Frenetic last day in transfer window

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Once again it was a frentic last day as the transfer window closed, indeed last hour as Arsenal and Chelsea made requests after 11 p.m.   The usual calls have been heard for the system to be scrapped and replaced with a draft system, but it certainly creates a lot of excitement as the deadline approaches with ‘make your mind up’ time for clubs and players.   It should also be remembered that the window was originally intrroduced to meet the requirements of EU competition law.

Arsenal pay the price for prudence

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With their 8-2 defeat at Manchester United, Arsenal have paid the price for financial prudence, particularly their wage structure.   Patrick Barclay, chief football commentator of The Times noted this morning, ‘Financial prudence in a mad world has cost Arsenal dear’.


From a purely financial point of view it was more important to defeat Udinese last week and qualify for the Champions League.   A failure to do so would have cost £25m-£26m and denied the club the chance of signing any high quality players before the transfer window closes.

Premier League tax goes over £1bn

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The tax contribution of Premier League clubs is set to exceed £1bn this season, according to accountancy firm Saffery Champness which has a number of footballers as clients.

This would represent an increase of more than a third over the last two seasons.   Using figures from Deloitte’s annual football finance review, the firm says that the Premier League clubs contributed £725m to the Treasury in the 2009-10 season.   Since then the clubs have benefitted from a 30 per cent uplift in broadcasting revenues, which clubs tend to use on increasing wages.

Arsenal move on Asian market

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The Asian market is crucial for Premiership football.    It contains a number of emerging and increasingly propserous countries with growing populations and an appetite for football.   It is a key element in the growth of overseas television revenues.   There are great opportunities for selling merchandise, even if counterfeiting is a problem.  Up to now, Manchester United and then Liverpool have made the greatest strides in this market.

Sports show is back

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The Radio Scilly sports show is back on air today from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the help of Sportsmode as the sponsors. Mark Twynham is the new host.   I will be talking today about Plymouth Argyle and the two Manchester clubs.


If you are thinking of a trip to the off islands today, Sportsmode are offering special picnic deals for four at £20,

Zero hour for Plymouth Argyle

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As fans hold a candelight vigil and there is a campaign to get #savepafc trending on Twitter, it is zero hour for League 2 club Plymouth Argyle.   Unless a deal is done by 17:00 today (Friday) the club could be liquidated after 125 years and tomorrow’s game against Crewe could be the last.

Spurs win latest stage of Olympic Stadium battle

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Tottenham Hostpur have won the latest stage of their legal battle with West Ham United over who should be the legacy tenant at the Olympic Stadium.   In the High Court Mr Justice Collins questioned the £40m loan deal West Ham had struck with its stadium partner, Newham Council. 


A judicial review has been scheduled for October 17th.   If the defendants in the case, the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) and Newham, lose the case the stadium competition might have to be run again.