Time to introduce an FA Ownership 'Deposit'

[James]

Having seen what is going on with Portsmouth, amongst other clubs, does anyone think the FA/PL need to take further measures to stop chancers getting hold of football clubs they can't afford.

 

The measure I would propose is that for a takeover to be completed, an owner must pay a deposit to the League (millions of pounds for a PL club) and this deposit is used by the FA to pay back wage debts, transfer fee debts and so on.

 

The benefits here are that it is a good way to screen owner finances, allows the club's issues to get resolved in a way that isn't going to impact the fans, and also gives an incentive for the owner to behave 'fit and proper' if they want their money back.

 

Thoughts?

[mattynufc]

Good idea that will never happen.  All Premiership club current owners would have to agree to it, and that wouldn't happen as no way would they want to part with a couple million if they didn't have too.

[Guest thefishman]

The premiership will be raped and worthless in ten years time!

[Stifler]

Prospective owner now already have to be approved by the FA after they have looked into them, look how quickly that has fucked up, so imgine if they FA had a load of someone elses money, come the time to give it back or incase a club does get into trouble it will be a case of 'What money?'

[Cronky]

It's a sad comment that at a time when the English game has never been more awash with money, there are Premiership clubs in financial trouble.

 

I'm not sure whether deposits are a practical or effective idea.

 

The main problem is that clubs take risks because they want to get to or stay in either the top four or the Premiership. This in itself is caused by the huge income gap between the Champions League places and the Premiership, and between the Premiership and the Championship. If those gaps could somehow be narrowed, the climate of panic that grips many clubs would be eased.