The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[ayrunitedfw]

It really is a difficult situation at the moment with regards to re-signing and signing new players. Morally the correct thing to do is probably offer everyone a new contract however at the same time we’re not a charity case and we need to save every penny we can at this stage. At least we now have a better understanding of who is going to be in our league next season (Raith and Hearts joining with Dundee United and Partick Thistle departing) 

Some page on twitter put up a list of all out of contract players. From that list we know Docherty and Forrest are already gone and I’d be offering something to Harvie and Murdoch. I’m a bit meh on the rest- not really bothered either way. With regards to signing new players I can’t see us or any other clubs our size doing anything on that front until we have a start date for the next season. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, rb123! said:

I think for most clubs squads will almost be identical next season, or loans may be the only real 'signings' any clubs make. 

Depending on when /if we get back playing, I'm sure the landscape will have changed quite a bit. Players themselves will have to be taking wage cuts at all levels and there will undoubtedly be many redundancies and smaller squads, especially in the league above.

As such the better run clubs may actually find themselves in a position to "upgrade" on the player front where they would have been priced out previously.

It is of course all "ifs", "Buts" and "maybes" at the moment, but even if we do get back playing from the start of September, the Economic hit will last for decades and will have a profound effect on communities for years.

Who knows what future prize money and sponsorship will look like and what sort of TV deal will be offered ?

As many will know, the first thing that goes when times are hard are the likes of the "pay tv" subscriptions and there's many who have already cancelled their sky, Bt, virgin packages who once seeing the saving will never bother to restart, especially if matches at the top level are behind closed doors with no atmosphere etc. Over and above you've got the various Iptv providers muscling in on the pirate sector and providing a huge cost saving on those who would otherwise be looking at upwards of £100 per month for the various subscriptions which are now required.

Everything at the moment is speculation but i think we can all be assured that things will definitely be changing on all levels of our life..

[Trogdor]

3 hours ago, eez-eh said:

We don’t have to pay the extra 20% (or 40% if it comes to that). I believe we’re doing that at the moment but I suspect if we ended up extending contracts for a month or two to give the players some income we wouldn’t be in a position to top it up.

True, we dont have to pay it and you're right for our financial stability it might be better not to top it up. 

I'm surprised the players union hasn't been talking this up more either that or it's being subsumed by the greater soap opera that is the SPFL and scottish football. I haven't seen much about the players plight at all. I remember seeing or reading something about Chris Higgins as he has a role within the PFA. 

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

True, we dont have to pay it and you're right for our financial stability it might be better not to top it up. 

I'm surprised the players union hasn't been talking this up more either that or it's being subsumed by the greater soap opera that is the SPFL and scottish football. I haven't seen much about the players plight at all. I remember seeing or reading something about Chris Higgins as he has a role within the PFA. 

They probably appreciate that public opinion wouldn't exactly be favourable as why should the general public care about a group who many see as grossly overpaid (even at our level), when we have the likes of minimum wage care sector workers risking life and limb daily and over 20% of the general population either furloughed or unemployed.

I don't doubt that some footballers will end up with financial problems but why should they be singled out for sympathy ahead of anyone else in society ?

 

[Ayr145]

Stevo loves the Ayr. Could he not of signed for the killie?, As he looks to be a jinx to all his other Scottish clubs.

[Trogdor]

28 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

They probably appreciate that public opinion wouldn't exactly be favourable as why should the general public care about a group who many see as grossly overpaid (even at our level), when we have the likes of minimum wage care sector workers risking life and limb daily and over 20% of the general population either furloughed or unemployed.

I don't doubt that some footballers will end up with financial problems but why should they be singled out for sympathy ahead of anyone else in society ?

I dont disagree with you. 

Tbh I found it pretty galling listening to the english pfa state that premier league footballers taking a pay cut would hurt the NHS. Then listening to Gary Linekar et al trying to justify it and comparing them to chief execs of big companies. They are exhorbitantly overpaid for what they do.

The problem is that the those at the bottom of the pile that are full time could struggle more than part time players with two jobs. In this situation, I have sympathy for everyone who is struggling irrespective of what they do. Even footballers, estate agents and lawyers!

[D'Jaffo]

I dont disagree with you. 
Tbh I found it pretty galling listening to the english pfa state that premier league footballers taking a pay cut would hurt the NHS. Then listening to Gary Linekar et al trying to justify it and comparing them to chief execs of big companies. They are exhorbitantly overpaid for what they do.
The problem is that the those at the bottom of the pile that are full time could struggle more than part time players with two jobs. In this situation, I have sympathy for everyone who is struggling irrespective of what they do. Even footballers, estate agents and lawyers!

It was the fact that the footballers have become easy targets for the Government to say these guys should take pay cuts. It should be a private matter whether or not someone decides to take a wage cut irrespective of them being footballers. If a players wants to do so then great but guys like Matt Hancock have no right to go on TV and state that these guys should be the first to do so.

I also have sympathy for the lower league players that could find themselves out of contract with no club to turn to because their wages won’t be covered by a furlough scheme. It’s ridiculous though that any time someone says they feel sorry for them they get the NHS staff or other key workers thrown in their face as if they’re being ignored. You can think about key workers and the lesser paid footballers at the same time.

[super_carson]

The average salary in scotland is roughly £31k a year (can't remember exactly where I saw that but I do remember reading it). I've no idea about what the average wage of a lower league Scottish footballer is but I'd be surprised if it was significantly more than that.

As already mentioned, footballers are easy targets for politicians at the moment (classic diversion tactic IMO) but comparing an English Premier League wage to that of your average Scottish footballer is way off. Unfortunately , the wider public wont see it like that and therefore if money was allocated to support Scottish football then there would be massive uproar on social media.

I think footballers and football in general will get thrown under the bus.

[itzdrk]

I would just offer everyone a contract, we will still need to replace Adams, Kelly, Drinan, Malley, Docherty & Doohan & anyone who doesn't sign, plenty scope to freshen things up & it is a good look. 

[No_Problemo]

You would assume it would suit the likes of Drinan and Malley to come back and continue getting first team football.

 

Would obviously like Doohan and Kelly back but think they’ll go elsewhere.

 

Imagine Kerr will be on to as many loan signings as he can as anything else will be a struggle. Hopefully his contacts in England will come in handy as the loan market here will be crazy.

 

If Doohan can’t come back we’ll be struggling for a keeper.

[eez-eh]

The justified annoyance around the footballers pay saga was that clubs were furloughing non-playing staff while continuing to pay players tens of thousands a week. There’s something morally reprehensible about accepting state aid for your lowest paid employees whilst continuing to shell out ridiculous wages for those at the very top of the food chain - particularly when they’re all sitting at home doing f**k all.

Granted that’s more an issue with the clubs themselves rather than the players, although it’s hard to have much sympathy for the ones getting paid tens/hundred of thousands a week. There was an interview with an anonymous Premier League footballer who essentially said that while the politicians were being hypocritical, he didn’t want any sympathy and the likes of Lineker and Rooney trying paint the top level players as some sort of persecuted group in the whole saga needed to f**k off as well.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Trogdor said:

I dont disagree with you. 

Tbh I found it pretty galling listening to the english pfa state that premier league footballers taking a pay cut would hurt the NHS. Then listening to Gary Linekar et al trying to justify it and comparing them to chief execs of big companies. They are exhorbitantly overpaid for what they do.

The problem is that the those at the bottom of the pile that are full time could struggle more than part time players with two jobs. In this situation, I have sympathy for everyone who is struggling irrespective of what they do. Even footballers, estate agents and lawyers!

Yes, similarly I don't disagree with any of this either, as you say there'll be people struggling in all industries and many will lose their jobs or face prolonged wage freezes and even cuts in some cases.

The problem with football players is that they get so much attention and quite often are badly advised or tricked into making statements that are then twisted and manipulated by the journalists. I think most people will be well aware that many footballers at the lower end of the spectrum will be struggling like the rest of society but unfortunately our media tends to refer to "footballers" as the higher echelon, so even those at the bottom are often tarred with the same brush as some of the arrogant multi millionaire types of the EPL.

Looking back to 2008 / 2009,  it was the type of thing that had lowly Bank workers such as cashiers and sales staff being abused by the general public as they were being referred to by the tabloid media as "fat cat bankers" when most were earning little above the minimum wage but that didn't matter as the idea was planted in order to sell papers.

who knows, we can only hope that some sort of normality returns to all or life's by September (or thereabouts), otherwise we'll have much more to be worrying about than football.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, super_carson said:

The average salary in scotland is roughly £31k a year (can't remember exactly where I saw that but I do remember reading it). I've no idea about what the average wage of a lower league Scottish footballer is but I'd be surprised if it was significantly more than that.

As already mentioned, footballers are easy targets for politicians at the moment (classic diversion tactic IMO) but comparing an English Premier League wage to that of your average Scottish footballer is way off. Unfortunately , the wider public wont see it like that and therefore if money was allocated to support Scottish football then there would be massive uproar on social media.

I think footballers and football in general will get thrown under the bus.

At the end of 2018 the median salary in Scotland was a more realistic £23,833.00 gross but as you rightly say guys at our level will generally be earning around £35k to £60k with bonuses etc, so while a very decent wage for the type of work, it's certainly not fat cat stuff.

https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/2018/11/29/Earnings-in-Scotland--2018/SB 18-80.pdf

Being honest, I wouldn't feel much sympathy for a moaning high earner in the private / public sector if they lost their job (that's life i'm afraid), and the same would certainly follow for someone in the football world who was earning even £2k per week etc, as at least they've been in a position to have savings etc where those at the bottom of the spectrum simply don't have that option, as it's a struggle for them just to survive.

[super_carson]

At the end of 2018 the median salary in Scotland was a more realistic £23,833.00 gross but as you rightly say guys at our level will generally be earning around £35k to £60k with bonuses etc, so while a very decent wage for the type of work, it's certainly not fat cat stuff.
https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/2018/11/29/Earnings-in-Scotland--2018/SB 18-80.pdf
Being honest, I wouldn't feel much sympathy for a moaning high earner in the private / public sector if they lost their job (that's life i'm afraid), and the same would certainly follow for someone in the football world who was earning even £2k per week etc, as at least they've been in a position to have savings etc where those at the bottom of the spectrum simply don't have that option, as it's a struggle for them just to survive.

I think based my average figure off of the payscale website that puts it at £29k, but I guess that would be skewed by top end salaries. Median probably is a better way of looking at it, you're right.

I wouldn't disagree with you regarding the sympathy for someone who lacked the foresight to save to have a safety net. My point was more about lower league clubs who are most likely to be significantly affected and the fact that your average player won't be in a higher pay band. Also the impact on other staff and linked businesses would be massive.

My point is (I guess), as it will be one of the last sectors to go back to normal, there should be some form of financial support available (as there should be for any sector that is impacted significantly longer, so long as this is viable) but that it would be massively unpopular with the wider public who assume all footballers earn tens of thousands of pounds.

[Finlay21]

4 minutes ago, super_carson said:

I think based my average figure off of the payscale website that puts it at £29k, but I guess that would be skewed by top end salaries. Median probably is a better way of looking at it, you're right.

I wouldn't disagree with you regarding the sympathy for someone who lacked the foresight to save to have a safety net. My point was more about lower league clubs who are most likely to be significantly affected and the fact that your average player won't be in a higher pay band. Also the impact on other staff and linked businesses would be massive.

My point is (I guess), as it will be one of the last sectors to go back to normal, there should be some form of financial support available (as there should be for any sector that is impacted significantly longer, so long as this is viable) but that it would be massively unpopular with the wider public who assume all footballers earn tens of thousands of pounds.

Our top earners will be no more than average salary  , no player gets a four figure weekly salary ( including bonuses) for the majority of our players this is a second income due to their jobs outside football , which will help us keep a number for next season as they have the bonus of full time wages on top of job outside club 

Edited May 9, 2020 by Robbo63

[super_carson]

Our top earners will be no more than average salary  , no player gets a four figure weekly salary ( including bonuses) for the majority of our players this is a second income due to their jobs outside football , which will help us keep a number for next season as they have the bonus of full time wages on top of job outside club 

Thanks Robbo, that's interesting to know. Even though we are "full time", is employment outside of football something that's encouraged/supported by the club?

I can only speak from my own experiences in another sport, but I didnt think that professional sports were (in general) great at encouraging or accommodating secondary jobs.

[Thereisalight..]

5 minutes ago, Robbo63 said:

Our top earners will be no more than average salary  , no player gets a four figure weekly salary ( including bonuses) for the majority of our players this is a second income due to their jobs outside football , which will help us keep a number for next season as they have the bonus of full time wages on top of job outside club 

I didn’t know we had players who had jobs outside of playing for us. I thought when we went full time there wouldn’t be a need to have another job

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Thereisalight.. said:

I didn’t know we had players who had jobs outside of playing for us. I thought when we went full time there wouldn’t be a need to have another job

I think we have a couple who work as "personal trainers" etc to supplement their football income (Robbo will know better than me) but I knew we weren't paying anything like the £1k per week + which some in our division are getting.

[D'Jaffo]

I’m sure Stevie Bell is technically part time as he has a job in Glasgow.

Moff has his PT and I’m sure there will be a couple others in the same boat.

[Guest]

33 minutes ago, super_carson said:

I think based my average figure off of the payscale website that puts it at £29k, but I guess that would be skewed by top end salaries. Median probably is a better way of looking at it, you're right.

I wouldn't disagree with you regarding the sympathy for someone who lacked the foresight to save to have a safety net. My point was more about lower league clubs who are most likely to be significantly affected and the fact that your average player won't be in a higher pay band. Also the impact on other staff and linked businesses would be massive.

My point is (I guess), as it will be one of the last sectors to go back to normal, there should be some form of financial support available (as there should be for any sector that is impacted significantly longer, so long as this is viable) but that it would be massively unpopular with the wider public who assume all footballers earn tens of thousands of pounds.

Yes, players at the lower league clubs could find things very difficult, especially if there's clubs going to the wall and irrespective there's no doubt that wages will be reducing across the board. 

Again we're all pretty much in the dark about the longevity of the gov furlough scheme and how it will directly affect footballers who are extending contracts / out of contract etc, this may or may not help us re-sign guys like Daniel Harvie (so as to ensure his employment is continued and the furlough scheme extended) but again, who knows exactly how all this will work in practice ?

From our own perspective it would appear Lachlan and others have done very well by us and hopefully the relative stable footing of our club will serve us well when we do eventually get restarted.