Chippie

Not sure if it went on Instagram but can Johnny text me every week how good Colm Whelan will be as a lucky charm. Worked last weekend 😂

First quarter of the games played and just over 210k fans at premier games.

Another 41k at first division games so in total over 250k people through 9 games.

Onwards and upwards 👏👏

Another weekend of just under 20k, Pats biggest crowd in a long long time, Derry's biggest crowd in 2 years.

After next week through 1/4 of the season, close to/over 250k people will have attended games in both divisions 👏👏

Crowds through the first 7 series of games. Overall for the most part holding up and up v last year. Long way to go. Should be a few full houses next weekend too 👍

Series 5 crowds at 22.5k which would have been the second highest combined crowd in 2024. Steep fall in the crowd at Cork but apart from that as expected.

When Derry open the extra capacity, should be another lift.

Review of Brighton & Hove Albion's financial results for the 2023/24 season, when they finished 11th in the Premier League and played in Europe for the first time, reaching the last 16 of the Europa League #BHAFC

Latest UEFA report on league finances. Covers the LOI from the 2023 season for the premier clubs that season.

▪️Gates and commercial at record highs. ▪️Wages and losses also at record highs.
▪️Clubs have doubled revenue (excluding uefa) since 2016.

Almost 20k at the 5 Monday night fixtures. Its been a long time since we saw the massive drops on a Monday night. Great to see.

Conference league is 4 seasons old now. We started that season ranked 37th in Europe, next season we will be 31st.

We have got good at beating the nations ranked below us in general (apart from 23/24). We haven't though pulled off many shock either.

Yeah i noticed that after I posted it. Fixed for next week 👍

Spreadsheet back by popular demand. 😀 3 weeks in and crowds mostly strong.

For comparison purposes 60,094 attended the first 3 series last year. With a game missing but the game in Lansdowne Road we are just over 85k.

You can see how financially clubs at even that level are way ahead of all/most LOI clubs and the challenge to retain players here with the money on offer over there.

Regular long Euro runs into group stage football the only way to bridge the income gap.

Lots of UK clubs publishing accounts today for 23/24.

Took 3 mid table 4th tier sides as more comparable for LOI sides these days with money.

Income for all exceeds any individual club here for 23. Wages includes all wages but we know most goes on first team.

He makes himself big

I think fans of a few clubs would feel the same to be fair. Everyone looking for players but not as many players out there.

This day 2 weeks the "fun" starts again. All squads at the 20+ players now but most still have 1 or 2 gaps. Should be a few more players to come in the next week.

This time 5 weeks and 6 of the 10 teams will be warming up for the first game of the season.

Most clubs now 3 or 4 players away from completing their squads you would imagine after a good bit of movement this week.

Less than 6 weeks to the start of the season and very little movement last week. 3 players confirmed and 2 players leaving the league that were under contract.

A lot of clubs have a good bit of work to do yet, where the players come from🤔

Yeah in a better position than the last 2 seasons but overloaded in a few positions and very light/non existent in other positions.

League kicks off in 7 weeks today. My best estimate of the shape of squads as it stands now.

Both Pats/Shels look fairly complete, maybe a defender or so light each. The rest of the teams have a bit of work to do.

Another relatively quiet week on the transfer front. However a lot of squads also very close to completion but seems somewhat subdued.

Can't imagine much happens now before the next year even though clubs are back in training etc.

And Liam Burt.

Every time bohs win in 2025 you can drink a case 👍

A little more news this week but still not a lot of moves for players, more players signing up again. As always if missing any etc just let me know.

Shamrock Rovers takeover bid from Bournemouth owner Bill Foley revealed The Black Knight group, led by the Texan businessman who owns the Premier League club, made an offer to buy a stake in Rovers amid internal turmoil

Interesting article with interesting bits of gossip. The €30m valuation surprises me after years of listening to @priceoffootball.bsky.social 👍👍

www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Still not a lot happening but also a lot of players signed up. Not sure on James-Taylor at Drogheda, it was said he was on a 12 month loan but wasn't named in the squad update. Left him there for now.

Has anyone got any league of Ireland transfer rumours? Totally fabricated ones will do at this stage 😂

You can see what happened in the 2 years under stat sports.

At the end of '21 Dundalk had net current assets of €1.3m (very healthy) but by the end of '23 is was a liability of (€0.4m).

Ties up with big losses and if losses continuing you can see why they have big debts now.

I bang on a lot about clubs losing money from normal activities before "owner contributions".

On the positive side at the end of 2023, very little accumulated debt amongst premier clubs. Clubs that are getting funding are getting actual cash in the bank. Doesn't imperil clubs long term as such. 🤞

The very top tier do. Look at Chelsea, Utd etc. But that’s a very small % and no LOI club ever will.