in the hope of obtaining it.

At the end of the day it is all about opinions and we all have one, there is a hell of a lot who see it as you do, unfortunately I believe them to be the ones that are wrong. If you ever get the chance to ask MM his stance on it I know for a fact he will tell you that ME does back him to the hilt, in fact it would not surprise me if it is MM who is reluctant to spend anything.

Interesting to see the totally different opinions from you and Mach - and each of is right from the angle of looking at things.
I'd like to throw in a slightly different angle..............

I do not think ME will sell the club, or lose interest. I don't necessarily think, though, that he wants us to get to the Premier League either.
I believe that the club debt is owed to ME's company rather than to him personally. Same goes for the sponsorship.
He is putting his hand in his pocket for the year on year financing yes - maybe 4 or 5 mill a year. BUT he is more than recouping that with the company tax he is able to offset, thus meaning he can pay himself a bigger dividend. That's precisely how his personal wealth rose by 56 mill last year.
So I believe it suits him to keep the club, but he does not want us to get into the PL as it would mean we soon become solvent. Maybe it's him who has told MM not to take the FA Cup etc seriously, because he doesn't want any more income generated.
So if/when we ever get promoted it will be because of the efforts of MM and an average squad.

[hallamblue]

Rossi, I have said exactly this is what Evans is doing from the moment he took control of the Club. A blind man can see it suits his UK businesses to have one of them making a loss year on year to offset his UK tax bill. What better business to acquire for that purpose than a professional football club. Anyone with any careful though can see that Evans' wealth makes Town's debt inconsequential to HIM.

However, the thoughts that he doesn't want promotion is maybe not the case, given the enormous payouts on offer, ad thinking on a bigger level the opportunity to push on to Champions League where the page back is even bigger, ( look at Leicester now!). If you aim high you just might achieve it. But I don't doubt Evans' business sense, given his wealth, and I'm not surprised to see him trying to gain promotion to the PL " within the rules" .

[herforder]

Whilst possibly taking advantage of legal tax rules and benefits, I don't believe they drive ME's ownership of the club, at the expense of achieving PL status. If so, he would certainly not have appointed RK of "how difficult can it be to get into the PL?" fame; provided him, and subsequtly PJ, with significant transfer funds and, in the rare interviews he has given, made clear his ambition to achieve PL status. He always stated he's in it for the long haul, has apparently resisted offers to purchase the club, and appears to be both financially and emotionally tied. Not sure that he's just a cynical business man at heart.

The MM/TC pairing will not come cheap, and I don't believe either would be prepared to operate under a 'business for the owner's personal profit' regime. If they believed they were employed solely to keep us in the C'ship, then their motivation would be shot, their professional standards compromised, all of which would rapidly transmit to the players. Whatever his faults, MM is totally honest; yes, he's prepared to operate on limited resources, but managing for failure to support profit? Unlikely.

[number 9]

Some very good discussions on this topic. Consequently from my perspective as a fan, I have to lower my expectations. It is perplexing though; On the one hand there isn't enough money to significantly improve the squad without incurring prohibitive debt, yet in order to generate more revenue we need better gate receipts and cash bonuses in the form of Cup runs and TV rights. So the conundrum for ME/MM is how can we achieve both in a reasonable amount of time? I don't have the answers...would anyone like to try?

[Bluemike]

Whilst possibly taking advantage of legal tax rules and benefits, I don't believe they drive ME's ownership of the club, at the expense of achieving PL status. If so, he would certainly not have appointed RK of "how difficult can it be to get into the PL?" fame; provided him, and subsequtly PJ, with significant transfer funds and, in the rare interviews he has given, made clear his ambition to achieve PL status. He always stated he's in it for the long haul, has apparently resisted offers to purchase the club, and appears to be both financially and emotionally tied. Not sure that he's just a cynical business man at heart.

The MM/TC pairing will not come cheap, and I don't believe either would be prepared to operate under a 'business for the owner's personal profit' regime. If they believed they were employed solely to keep us in the C'ship, then their motivation would be shot, their professional standards compromised, all of which would rapidly transmit to the players. Whatever his faults, MM is totally honest; yes, he's prepared to operate on limited resources, but managing for failure to support profit? Unlikely.

I agree with this, I don't think for one second ME is happy to stay in this division and stagnate. I also am fairly confident promotion to the premier league and all the riches that come with it would far outweigh any tax benefits he may be benefitting from now, after all at the last count I believe a solitary season in the premeir league is worth upward of 160 million when all parachute payments etc are taken into account so to say he does not want promotion is totally wrong in my opinion.

[Dubai Blue]

Great thread and the originally mentioned blog is an awesome piece of information. For what it's worth I would say that the tax losses for ME do not allow him to make more from tax relief than those losses, I would have thought that the tax offset would be a certain %age of the losses - reducing them for sure but not eliminating them by a long way, so he is still paying year on year (from his ever growing empire's wealth of course).

I have to think that Mach may have a point when he suggests that the Jan 2015 transfer window could be seen in the future as a missed opportunity. Throwing money at the problem does not guarantee success but in retrospect, investment in a couple of quality players may have tipped the balance more in our favour. Of course we were doing ok then and it would have been perfectly reasonable for MM to say that 'better to keep going with the current squad than his disturbing the team with highly paid new boys'.

For sure ME could have and can now invest in new players without breaking FFP rules. As we saw from the blog he can modify other costs in the business to suit himself in order to fit and if the gamble were successful he wouldn't give a stuff anyway.

I can't help thinking that he got burned at the start and is wary now of new investment in the playing staff.

Lastly don't forget that he is wedded to the club as much as it is wedded to him. He bought the debt of the club at a large discount but it must still have a high valuation in his books (although obviously nowhere near £86m, maybe around 30% of that?). He won't get this back in a hurry if he decides to leave the club so would have to find a buyer with enough readies to match his valuation of the debt acquisition costs plus increases since then. That could be what Mach is hoping for.......

[ashfordblue]

Passionate exchanges - viewed from different ends of the blue telescope.

ME's business model minimises the debt owed to him by the Club - currently around the £86M mark, and not written off. Were he to pull stumps, and in the absence of a buyer prepared to take that debt on, the Club would be screwed. Therefore, keeping it to a minimum is viewed as being in the Club's best interests: £5-6M on annual running costs, with income over expenditure running consistently in deficit, will see the overall debt continue to increase. Adding to it by bidding for £2-3M players is therefore seen as irresponsible, from a business viewpoint. Frustrating though that is for success-hungry fans, and causing outright anger in some cases!

Retaining fans' loyalty comes from success on the pitch; belief that the Club is serious in wanting to achieve it, and that promotion to the PL remains a long-term goal. In order to maintain steady progress requires shrewd squad investment; at some point the loans, free transfers and reliance on scouts spotting a 'gem', linked to MM/TC getting the maximum out of them, will need augmenting with some additional quality - to at least sustain our current progress. I think that time may have arrived.

Having recently terminated 3 players' contracts, taken one on board, I believe the club should assess whether there's scope to cull a couple more squad fillers, who are never likely to be first team regulars and, if sensible deals can be done, invest any savings on wages on a couple of better quality signings. Not advocating irresponsible spending, and recognise that money doesn't guarantee success. But I think the risks are worth taking, both in terms of strengthening with a little more quality (creative m/f, defender), whilst reassuring supporters regarding the the club's seriousness about PL ambition.

Re the scouts spotting Gems is very recommendable, but we get two of the best left backs from the lower and none league, plus two home grown centre forwards, sell them for around 20 million total, then invest in nothing outstanding, hence we will be in the championship for a long time yet, we've bought in one hell of a lot of crap players, under Micks budget of naff all, I'm in Mac-Polish-blue camp here, we do need to either sell up to a better investor, they have been knocking on ME's door, but he refuses to sell, as we are a very good tax loss to his holdings PLC, it doesent seem to sink into ME's head that promotion would bring in enough revenue to clear our current debt, and allow us to start again with a clean sheet

[arana peligrosa]

If we were to go up (automatic promotion is between slim and non-existent) then the only realistic route is by way of the play-offs, (so) then how much does a team get these days for winning the end game at the national stadium ? They say it's the biggest one-off event in all of the leagues financial wise with the winner taking a significant amount of revenue from that one game alone.

Believe took a read of the provided link some days back and it's a very well written and comprehensive article, that should hopefully provide a few satisfactory answers to some questions that lie away from the field of play itself.

People having issues with Marcus Evans for whatever reason is nothing new. If you look through archives you'll find various articles on some questioning his ownership since day one. Is it true to say we still haven't brought anyone in this window with time fast running out ? Sometimes we get so engrossed with what's occurring on the field we don't always notice other events away from it. Will get back to this at another time as still one or two other things to reply to, but this for sure has been a very informative thread.

[Bluemike]

I have always been under the impression that the financial rewards for actually winning the play off final are very small, it is the riches that come afterwards that are the real prize.

[herforder]

Means to a much greater end; but you have be in it to win it. That's the tricky bit!

[Mach_Polish_Blue]

Well we don't disagree on much Mach but I think you are miles and miles off on this one, especially the bit about "a good day when ME leaves this club" to me that is quite staggering and bordering on self destruction. It is ok for people to say there would have been or will be someone else to buy ITFC, that may or may not be so, but who in the right mind would want a Massimo Cellino, Venkys, Mandaric, Oyston etc the list could go on.

Mach, who says he has lost interest in the club ? Would you invest 5/6 million of your own money into something you had lost interest in ? I think I know the answer. As for plans for the future, I take it as giving MM and TC new contracts very much a vision for the future, I see the application for Category One (if it ever gets approved) as a positive step for the future, I see at last we are getting some good youngsters coming through again after years of dross, to me that is planning for the future, a future under klug, the best in the business. Why do you want dialogue between ME and us ? Does it matter ? He has people in place to do that and from time to time issues his visions in the match day programme or local paper.

Mach you cannot say "we would" have been in the premier League with some investment last season, it is impossible to say that, I can offer you Derby County as a prime example, spent bloody Millions and lost out to us over 46 games, they capitulated having spent millions, it guarantees NOTHING. I also don't understand when fans argue against themselves, on the one hand they love to use the old chestnut "we aren't in debt, ME owes himself" then on the other hand they come up with "we need the premier League to wipe out our debt" so which is it ? Does it change to suit the occasion ? The actual fact is that as a business we racked up obscene debt, debt which no normal business would be allowed to build up, I know I can't and I am sure if you ask Marko he can't either. Furthermore it wasn't under ME that most of this debt was accrued, it was under the good old lovely family run club era where the owners etc really cared about their club and fans, yes of course they did by bringing us to our knees. I also disagree that taking on a club with such debt is a easy enviroment to work in, yes he is able to do it, but easy ? No way.

Mach I was never happy under any manager to spend spend spend on players, least of all under Keane & Jewell, yes I was in favour of it at the time because we were bottom of the f**king league and had to get out of it. As for the issue of spending now what quality do you think we are going to attract here to sit on the bench ? It just aint going to happen which is why we have our regular starting Eleven and players of the ilk of Coke and Toure as back up, of course I would like better but being sensible we aren't able to do it, we are where we are and that is how we have to conduct our business, lets not forget the most important thing that most fans forget, quality costs money and I don't mean transfer fees, I mean the monthly wages which ME has to top up every month.

I want ITFC to win EVERY week, no ifs or buts so as such I am hoping we get promoted, that said, I know 200% there would be nothing but doom and gloom amongst the majority of Town fans once the realisation had set in that we would be getting humped most weeks and as fans we would not benefit one single bit, it would without question leave me a lot poorer. The Championship is the toughest and most exciting league in the world, most pundits around the world concur with that, so I don't get why we see it as rotting in this poxy league, the Premier League ain't all that outside the top 4 or 5 teams. That said I would still take it tomorrow, what I wouldn't do is risk the very existance of my club in the hope of obtaining it.

At the end of the day it is all about opinions and we all have one, there is a hell of a lot who see it as you do, unfortunately I believe them to be the ones that are wrong. If you ever get the chance to ask MM his stance on it I know for a fact he will tell you that ME does back him to the hilt, in fact it would not surprise me if it is MM who is reluctant to spend anything.

Seeing how quiet and inactive we're on the transfer market makes me even more convinced that Evans has no interest to push us forward, to make us better. If you Mike or anyone else is going to tell me I'm wrong let's have a look on the facts:

1. At the beginning of FFP people like me had been told that we have to sell players first in order to spend on fees. We sold Cresswell, the money wasn't re-invested as all of sudden Evans ... had to cover the losses. All of sudden we became unable to spend. Moreover, Evans was deemed as the ilk of great committed chairman as he rejected Leicester and Palace offers for McGoldrick and Mings respectively.

2. January 2015. We sit 2nd in the league. Massive overachievement given that players like Anderson and Tabb were starters in many games. That was the best moment for many years to take a bit of risk. Years of mediocrity under Magilton followed by dark Keane & Jewell eras. Dismal years, loads of money wasted by those three and this was our best chance in years to get out of this league. Just 3-4 quality players. We ended up signing Sears only because he was very cheap. Had he been valued 500k by Colchester we wouldn't have signed him. So massive opportunity missed to bolster the team, we faded afterwards and were very lucky to finish 6th.

3. Last summer. Big sale of Mings. Loads of money received and they weren't re-invested. They were used to offer/extend contracts to rubbish players who are nowhere near starting 11 (Coke, Toure, Tabb, Malarczyk and following recovery from his injury Varney).

4. Today. As I've said in the other thread that Micks words after the Portsmouth game that fringe players hadn't given him any selection problems were the clear suggestion that we needed some new faces to bolster the team. All of sudden he's ... more than happy with this squad. Interesting what has changed since Portsmouth game? New lucrative contract to Mick and Terry to keep the budget tight?


-----

So after all these 4 facts is there anyone to claim that Evans is committed to drive us into Premier League and make us successful?

Mike, yes it will be good, it will be actually very good day for the club when Evans departs and sells up the club to someone else with the ambitious plans and vision. You have said: 'who in the right mind would want a Massimo Cellino, Venkys, Mandaric, Oyston etc the list could go on'. Well, no-one has mentioned these specific names. You have brought them as they suit your view. Why mentioning worst owners? Why can't you mention the Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson who is clearly fed up of the Championship and doing all he can to get them up?

Yes Mike, Evans must have lost his interest and is content with us staying in this league. Yes, he puts 5 million every year to keep the club afloat. Big deal indeed. Every chairman has to invest to keep his club stable. You ask me why he puts those money if he has no interest? Well, it must be related to his business situation with tax issues. If I'm wrong about him losing his interest see my 4 facts again.

We could have been in the Premier League last season with the January investment. I'm convinced we wouldn't have done Derby. Why? Because we have a clever man in charge, the best manager since Joe Royle. Of course spending guarantees nothing as you've said but it certainly increase our chances of getting out of this league. A bit of investment to add the quality. The quality, not players like Varney or Chaplow whom we brought in on loan last season. And I repeat that was the best moment in long years.

And spending money on fees. Is it better in your opinion to offer contracts and pay wages to players like Coke or Toure?

You ask me: 'what quality do you think we are going to attract here to sit on the bench? Brighton, Birmingham and Sheffield Wed have more than 11 good players. Do you think having only 11 good ones and rubbish back-up is a correct way?

Don't make me wrong but it's a bit staggering approach from you when you say: 'we would be getting humped most weeks in the Premier League and as fans we would not benefit one single bit'. First, you have to aim to make us better to compete in the Premier League and second what does benefit us having spent 14 seasons in the Championship? Exciting league? What is exciting after such long time in this league? Last season was our first top 6 finish in 10 years. What does benefit us when playing Huddersfield or Rotherham?

If it us getting humped most of the weeks SO BE IT. This is still being in the top flight. What can Stoke, Leicester or Palace do that we can't? And also I'd rather Sergio Aguero take p*ss out of us in the Premier League rather than David Nugent or Jordan Rhodes in this poxy league that Championship is. Of course it won't stop me going to games even we're in this league forever but I badly want a Premier League promotion.

You have said: 'I wouldn't do is risk the very existance of my club in the hope of obtaining it'. Mike who is wanting to take the risk of existance? No-one is asking to spend 7-8m on players. But the clubs are allowed now to go no lower than 13m in losses during the season so spending 1m or 2m on a quality player wouldn't break the clubs structure, it wouldn't put us into jeopardy.

It's a win-win situation for Mick. If we ever get promoted using the current policy then Mick will have been the utter miracle worker. If we don't then it's gonna be said that he wasn't backed by Evans.

Really downbeat today. Another transfer window missed. We are so lucky to have Evans aren't we? Of course we're still in the top 6 race, promotion isn't beyond possibility but our chairman's approach isn't going to take us up.

One thing is certain though if we remain in this league. In 5-6 months Milne will come out with the same annual tripe as he does every summer: 'there will be money available for Mick to bolster the team'.

[Bluemike]

Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy has told owner Marcus Evans that he is more than happy with the squad he’s got ahead of what is set to be another quiet transfer deadline day at Portman Road.

The window for permanent additions closes at 11pm tonight and the Blues boss – whose side are eighth in the Championship table ahead of tomorrow night’s visit of Reading – has repeated throughout the month that he would struggle to find players better than the ones he has got without spending ‘silly money’.

Fringe duo Jonathan Parr and Tommy Oar have departed, while Kevin Foley (free agent) and Paul Digby (loan, Barnsley) have been recruited since the turn of the year. Trialist Jerome Thomas, 32, could still be signed. It’s business which has left the majority of supporters underwhelmed given that their promotion rivals have all made significant additions.

“We’re always looking at the possibility of bringing in new players and there is some financial latitude, but what I hear first-hand from Mick (McCarthy) and our director of football Dave Bowman is that we have got a very settled squad,” said Town managing director Ian Milne.

“They both said a few weeks ago ‘I think its’ going to be a quiet transfer window’. They feel they’ve got the players they want and are confident they’ve got the right balance in the squad.

“It’s not the case that Marcus is saying ‘no-go’ to any suggestions. The question from Marcus is always ‘Mick, what do you want to do?’ Marcus puts trust in his manager and if Mick says he’s happy with his squad then Marcus is happy.”

Supporters continue to question why the £8.1m fee received for Tyrone Mings – which didn’t all come as a lump sum – hasn’t been reinvested. Sticking to free agents and loans is, according to some, the sign of a lack of ambition.

“Marcus is not the hold-up, money is not the hold-up. It’s simply a case of Mick saying ‘there is nobody I desperately I need to bring in’,” explained Milne.

“One thing Mick is not is a ‘yes man’. If he was unhappy with Marcus, myself or anyone of us involved in a senior position at the club then he would say so. There is no undercurrent.

“We’ve had certain interesting owners and managers along here recently and it is quite fascinating to see how they run their club, but we do things the way we do it here – we leave football decisions to the professionals, and that’s Mick and Terry (Connor) and Dave Bowman. I think that the majority of fans trust in Mick too.”

Milne added: “We know the arguments – we could go out and spend money like Derby and Middlesbrough have done. That may or not get them extra success. You could argue it hasn’t done Derby any good, really.

“Of course I can understand that fans always like to see signings, but Mick is always saying that you can easily get the wrong players that may upset the whole equilibrium.

“The other point to make is that the loan window opens next week and if we need to utilise that market, which we’ve had success in before, then that will happen.”

If that is how you feel you need to be calling for MM's head and not that of Marcus Evans as the highlighted parts of this article tell you it is MM who is not wanting to spend money, nothing to do with ME. As I have said elsewhere a lack of signings today means bugger all in the grand scheme of things, I would much rather use the loan market for what Three more months and see maybe a couple more Ryan Fraser type players arrive at the club than I would make rash and stupid signings just to appease fans and then get left with the bloody wages to pay every week thus making our situation even more perilous, to me it is pretty straightforward and sensible to do this because no-one knows just what positions may need strengthening, we could go out and buy a Attacking Midfielder and then lose Berra & Skuse, what then ?

Mach you talk about 5 Million quid every year like it is nothing, that is everything that is wrong with football today i'm afraid, it is just getting obscene and I for one and bloody glad we havent spent money we don't have, we went into Admin once and screwed dozens of Debtors who never got their money back, wouldn't it look great if we continued to splash their cash despite shafting them ? Unethical and wrong. I actually applaud MM for not dragging us further into the mire in the vain hope bringing players in makes the "gamble" pay off.

It is repeatedly being said that we need more quality in the squad, with that comes its own problems, if you can find these players in the first place they won't come cheap where wages are concerned so the next thing you get is disharmony in the squad becasue Joe Bloggs comes in on a few grand a week more than the current players and straight away there is issues that potentially throws the whole thing into turmoil, players rule lets not forget that.

Of course Mick knows his best 11, I would be shocked if he didnt, this comment again has been taken out of context, he has players who are more than capable of coming in without weakening the side (Pitman, AMN, Bru & Hyam) what doesnt work is changing 10 of them at once ! We musnt forget the loss of Bishop & McGoldrick either, both out for virtually the whole season, they still get paid every week by the way, we can't just wheel another couple into the club, running a business which is what a football club has to be done to a system and a structured plan.

As I said I am staggered you would be happy to see ME leave the club, it would be a sad, damgerous and very uncertain day when that happens, I mentioned thos rogue owners because they are what are often out there now, the Gibsons of this world are few and far between, fto find one who is ready willing and able to buy a club of our size and our position would be like winning the lottery and as we all know that just doesn't happen very often.

I am not sure I get your point about Brighton having better back up players, they got some injuries, brought in fringe players and went 8 games without a win, losing at home to us by the way, so their back up players really did do the business, some of their players are getting back to fitness and they are winning again so I would guess Chris Hughton also knows his best Eleven and he will rely on them as much as he can.

I'm afraid the way many fans are looking at this and wanting what they want is putting the very existence of my club at risk, I don't like it and I don't agree with it, it is very short sighted and very naive as far as I am concerned, thankfully the people that matter know what they are doing and are seeing as I see it. As I have said before we all have a vision and an opinion of what we want to see and how we want to achieve it, I am only to aware my view is that of the minority but do I care about that ? Not one bit LOL because I know ME nad MM is far more astute than any of us and they are doing what is best for the long term future of this club, all this bollocks and conspiracy crap about offsetting tax etc is plain wrong, ME is a very successful business man and I doubt the tax he could save from such a scheme would cut the surface as opposed to getting in the Prem, so yes I know he wants it as much as he did the day he arrived here and saved us from oblivion.

As for Transfer day, I am not downbeat at all, and if we lose tomorrow I will be bitterly disappointed, what I won't be is ripping the Owner, Manager and players to bits, and yes I will still be at QPR, Bristol City, Huddersfield etc etc SUPPORTING my team.

[marko69]

Can see both sides of that ^^^ discussion. I certainly get frustration from MPB, but pure passion from you both. Enjoyed reading it.

Mike......., your very last sentence was waaaay too Mr Disco-ish though!

[Bluemike]

Disco-ish or not Marko, its true.

[Steve and Jo]

Can see both sides of that ^^^ discussion. I certainly get frustration from MPB, but pure passion from you both. Enjoyed reading it.

Mike......., your very last sentence was waaaay too Mr Disco-ish though!

Well both do have passion as you say Marko.

Typical football though 'Opinions' Rather be talking about this than lingering around the bottom three having spent fortunes like we did few years ago before MM and TC came along. We all want promotion, but money doesn't guarantee it and one other thing.. What's happened to fair play. Some clubs seem to be smacking the governing body with wet fish across their faces, sticking two fingers up at same time not caring a dot