Big team and ground Eastbourne bough looks like there get relegated next week we only went there for a frendly a couple of years ago

Agree with all points being made below *except* for OI’s point about a paywall - I had no such wall and have definitely not got a Times subscription.

Lurker - "we’d be outperforming funding to make the play offs". From memory, that's exactly what we did when we got promoted (although our budget towards the end of that season was a lot higher than the mid-table one bandied about. In a way, our rise to the EFL was as much being in the right place at the right time, and we were insulated from the realities of football finance.

OI I’d say because it’s from Ivor. Realistic and measured.

REPD exactly. Once the money went mental you need any ownership model to include lots of disposable money or a willingness to absorb debt. Or just fall behind. In the conference national we’d be outperforming funding to make the play offs.

of course I am not encouraging anyone to avoid paywalls as Mr. Murdoch obviously deserves your money.

Eventually got to it via the waybackmachine. Doesn't say anything startling that we didn't know but some good sense from Ivor

Luckily the away end at Stockport has a wedding style marquee over it these days let’s hope it doesn’t blow away

Strong likelihood of some precipitation in Stockport on Saturday

Lurker - even without Wrexham/Brum, wages have been growing faster than we can keep up with. It's just that those two clubs accelerated it. And yes, we've never actually been "fan owned"...

REPD looks like a very accurate assessment. It isn’t the model itself thats the issue it’s that the league structure has gone ballistic financially. We have a club in this division getting EPL parachute payments FFS. The model can work if you have rich enough fans to keep putting the money in or if you elect a rich person to run the club each year.

Given that we are virtually safe the 8 games left are a perfect time to blood them

Rob Couhig bringing his unwanted “this is how we do it in a sport that’s only played in America” viewpoint.

I kinda like the idea of it. Keeps things honest and for clubs in our situation it provides motivation. That said, as things are it does open the door for younger players to be given a bit of experience without the fear of failure. So I guess you can argue it both ways.

Spit’s attempts to be Papers aka the voice of doom seems to have fallen on deaf ears

Interesting article about us in the Times (probably paywalled) - [Link]

Timmy and Trigger yeah EFL use a pooled money system, consisting of money generated and the “kindness of their hearts” money from EPL clubs. Seems to be talk of championship maybe going to some portion being on merit (league place). Staying in league one seems to be worth around 500k to a club. So at our level it’s big money. For some obviously it’s peanuts.

Ah there you go. I did think it sounded a bit strange to be sold out.

Laurence - just done exactly that.

Stockport tickets still on sale on the OS along with Burton and Lincoln

REPD - usually best to find oppo Twitter and ask them.

Trigger - is it? Oh

Think someone or somewhere was saying that Stockport away is sold out, Rob.

Yeah could blood a few youngsters if there’s no huge £££ to get as high up as possible, although would be nice to get our highest ever finish in this era

Morning all. Can anyone work out if Stockport is pay on the day?