In last Sunday’s column, I tried – unsuccessfully I should add – to dream up a set of results that would, upon the resumption of Premier League battle, see City haul themselves clear of the bottom three.
Even armed with every good luck charm in the book it was nigh on impossible to dream up a set of results that would create the little miracle of which Daniel speaks, but to coin the catchphrase of a previous postholder, they will undoubtedly be giving it a “right good go”.
The consequences of not performing at least seven little miracles were laid bare on Monday night when the club’s executive board, by the wonder of Zoom, told the club’s fan groups of the consequences of the double financial hit of COVID-19 and relegation.
As ever, as described eloquently by our Stewart Lewis, Stuart Webber, Zoe Ward and Ben Kensell were honest and up-front about the difficulties the club faces going forward and on the size of the black hole they are likely to have to contend with.
In a nutshell, the potential financial catastrophe they faced when they arrived – the one that precipitated the sales of James Maddison and Josh Murphy to keep the ship afloat – is likely to be dwarfed by the chasm that will open up if relegation is added to the effects of the pandemic.
Admittedly, this time around, the black hole will be one not of the club’s making and, certainly in terms of resilience, the club will not have the issue of residual, long-term debt to address, but in terms of pure numbers, the task to balance the books will be not dissimilar.
What will be different will be that other clubs, every other club in fact, will be in exactly the same boat. And Stewart (Lewis) reported that any player sales will still be on the club’s terms, so there is a little comfort to be sought there.
So, while we, as ever, come back to the tightrope on which this club constantly teeters due to its self-funding ethos, there remains an underlying belief that the club is geared up to steer itself through these choppy waters.
But it wouldn’t half be easier if those little miracles did occur.
The thought that we may have seen Max Aarons, Todd Cantwell and Emi Buendia play in the flesh for the final time is not an especially palatable one, however you spin it.
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In these difficult and trying times, the chances to smile, even laugh, are few and far between, but I have to thank out friends down the A140 for offering up a routine that was infinitely funnier than anything Mrs Brown’s Boys or Michael McIntyre could muster (which admittedly isn’t that difficult).
To cut a long story short, there’s an EGM taking place this Tuesday during which League One’s clubs will look to agree on a way forward for the 2019/20 season. They will be looking at a range of options, one of which is “alternative play-off formats” that could be used to decide the promoted teams should, as is expected, the clubs vote to end their season early.
Bear in mind that Ipswich are currently seven points adrift of the play-off places, with an inferior goal difference to all but one of the teams above them.
Well, our friends down south have proposed that the League One play-offs be extended to eight clubs based on the current top 10, which would, as things stand… include Ipswich.
They also suggested a tweak; expand it to a wider 10-team tournament also involving the top two with three sides winning promotion, which would, as things stand… include Ipswich.
Or, for a pièce de résistance, according to the Daily Telegraph, they have also put forward a suggestion that the season is settled on where clubs were after 22 matches when they had played one another once, which would, as things stand… *ta-dah*… include Ipswich.
And to think of the ridicule and abuse our club suffered when Liverpool fans – wrongly as it transpired – decided that Norwich wanted to null and void the season under the self-serving premise of preserving their Premier League status.
But, fair play to Marcus Evans and co. If there’s a sliver of hope then why not chance your arm. Just try not to make it too obvious.
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With less than two weeks to go to the PL resumption, many City fans are still not feeling it; some citing the fan experience as their raison d’être for going in the first place, and so why should they re-engage when there is literally no fan engagement to be had. And I get it.
Others cite the wealth before health approach of the EPL as they seek to appease their paymasters, and I get it… totally. Two weeks ago that was me. Even one week ago, in trying to predict the scores of the remaining nine games, I struggled to fully buy into the excitement felt by others.
But, after speaking to my dad in the week – someone who has been in strict isolation since the week before the official lockdown began – I’ve started to see it differently.
For him, the footballing void of the summer months is usually filled with cricket on the TV, which he happily views through his partial-vision, but there’s been nothing. Absolutely nothing.
His eyes don’t permit him the gift of reading a book or even a newspaper, he’s not seen a soul to speak to face-to-face, and his only company has been a year-old Lhasa Apso (named after Ben Godfrey) who’s more interested in chewing furniture than discussing the rights and wrongs of Daniel Farke trying a back-three.
It’s been a very long ten-and-a-bit weeks for him (and Ben).
So, when he tells me he “literally cannot wait” for the calendar to read ‘Friday 19th June’ and for the clock to strike 6pm, I understand… 100%.
For him, one of life’s little pleasures is finally returning. As much as he understands why it’s far from ideal for so many reasons, the gift of seeing those in yellow and green perform will mean the world to him. And therefore it will to me too.
Now if the lads could just see fit to deliver him a win…
Hi Gary
An interesting varied article today and an interesting read.
On Ipshite, our ex and now their manager has been saying that all Premier League clubs should support lower league clubs during this difficult time. I would agree with those sentiments if the Premier League clubs weren’t in a similar situation.
It is quoted that some clubs are paying wages to players that are 200% above their income just to stay in the league. Where in any other business would you survive doing that?
Spurs have taken out a government loan – £175m at 0.5% interest after 2 years – to help cover their losses and Man U are the only other club that can get such loans, so why not safeguard your club with the government’s help.
I, like your dad, can’t wait for the restart but with some worries. We are hearing how many players are getting tested on a daily basis whether on Sky, BBC or the net but there will be others at these games… cameramen, sound recorders, press, photographers etc, all at risk either as a carrier of this virus or to catch it, but not one report that the selected TV crews have been tested as with the others.
We now have a world wide protests where riots are a daily occurrence all shouting Black Lives Matter so does every other life matter no matter what colour or creed, animal you are can anyone be 100% sure that these games will not attract protesters and put everyone at risk of a second pandemic starting.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Keep safe and well
Good stuff, Gary (and a great comment from AlexB).
Financially, there are three very different levels we’re looking at. If the season can’t be completed, it’s clear we’ll be relegated (whatever protest we might offer), and the hit of relegation will be compounded by a massive clawback of this year’s TV money.
The other end of the spectrum is the season being completed and City, by their results, escaping relegation. (Almost) unmitigated happiness, with continuing Premier League riches to offset all the losses from the pandemic.
The middle – and it seems most likely – outcome is the season being played, but ending with relegation for us. That’s where a loss of £12-15m will hit us, as described by Ben Kensell. Nasty, but far short of the financial disaster of Scenario #1.
Have to agree Stewart.
I wonder if any of other current Premier League teams in the bottom 6 will be as prepared financially as NCFC as/when their relegation is confirmed?.
From what I’ve heard/read Villa in particular could be up the proverbial creek.
Stay safe, keep well
O T B C
Although I’m not totally in favour of this resumption I totally get what it means to your dad.
My mother was 100% blind for the last three years of her life and although we never really got on I went round almost every single morning during that period. I’d just retired so I could. She would not have social services or care workers in her house so as an only child I had no moral option.
Apart from the obvious [doctors, dentists, shopping, even the $odding eye clinic at the N&N – why???] things mostly revolved around constantly retuning televisions, radios, dealing with her considerable post and emails, making meals and trying to put right everything else she’d understandably mucked up the day before.
Without her favourite TV and radio programmes she wouldn’t have made it from age 82 to 85.
She loved to chuck out some grapes for “her” garden birds as she loved their voices – which she was only “allowed” to do while I was there.
She sometimes did it when I wasn’t there too. I could always tell when the conservatory door was left banging open and the tiled floor was often soaked in rainwater!
Our dogs were never chewers when they were pups, but both have their own NCFC shirts.
I’m sure Ben will be great company for Dad – it’s a breed I know nothing about – but bleedin’ hard work too 🙂
Despite having to take out that massive loan (I’m not sure it’s a government loan, though), Spurs are still reported to be interested in Max Aarons, and a couple of others. Since Arsenal are reported to have backed off because the asking price of £30M was too much for them, presumably Spurs are prepared to pay that much. With all the financial angst expressed by the clubs, you’d have thought they might not be willing to pay out such sums. Spurs are not the only ones looking to spend big bucks.
Update to my comment: according to the Telegraph, we’re going to play Spurs in a friendly before the real action gets going. All part of the deal for Max?
Varied read gary as webber has stated today its wealth before health which is a shame but with this morning scientists forcasts are right were heading for a bigger second spike its unlikely to get season finished keep well
Why don’t Little 1p5wich just cut the nonsense and propose that promotion play-off places are only available to teams that play on blue and white?
I’m looking forward to June 19th. I need something (anything) to break up the monotony that life has become. It’s not what it should have been, either for teams at our end of the table or those at the top, but I am glad that matters look as though they’ll be resolved on the field. As the season restarts, I hope that with a full squad we can hit the ground running, rather than make the stuttering and injury ravaged start we made in August.
It looks like another ex city old boy could soon be at Ipshite as it is being reported that Pilkington is a free agent and having a trial
With regard to them down the A140, their history surely entitles them to an automatic promotion straight through to the Premier League, with instant qualification for the Champions League, as befits one-time FA cup winners, and winners of the Fairs Cup once?