No Zumthor, if the club actually spent less than they earned thereby making a profit it would be able to spend that profit on new players either through transfer fees or wages. The FFP rules require clubs to live within their means and not spend more than they earn (within certain tolerances). This is what is expected of any business if it wants to remain viable and ongoing. The clubs revenues are reducing because of declining ticket sales and lack of lucrative sponsorship, while it's expenditure increases not least by way of ever increasing interest on loans built up over many years. Until this trend is reversed and revenues increase substantially, the club must cut its cloth accordingly and limit the budget allowed for player recruitment. If Championship clubs enjoyed the TV revenues paid to Premiership clubs they could afford a better class of player, but they don't. Even to put a team out these days irrespective of class, quality, entertainment value etc, the club feels the need to charge Premiership ticket rates. Only clubs with average gates of 25k+ as well as those without significant debt (and the inherent crippling interest payments) are not going to be hamstrung by FFP rules as their levels of income are possibly going to exceed their outgoings. They are the ones who can spend without risk of FFP sanctions.