How It Happened
By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 20/01/2005
GRIMSBY'S descent into insolvency didn't happen overnight, or even in the course of one year. Instead it was triggered by the overnight collapse of ITV Digital in 2002, and by the club's commitment to honour highly lucrative contracts with players negotiated prior to that time.
To compound the problem, the club also suffered two successive relegations, which further eroded their revenue, in the seasons immediately following the collapse. The club's income consequently nose-dived: Town's turnover in 2005 will be just one third of what it was in 2002.
The lost revenue is almost all TV money: Grimsby's income from gate revenue has stayed comparatively flat at around £1m per annum over the last five years. NTL's financial woes and the consequent fallout of a lucrative contract for subsidiary FLPTV to supply the official web site, and a promised £300K loan from the Football Trust which was reneged on were also contributing factors.
The irony is that with all the pre-ITV Digital contracts now finished, the club have returned to a position where their income and outgoings are of a comparable magnitude. Unfortunately the tax man and an unpaid bill of £720K stand in the way of an otherwise brighter future....
May-00 | Wages for company - £2.96 million |
---|---|
May-00 | Company Turnover - £2.76 million |
May-00 | Gate income for company - £1.24 million |
May-00 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £0.86m |
May-00 | Overall financial support - £500k |
May-00 | Continue as established Football League Division 1 team |
Jul-00 | Signed up ITV Digital deal - 3 years - worth £315 million to Football League clubs |
Jul-00 | Signed up NTL Internet deal (worth £65 million to Football League clubs) |
Aug-00 | Received £150,000 rights fee advance from NTL/FLPTV partnership |
Sep-00 | Received £1.1 million advance on ITV Digital deal through Football League |
Jan-01 | Received £150,000 rights fee advance from NTL/FLPTV partnership |
May-01 | Wages for company - £4.35 million |
May-01 | Company turnover - £3.07 million |
May-01 | Gate income for company - £1.08 million |
May-01 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £ 0.91m |
May-01 | Overall financial support - £600k |
May-01 | Continue as established Football League division 1 team |
Jul-01 | John Fenty & Mike Rouse co-opted to board of directors |
Sep-01 | Received £1.97 million, first yearly payment of 3 year ITV Digital deal |
Feb-02 | Hugely successful 'Up The Mariners' campaign undertaken by GTFC / Grimsby Telegraph |
Apr-02 | ITV Digital collapses before end of first season |
Apr-02 | NTL file for chapter 11 bankruptcy in USA, forcing FLPTV to renegotiate Football League deal |
May-02 | Wages for company - £4.15 million |
May-02 | Company turnover - £6.36 million |
May-02 | Gate income for company £1.4 million |
May-02 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £ 3.83 million |
May-02 | Overall financial support - £1.15 million |
May-02 | Continue as established Football League division 1 team |
Jul-02 | Signed new deal with BSkyB worth £95 million over 4 years |
Nov-02 | Michael Chapman joins board |
Dec-02 | FT/FL 'rescue' received non repayable grant from FL / FT of £332,000 (1st Division status) |
Dec-02 | Promise of FL / Football Trust 'loan' of £333,333 |
Jan-03 | John Elsom joins board |
May-03 | Wages for company - £3.09 million |
May-03 | Company turnover - £3.84 million |
May-03 | Gate income for company £1.19 million |
May-03 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £1.13 million |
May-03 | Overall financial support - £1.25 million |
May-03 | Relegated to Football League Division 2 |
Jun-03 | Released player of the year Danny Coyne (Welsh international keeper) for free to Leicester saving wages £250,000 p/a |
Aug-03 | FT/FL 'rescue' received non repayable grant from FL / FT of £50,000 (2nd Division status) |
Dec-03 | Collapse of proposed £333,333 FL / FT loan due to legal issues raised by trustees of Football Trust. |
Jan-04 | Sold midfielder Alan Pouton to Gillingham for £25k saving wages circa £60,000 |
Feb-04 | Sold top goal scorer Michael Boulding to Barnsley for £50k saving wages circa £60,000 |
May-04 | Wages for company - £2.26 million |
May-04 | Company turnover - £2.5 million |
May-04 | Gate income for company £1.05 million |
May-04 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £ 0.86m |
May-04 | Overall financial support - £2.05 million |
May-04 | Directors meet Inland Revenue to negotiate settlement |
May-04 | Inland Revenue grant moratorium in order for club to explore repayment plan |
May-04 | Relegated to Football League Division 3 |
Jun-04 | Players with 'ITV Digital' enhanced contracts expire |
Sep-04 | Michael Rouse leaves board |
May-05 | Forecast wages for company - £1.47 million |
May-05 | Forecast company turnover - £2.17 million |
May-05 | Forecast gate income for company £0.95 million |
May-05 | FL television & broadcasting income for company £ 0.42 million |
Thanks to GTFC for providing the data for this article.
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