Having read the opinions of those who care enough to comment, I have arrived at a few basic conclusions, so thank you for that.
1. Wilder got us out of the pub league and eventually up to the PL.
2. Our fist season back was a success.
3. Our second season was not.
As a self funding club, the spending could be justified based on PL income.
That income was reduced due to Covid-19, just the same for all clubs. Except our wage policy defined our purchases, and that made things less sustainable for us. How could we be expected to pay more in wages, when our self funding policy and lesser income during Covid-19 made us more vulnerable than other clubs?
Clubs in a similar position, with better backing, were able to weather Covid-19 losses better than we could.
The only reason we get loan players is in part based on our coaching success with players like MGW, and even then, some clubs can pay part of their wages, knowing their lads will get well looked after.
Wilder and plenty of other PL managers had bought players based on PL income that subsequently had to be repaid when tv support funding was cut back. We mostly had players who were more of a gamble because the players would come to a PL club, expecting greater exposure for less money i.e.
lesser ability.
I have no axe to grind with Wilder. Perhaps a bit old school, insisting on British players mostly, without looking at euro clubs and players. His system still got us success, but the cubs policy on wages and sustainability probably held us back, or kept losses more manageable, whichever suits your favour.
My view is that our policies meant that Covid had a greater impact on us than other clubs.
All we really need is a profligate billionaire owner, and a tight fisted, miserly manager, and be able to have fans pay to watch. (No Covid).
www.myfootballfacts.com
