How have we managed to get right up to the salary cap by signing the likes of Nanyn and Gardner?

Or is "Boss Hogg" telling porkies?

The worst coach at the worst club?

Lister, you'd argue black was white so I'm not entirely sure why I bother given our commercial situation is blindingly obvious to anyone who can see the empty seats, exec boxes and sponsor slots, but guess I'm a sucker for punishment so here goes...

Since Ian Leneghan took over our major sponsors have been Sports Cafe and Workplace Systems. Owner subsidies are not allowed to count towards turnover for salary cap purposes. Sponsorship income is. Ian had a large shareholding in both Sports Cafe and Workplace Systems. Now thinking back, why do you think those two particular companies sponsored us? My money would be on us having a significantly larger official turnover in previous years than we expect to have in 2009.

Those sponsorships no longer exist in the same form, ie we don't have the same amount of owner subsidy, ie we probably can't afford the same player budget - not "legally", as the salary cap isn't linked to turnover anymore, but in practice because the people running the club aren't either (a) totally loaded, or (b) completely nuts.

Also, my last point that you refer to was not irrelevant, it described the only possible consequence to your alternative plan. You want the club to perform better, and think the coach is questionable because they don't. They need to have a better squad to have a realistic chance of doing that. Without spending more money than we can afford, we can't have a better squad. QED - your expectations are that we blow our future to give you what you want this season.

PS: Have you been a Government economic advisor for the last 10 years by any chance?

I think the cap may be somewhat of a moot point as I doubt we have the funds to spend it.

A fact borne out by our signings this winter I'd suggest.

Basic maths would point to the following income expectations for this year.
Average gate of 4,500 x 13 at say, £10 a pop = £585,000
Sky cash £750,000
Shop revenue (guessing here) £100,000
Bar revenue £596,700 takings
Food concessions x 3 @£500 each £20,000
So, I estimate the club has an income of approximately £2,000,000 a year....pretty healthy. This is without the amount of money that David Hughes "donates" to the club.
Now, with the added bonus of not having to pay salaries to a CEO or Marketing person it's no wonder Mr Hogg wasn't worried about a shirt sponsor.
I would have thought that the club will turn a profit in 2009.

The only thing unsecure about macs position, is our status in superleague. He will be a coach in 2011, but will we be a club?

Don't forget the SKY money this year has increased by £400,000 per club to £1.2million. Only £400K shy of the £1.6 million "cap".


Therefore you could say SKY pay 75% of each clubs player wage bill. It don't take a genius or Lister to work out the club can afford to spend the cap and get by.

2009 promises to be a belter on this message board, and what great news shifting the mManly game to a Sunday! finally some common sense has prevailed.

I suspect that Mac's future would be tied in with that of certain coaches at Northern clubs - it might not just be Bulls fans with cause to worry if they have a bad run this season!