Will Transfer Window Put Lower Clubs Down??

By Quayle
April 17 2005

Now that the transfer window is upon us for the next season, what will Tranmere be doing to help their finances? Tranmere Rovers chairperson, Lorraine Rogers, hopes to have a cash sum before the season starts so she knows what to do with it whether were in the Championship or not.

The transfer window, it has been used in the Premiership and now the FA have put it in the path of every professional club, but what does this mean for everyone now.

Gone are the days of when you have a team packed with injuries you could just find an easy replacement. What if a club going on a fine run, gets hit with a bug and has now back-ups, gone are their chances of sealing promotion. But what have Tranmere done to keep away from the pit of poverty and to sustain some meaningful amount of wealth in the club. Lorraine wants all the figures ready before ahnd so she can sort out anything thats on the agenda, a new player maybe?

In yesterdays programme, the new kit was first introduced upon the pondering eyes of a Rovers fan.

It seems that the club are trying every way possible to inject some cash into the club, for the possibility we get promotion. Tranmere have now released another 3rd kit, again with supporters names on.

In Christmas of 2003, the first supporters kit was released, a navy blue kit with every season ticket holders name on. Now you pay £10 and you name is finely selected to be printed onto the fabric.

Another change from the usual kits Rovers have, is the colour. For along time the kits have been either yellow or dark blue. But the new 3rd kit is going to be a sky blue, for example like Coventry City's current kit, with the names on the kit being in royal blue.

But has the fad run out. It was in all honesty an excellent idea the first time, but will people still want another kit that has their name on, or was one enough. When I first looked at it, I thought they where doing a sale on the old kits to get rid of them. And especially now you have to pay, a no its not as if its a huge sum, but for some people its not worth the bother.

I think that everyone at Tranmere is certainly planning ahead, which is great, but is this the way to do it. Many fans have their own ideas how to raise extra cash. Again this is probably why they have also decided to change the home kit. Like most of us know, if you have a kit which lasts for two seasons, then in the second season its not going to sell as much because people would already have it, but Lorraine Rogers, has obviously thought she needs the money for the upcoming season.

And already have season tickets gone on sale, to help with the finances that we need so early. Along with so many different packages, sales and bargains that will hopefully intice new and also existing supporters to plugh the money into the club.

The club have also been running different bargains to get the tickets in before April, once again to help with the funding. For example, kids can get upto 13 free games if its in before 23rd April.

A new item of sales that has also been introduced is the "Brick on the Wall". Its simple you buy a brick with your name on and other writing you want and its placed on a special fans wall. But, due to the high pricing off around £150, the wall has never really kicked off.

Along with the usual Player of the Season awards dinner and the ever-present equaliser draw ticket, Tranmere have tried and tried to earn cash as quick as possible, but most of this wouldn't have been neccesary is the FA stuck with the rules that the lower leagues had played with for so many seasons.

I can certainly see huge amounts of debt and problems concerning clubs, like the already problem orientated Wrexham and Grimsby. Even some Championship clubs, that have already had a sting of administation like Leicster City.

I just hope that this doesn't happen and I thank everyone at Tranmere concerned with thia huge project, and thankful they had the guts to prepare us for the future ahead.