The Famous Aberdeen - Season 2022/23

[coprolite]

18 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Oh 100% agree if we could break even on an operating basis then we’ve justified the cost base and that’s fine. 

You could even go as far to say that breaking even on an operating basis with profits on player trading going into the infrastructure of the club is just about the perfect model. Profits going into the pockets of shareholders is a bit of a tragedy too so would be the right balance. 

My concern is we haven’t got proof the player trading model actually works yet. The majority of the profits are from homegrown talent (yes Ferguson and mccrorie from trading so I suppose they count). Ramadani was good business but beyond miovski, duk and clarkson need to justify their investment all over again and beyond that you’ve got sokler, gueye and Rubezic who as yet don’t necessarily look like big money sell ons. 

As I say I haven’t read the accounts in full yet so maybe they’ll give me more comfort…

Small operating loss should be sustainable. To be a nerd, i think break even at EBITA level would be ideal, because that eliminates a large part of the player trading from the results. 

[Dons_1988]

34 minutes ago, coprolite said:

Small operating loss should be sustainable. To be a nerd, i think break even at EBITA level would be ideal, because that eliminates a large part of the player trading from the results. 

I’m happy to be nerdy on financial statements, what is the EBITDA? 

[coprolite]

5 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

I’m happy to be nerdy on financial statements, what is the EBITDA? 

As a number? About £1.5 m lower losses than the reported operating loss (EBIT). 

I didn't miss the D by accident though. The EBITA (earnings before interest tax and amortisation) would be the current operating loss less £1.1m of amortisation which is entirely made up of transfer and signing fees being expensed and spread over the length of a contract. 

Obviously if those fees have been paid, that's still part of the underlying cost that has to be met by the company so it's not conceptually perfect to compartmentalise player trading from the rest of operations. 

But it's not realistic to completely separate the two things. Obviously if we buy higher profile or better players we should have better results (therefore higher prize money and ticket sales and more likely access to Europe) but also higher wages.

Paying higher wages for homegrown (eg McKenna, Wright) helps protect their value for sale as does out bidding other clubs wages for frees. 

There's also even less financial, more integrated factors, like training facilities and scouting that affect both sides of the operation. Also maybe having better players around develops youngsters more and playing in europe might increase their value. 

So there are costs and benefits of the model that either don't show in the accounts or can't be separately identified. 

I'm just thinking in very narrow terms of looking at the results to see if we can pay for things without splashing transfer cash to get transfer cash. But it's only one perspective. 

[Dons_1988]

51 minutes ago, coprolite said:

As a number? About £1.5 m lower losses than the reported operating loss (EBIT). 

I didn't miss the D by accident though. The EBITA (earnings before interest tax and amortisation) would be the current operating loss less £1.1m of amortisation which is entirely made up of transfer and signing fees being expensed and spread over the length of a contract. 

Obviously if those fees have been paid, that's still part of the underlying cost that has to be met by the company so it's not conceptually perfect to compartmentalise player trading from the rest of operations. 

But it's not realistic to completely separate the two things. Obviously if we buy higher profile or better players we should have better results (therefore higher prize money and ticket sales and more likely access to Europe) but also higher wages.

Paying higher wages for homegrown (eg McKenna, Wright) helps protect their value for sale as does out bidding other clubs wages for frees. 

There's also even less financial, more integrated factors, like training facilities and scouting that affect both sides of the operation. Also maybe having better players around develops youngsters more and playing in europe might increase their value. 

So there are costs and benefits of the model that either don't show in the accounts or can't be separately identified. 

I'm just thinking in very narrow terms of looking at the results to see if we can pay for things without splashing transfer cash to get transfer cash. But it's only one perspective. 

Yeah agree with all of that and I think it’s viable as a medium term strategy as long as shareholders are willing to make up the shortfall if things don’t go to plan (which I think generally they are but that can’t last forever). 

We have clearly invested in infrastructure such as cormack park and recruitment which is positive but with that also comes increased cost and increases the pressure to earn through on-field success. 

Longer term you have to meet that increased cost base with more reliable/sustainable turnover that isn’t reliant on on-field results. I think we see we want that with stated aims of 15k ST holders, working with other clubs to market the game more broadly and even being a top 100 uefa clubs. The problem is these are very ambitious to the point I’m not always convinced they’re achievable. 

[Thenorthernlight]

Figures won’t include £5m or thereabouts from Europe.  
£1.1m from Ramadani sale.

Plus, a likely Miovski sale of multi-millions too.

So quite strong possibility of about £12m+ to be added to the balance next year.

So that’s a big positive.

Two concerns though:

- The wages to turnover is too high.

- We’re heavily reliant on “player trading”. 

Miovski & his sale value don’t come around too often. 
A lot of pressure on the HoR & his scouts to come up with more.

We do have a few good assets other than him though, & it’s important the team has a few with good value in the years ahead.

Let’s be honest the £5m from the Conference League will likely disappear after next summer with the co-efficient dropping like a stone. 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Thenorthernlight

[scthommo]

Looking for some help please. Bought these for my father-in-law. Does anyone recognise the signatures? Also, who's that with Willie Miller? Thanks very much 

[Thenorthernlight]

Next to God is (I think) Pierre Janssen, the captain of Waterschei. 
Don’t quote me on that though 

[naegoodinthedark]

6 hours ago, scthommo said:

Looking for some help please. Bought these for my father-in-law. Does anyone recognise the signatures? Also, who's that with Willie Miller? Thanks very much 

Lucky father in law. 

[scthommo]

4 hours ago, Thenorthernlight said:

Next to God is (I think) Pierre Janssen, the captain of Waterschei. 
Don’t quote me on that though 

Thanks very much.

[Rodhull]

Ruby starting and scoring for Montenegro away to Hungary this afternoon.

[Thenorthernlight]

19 minutes ago, Rodhull said:

Ruby starting and scoring for Montenegro away to Hungary this afternoon.

Unfortunately they’re reliant on Serbia losing at home to a pish Bulgaria in order to qualify.

Serbia 1-0 up. 

[Dons_1988]

44 minutes ago, Rodhull said:

Ruby starting and scoring for Montenegro away to Hungary this afternoon.

The daily record has approached kyogo for comment. 

[Thenorthernlight]

Just now, Dons_1988 said:

The daily record has approached kyogo for comment. 

That fanny Mark Pirie currently coming out of his bunker to see if he’s done anything naughty.

That’s assuming of course he’s watching the correct game this time. 

 

[kingjoey]

2 hours ago, Thenorthernlight said:

That fanny Mark Pirie currently coming out of his bunker to see if he’s done anything naughty.

That’s assuming of course he’s watching the correct game this time. 

 

He did get a fairly early booking. Although I’ve seen his goal, tap in header, haven’t caught his booking.

[STFU_Donny]

Miovski wins a pen for Macedonia after getting smacked in the face by the England defender. Pen was missed and scored on rebound so Miovski won’t get the assist unfortunately. 

[Jacksgranda]

On 18/11/2023 at 15:56, Thenorthernlight said:

Next to God is (I think) Pierre Janssen, the captain of Waterschei. 
Don’t quote me on that though 

Without checking the programme, I think you're right.

[STFU_Donny]

Long live The Cinch

 

 

[tarapoa]

Anyone else at the Super Cup 40yr event at TECA last night? Interesting to know thoughts on it from those that were. 

[Afc69]

Find it hard to get excited about Aberdeen these days, even on the eve of a Sevco game, with that idiot Robson in charge.

Those who wanted him in charge, I hope you are still as ecstatic now as you were in April.

[Don exotic]

 

Ramirez scoring in the Eastern conference final. It’s a shame we didn’t make more of his time at the dons.