PRL

Apparently Gordon put a bundle of cash behind the bar at strawberry to thank fans for support after pen miss.

Knocked myself out cold in a pub with low ceilings when Bellamy scored that. Still my favourite ever non-live game I think.

Not sure how they get 14 teams signing off on it when 7 teams are already outted as against and other teams being dragged in by new rules. Even if they do, can they really expose themselves to another load of litigation and potential of being sued. How much cash as an organisation do they have to spend on this?

Edited it to ‘relegated’ within seconds, got carried away.

While I completely agree with the thought process, what happens with someone like Everton? Odds are that loan simply wouldn’t take place in a space outside of football, and if it did it would be at Wonga level rates of interest. Bringing in that rule alone would effectively relegate Everton unless their new owners are happy to turn the majority of debt to equity. Not been tracking takeover, maybe they have said they will

I don’t disagree re the wages on the Leicester side of things, but I disagree that PSR won’t impact Brighton if they don’t book some further big sales in the coming years. They’ve bought some really exciting players and Mitoma still looks great, but with the shifting sands of PSR and the potential for their interest payments to be factored in (you don’t get many corporate loans of hundreds of millions at close to BoE), we could be entering a phase where very few teams feel able to spend those big amounts and Brighton have just splurged one of the highest amounts in Europe. Significant spend + significant interest payments + clubs not being willing to spunk +£100m on players with a season or two of potentially being world class, could cause them some big issues by 26/27. Bloom will be looking at that when making a call about converting debt to equity. All guesswork for now, but the game definitely has changed.

And we will be looking to sue the PL if any of our deals have been sidelined or put on ice for years. I cannot reiterate enough that this is all cataclysmically bad for the PL. It has to be the end of Masters.

Brighton spent the best part of quarter of a billion this summer gone. If they end up mid table again and nobody wants to do a Chelsea and pay an insane amount for any of their players, it won’t be long until they are pushing up against the 3 year period with caicedo etc dropping off the books at the end of the following season. Doesn’t take long for the smaller clubs like Brighton, Southampton and Leicester to be up against it. Basically need to be perfect or they’re done. That’s what these rules mean in their present state, the elite can fuck up repeatedly without concern while everyone else (ourselves included) skate the finest of lines knowing one or two season of mis-steps takes down any progress and leaves us selling our best assets or having points deducted. It’s also why someone like Bloom, who is a very canny investor, will be nervous about switching debt to equity.

I must admit I think people are underplaying the significance here. Crystallisation of the sums being talked about from loans to equity will just not be palatable for some of the clubs and folk involved, and commercial loans are way higher rates than BoE. You’re looking minimum 8% and someone like Everton absolutely astronomical if you are treating them based on fair market value. I cannot see a way past deadlock as there’s not going to be 14 clubs who will sign off on changes that both stitch up the 6-7 already giving evidence against the PL as well as leave clubs like Brighton and their owner having to move all cash to equity. While in practice it’s very easy to convert a loan to equity, what that means for the people providing the loan is very different - it moves them from the front of the queue to the back of the queue in terms of repayment, making recovering cash dependent on a successful sale at high market value. Not a huge risk for Arsenal, but for e.g. Brighton owner that’s a big roll of the dice. if new rules cannot be agreed on then the whole thing will need scrapping and redoing from scratch which will take years as the amount of lawyers needed will be insane, with every PL club coming in with their own red lines and groups of clubs pitching together to block one another. The requirement of 14 clubs to agree will come back to bite them at this point.

The PL is absolutely fucked here. They’ve already been struggling with legal fees and now you have the possibility of some of the best legal teams in the corporate world chasing them for significant damages. All the while the teams on the other side of the coin undoubtedly threatening them if they start introducing interest on shareholder loans for PSR. interestingly, this will split the cartel clubs as Chelsea and Arsenal fucked while Mancs have got zero in loans.

2-1 on Everton with draw no bet. Emotional hedging this undoubted fucking nightmare.

Have a soft spot for Wimbledon and would be really sad for them to miss out on the game. Was using a friend’s second season ticket tomorrow, he’s gutted.

Wonder if it’s fixed due to my search history, but I enjoyed ChatGPT’s answer to this question: Objectively, which team has the best fans in the premier league? 1. Newcastle United • Loyalty and Passion: Newcastle’s fanbase is renowned for its loyalty, even during difficult times when the club has been relegated or underperformed. St James’ Park regularly sells out its 52,000+ capacity, even in lower divisions, showing their commitment. The atmosphere is electric, with passionate support throughout the game, and they are seen as some of the most dedicated fans in English football. • Community: The club is a central part of the identity of Newcastle and the wider region. Objectively, Key Criteria for “Best Fans”: • Loyalty: Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool fans stand out for their unwavering support, especially through tough times. • Atmosphere: Crystal Palace, Liverpool, and Newcastle are often cited as having the best atmospheres at their home grounds. • Global Support: Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have the largest international followings. • Community Connection: Clubs like West Ham, Newcastle, and Leeds have a strong local identity and community connection. Conclusion: There is no definitive answer to which team has the “best” fans, but Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Leeds United are frequently mentioned for their passion, loyalty, and atmosphere. However, fans of clubs like Crystal Palace and West Ham also deserve recognition for the unique energy they bring. Ultimately, what makes a fanbase the “best” is subjective and often depends on individual preferences, experiences, and the values one prioritizes. Scousers won’t be happy…

Mullin is a scouser, from the Suarez school of attacking

Closer replay shows he actually did. Excellent