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Evans: Webster Fee Will Be Reinvested
Thursday, 28th Jun 2018 14:31

Blues owner Marcus Evans says the fee received from Bristol City for defender Adam Webster will be reinvested back into the squad and has revealed that that new manager Paul Hurst already has several targets as in mind he looks to rebuild for the season ahead.

“We didn’t want to lose Adam but it was very clear that the move appealed to him,” he told the club site.

“I thought long and hard before agreeing to the move and we haven’t let Adam go without receiving a significant fee and that will be reinvested into the playing squad.

“Paul has already identified a number of targets in various positions as we look to strengthen the squad for the season ahead and the challenge is now on to secure those players.”

Webster has moved to the Robins for an initial £3.5 million fee, which could rise to as much as £8 million after top-ups.

These include appearance milestones which should see the figure quickly reach £4 million as well as other clauses, including one relating to the Robins reaching the Premier League, while the Blues would also get a cut of the profit on any future sale.

Portsmouth, Webster’s former club, are due 20 per cent of the profit Town have made on the deal agreed when he moved to Portman Road in the summer of 2016.

Webster cost the Blues £700,000 plus Matt Clarke, who is believed to have been valued at £50,000. Pompey will receive an initial £550,000 and a fifth of the ongoing top-ups.

It seems likely that a significant proportion of the cash the Blues receive up front will be available to Hurst to spend on fees, while some will almost certainly go towards wages as well as other payments relating to signings.

Among the likely replacements for Webster are Blackpool’s Curtis Tilt, 26, who was reported to be the subject of a Town bid earlier in the week and we understand there is something in the link.

Shrewsbury's Aristote Nsiala, also 26, has been mentioned in connection with the Blues on a number of occasions, although his former boss Hurst played down those reports on Monday.

Hurst may well want to add two more senior centre-halves, despite having signed Chelsea youngster Trevoh Chalobah on a season-long loan on Monday, while another winger, in addition to Jordan Roberts whose signing on a free transfer was confirmed this morning, and probably another experienced striker with David McGoldrick having left the club in May.


Photo: ITFC



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Blue_Fred added 16:25 - Jun 28
I see the 'told you so' brigade are racing each other to get the premeptive strikes in

I'll wait and see what happens I think …..
2

Trac70 added 16:39 - Jun 28
Maybe just maybe Webster didn't like the sound of the new gaffers plans for pre season and coming season. Maybe just maybe he was comfortable under MM and wants out before he gets discovered as an injury prone average centre back?? Just my take on things!!
5

Carberry added 16:42 - Jun 28
When they say 'the move appealed to him, they are just getting themselves off the hook by diverting fans' ire to the player and not themselves. As I said yesterday Evans has stopped putting in the mythical £5-7M per annum and is using player sales to cover the shortfall. Just look at the accounts.
-5

Plums added 17:11 - Jun 28
What on earth do people want?
Evans has started to let us know what's going on after 10 years of near silence and now what he says is being picked over and slated. If he says it's going to be reinvested in the squad then it will. That could be transfer fees, wages or a combination of both - it's his and PHs decision.
I like this new communicative owner.
Don't drive him back to the shadows, that's bad for us all.
2

toxtethblue added 17:11 - Jun 28
Evans backers, you moan about us moaning yet you're happy to see us selling our better players and getting lower league freebies in?! Can you see why we're 3rd favourites to go down?! I don't think we will but that will be more to do with PH and no thanks to ME.
Ps how dare you talk about us sodding off and leaving supporting the club to proper supporters!! I have more passion for this club than you can dream of, that's why I can't stand to see the stagnation, underinvestment and under achievement. You however in your docile, apathetic stupor will back 'Mr Evans' to the hilt just because you were duped by a bit of spin in the face of years of penny pinching... You frustrate and disgust me in equal measure
1

brian_a_mul added 17:34 - Jun 28
It would have been rediculous to turn down that cash for an injury prone player. By the sounds of the way PH plans to play, footballing Centre Backs wont be much value when we try to attack out wide. PH obviouly has replacements in the pipeline
0

Ipswichbusiness added 17:36 - Jun 28
In April 2017 we had four centre-backs; Chambers, Webster, Smith and Berra. All were our own permanent staff.

Today we have just Chambers, plus a Chelsea youngster on loan.

We need desperately to sign at two quality, experienced centre-backs. Where will the money come from?
2

northblue added 17:40 - Jun 28
Again the moaners are out in force and the season has not started. As a season ticket holder I'll wait for the talking to be done on the pitch.
1

jas0999 added 17:40 - Jun 28
Let's hope so and not the usual ‘spent on wages' routine. The high earners who have already left the club have already freed up considerable wages, which must be fully spent in conjunction with this fee and of course the saving on Webster's wages.

I'd expect fees to be spent. At least £2M. Anything less would be very disappointing.

I still think we need two CBs (to replace Webster and Berra - assuming the loanee replaces Smith); a Right Back (to replace a Iorfa) a Winger, Attack minded central player (replace Connely) and a target man striker ( to finally replace Murphy or at least McGoldrick). Then there are plenty of other squad players like Hyam and Bru who have moved on.

A lot of signings needed.
3

BotesdaleBlue added 17:53 - Jun 28
A year ago this statement would have been made by Milne. I really hoped after the "interview" that Evans would come out and speak directly to fans and this has happened, at least in this case which I see as a big step forward.

Please try to keep positive everyone. I think we have a lot to look forward to and I am confident the club is now heading in the right direction.
3

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:55 - Jun 28
Hej, we're getting people in folks. There will be more. Just be a little patient. All we need to do is hope the new guys are up to the job.
1

braveblue added 18:00 - Jun 28
Don't believe you Evans. Heard it all before.
2

Skip73 added 18:17 - Jun 28
Webster is injury prone and Bristol City will be lucky to get 30 games out of him next season. I for one am quite happy with this deal, just as long as the money is invested properly.
1

flimflam added 18:17 - Jun 28
Blimey what a lot of muppets you all are. AW wanted to leave so not much point keeping him here and considering he only played 50% of the last 2 seasons as has glass ankles I think we got a very good fee for him.
We looked weak at the back all season until Vickers came in and showed our defenders how to defend properly. No pint being a ball playing defender if you cannot defend and I have no doubt AW will go onto bigger and better things if he stays injury free he is not as good yet as you all seem to think he is.
1

Skip73 added 18:18 - Jun 28
Webster is injury prone and Bristol City will be lucky to get 30 games out of him next season. I for one am quite happy with this deal, just as long as the money is invested properly.
0

BlueandTruesince82 added 18:50 - Jun 28
Negative much. Haven't kicked a ball yet!

I think we are being harsh here. If I could find the article I'd post a link but some years ago around the Keane/Jewell time the guardian had a great article and set out (squad) wages to income ratio focusing on Ipswich because ours was worse than almost (if not) every other club.

At that point our gate income (season plus matchday tickets) only covered the players wages.

Now I know that was some time ago but stick with me. That means everything else had to be funded by Evans and other revenue streams.

Those revenue streams being merch, sundries (pies and beer), programmes, TV money, sponsorship, player sales.

Now how many of you buy your kids or yourself a new shirt or whatever each year? I have one town shirt, says powergen on it.

Programmes- dwinderling circulations with the rise of the net.

Tv- minimal, this season Champ clubs get 100k per home game shown and 10k per away game. That will have increased over the years. How often do town get on Tv? At home?

Added to that is £2.3 mil from the collective tv rights deal with sky and again will have gone up each year.

Plus 4.5 mil that each club gets from the PL (their generosity is such)

So every club gets 6.8 mil. This year

Pies and beer, now not great service on match days doesn't help but I suspect the Mark up is not that high (given volume sold) to make that a money spinner.

Sponsorship- well we cut season ticket prices and now have thingy Vegas on our shirts.

Player sales

Cressie 4 mil plus adds
Wickham 8 mil plus adds
Murph 4 mil
Mings 8 mil plus add-ons
Webster 3.5 mil plus add-ons

Surely only cressie can have triggerd any real additional income.

So Evans in 10 years brings in 27.5 mil in sales. Let's say 30 for a few Smaller deals or approx 3 million per year.


So let's say the club gets on average (bearing in mind year on year increase)

£4.5 in tv/prize money
£3 in sales

And let's be generous

£3 in additional income as above.

That's 10.5 million a year on average over the time of his ownership.

Plus gate but as we know this is only (largely or totally) covers wages (given falling attendances)

Meaning 10.5 a year generated by the club needs to cover

All other wages. (Maybe manager coaches etc too not sure so counting as covered by gate)

Stewards, service and hospitality staff, admin, grounds, shop, fitness team, doctor, corporate.

All travel costs, hotel's, coaches or planes

Food

Kit, training gear, balls, gym equipment and more

General upkeep (yes painting turnstyles and stuff) it's an old ground and expensive. Plus training ground.

Utilities, lights, water for the grass, etc

Agents fees. Shall we say an average of 500ka year over 10 years?

Signing on fees

All player fees

Youth and (attempted) cat 1 status which we know has been substancial, moving goalposts and year on year investment.

Up-to-date tech etc... all the stuff PH is to have to measure everything performance wise

I dare say I have missed many hidden costs.

Then let's consider that average gates have gone down year on year (Yes Evans shoulders some of that blame) but that dominoes to fewer people, less sales in sundries, merch etc.... the more money Evans must find

To sum up. Does our average income of £10.5 mil cover all those expenditures above each year?

I really dont think so. I don't think £10.5 mil a year goes at all far.

Thoughts?

Of course the above is not an exact sicnece and whilst i have tried to find figures some of the above is guestimated so feel free to throw other figs out. Yes I have tried to average the figs out over 10 years of ownership.

Interest/debt doesnt matter. He knows it's a write off.

I have aimed to give an argument but also present figures as best I can to encourage discussion and let people make their own minds up.

This got a bit out of hand for a guy and his smart phone so sorry about that but once i started more questions came to me.

I think running club costs more than we think.

1

Swn98 added 19:44 - Jun 28
Have an up pie for the hard work.
1

Carberry added 20:05 - Jun 28
BlueandTrue just look at the accounts and the analysis the Swiss Rambler has done (the latest is on Twitter) you will see that for the last 3/4 years Evans has been funding the deficit by selling players. It is a myth he is putting millions in every year.
By the way I'm looking forward to seeing all our talented young midfielders leaving because they are injury prone, to be replaced by League 1 hopefuls. Do we think Bristol City are taking a £3.5M punt on an injury prone player? Hurst has been told he has to sell to be able to buy - selling one of the few centre halves we have is a gamble. Has the goalkeeper signed his contract yet.....?
4

jas0999 added 20:17 - Jun 28
Carberry - excellent post, yet unfortunately the club are doing a great job of pulling the wool over folks eyes. They always fail to acknowledge the players leaving when spouting money spent on wages. Little is made of the interest payments Evans used to claim on the so called loan/debt. Evans isn't as out of pocket as folk think, particularly as his other businesses benefit from the offset loses at ITFC.

Unless Evans invests significant sums, after cashing in on one of our few assets (despite being injury prone), then it will be a big disappointment.
3

BlueandTruesince82 added 20:52 - Jun 28
Not buying that Carberry

It does say the loss has reduced in the last few years but.

1. The club still makes a loss Evans still covers it.
2. As Rambler says, Evans always said his level of backing was unsustainable and player sales would have to provide revenue.

3. He is talking about 16/17 accounts and references back to loss over a few years. I am working an average over 10 and I think he supports my point which is that Evans did the throw money at (which is not often accepted here) and it failed, as already stated it was unsustainable and had to be cut. Just as Villa, Norwich, Derby are doing. (What price to have Deadly Dug back at Villa for their fans?). Over 10 years he has pumped in millions and one can.understand why that would reduce over time after failure. If you were losing that kind if money and failing in the pursuit of your ambition inthink you would don the same.

4. As rambler states Evans has provided £48 million in funding (plus cost of buying club), and only £13 million in player sales.

4. The club is not hoarding cash! £49k in the bank (gulp!)

5. As Rambler states ITFC have (now) adopted a sustainable model.

So yes, Evans input per years has in recent times gone down and yes that sucks but he never hid that would be the case, it has to be so or the (much maligned in spite of the fact that no interest has been charged since 2014) debt would be even higher and he would get it in the neck for that.

We all know the belt was tightened under Mick and I don't deny that but to not run sustainable doed put the club at risk...... now I know you may say sell up then but I would then ask, to who?

Lobbing money at it is for multi billionaire owners, Oligarchs and the sort of people who really do have a licence to print money (Rockerfellas and such) .


I think to expect Evans to blindly fund the club at that level is unfair and as we know the sign.of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting diffrent results.

We want, we want. But it's not our money.

It's not perfect, I know that and I would love someone with deeper pockets to come and invest mega money but that isn't going to happen and I think over the course of his tenure he has been v fair in funding the club.
2

BlueandTruesince82 added 20:55 - Jun 28
Also thanks for the Swiss ramble tip. V v interesting and well worth a read.
1

casanovacrow added 21:03 - Jun 28
I much prefer this stuff coming from Evans and not Milne. It seems less like he's doing something dodgy n hiding.
1

blueheartXT added 21:30 - Jun 28
Webster has shown momments of class and lots of moments not available if we are able to get a good fee and use the money what really is the problem
0

blueheartXT added 21:33 - Jun 28
blues and trues you obviously have a business like myself unfortunatly some people just don't get it
and never will

COYB
-1

toxtethblue added 21:44 - Jun 28
Blue and true, who are you MEs spin doctor?
(Sell)"but I would then ask, to who?"
Err to someone who is prepared to fund the club properly and appropriately for the greater good of I.T.F.C?! That's not a hard one...
1


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