£800,000 but Darragh won't break the bank
DARRAGH MacAnthony believes the payment of silly wages to over-rated players is the quickest route to big debts, administration and points deductions.
DARRAGH MacAnthony believes the payment of silly wages to over-rated players is the quickest route to big debts, administration and points deductions.The Posh chairman confirmed today that the club had spent 800,000 on their three new signings this summer, but he insists Tommy Rowe, Lee Frecklington and Toumani Diagouraga will turn out to be bargains.
MacAnthony also revealed that Posh made unsuccessful bids for strikers Leigh Griffiths from Scottish Division One side Livingston and Oli Johnson from Stockport as well as Grimsby central defender Ryan Bennett.
MacAnthony said: "I am delighted to have signed the three lads even though they set me back 800k up front. They will prove to be massive signings and bargains as well as becoming big fans' favourites this season.
"I am gutted at missing some other targets, but it wasn't for the want of trying. I know some of the fans wanted us to bring in more experienced names or break our wage policy to get players, but it is not going to happen as I have had a policy from day one unlike other people who buy football clubs.
"I decided that paying silly wages to over-rated players would just saddle our club with massive debts. I would rather spend 300k buying a top young talent on affordable wages who will compliment our young squad and work hard to get an improved contract, than spend five or six grand per week on a 29 year-old free transfer looking for a last payday.
"Football clubs in the league need to have a look at themselves with some of the wages they pay as many have saddled themselves with ridiculous wage bills which leads to the heartache of administration and points deductions.
"An example would be two players offered to us over six weeks ago on free transfers. We could have secured them for 1,800 per week, but they weren't for us as the gaffer didn't fancy them.
"They have now joined League One clubs for 3k per week thus illustrating my point about how some clubs are run.
"We of course missed out on Bennett which annoyed me big time as we put together a deal that would have earned Grimsby up to a million over time and I am sure it would have allowed them to bring in four or five good players that may have given them a good push in League Two.
Continued on next page"I can appreciate when a club doesn't want to sell its best assets and that's fine if you are already competing at the top end of a league, but it may not be too prudent when you need to improve your squad.
"We were messed about a bit with Griffiths after putting in a good 250,000 offer and as his club has massive issues off the field that bid will be one they regret turning down.
"We also put a solid 250,000 bid in for the Stockport striker, but again they wanted 400,000 which I thought was madness for a player that played 15 times last season and cost them nothing nine months ago.
"You win some, you lose some, but we will bring in a minimum of two players to improve our squad for next season's promotion push, just not at any price.
"I know some fans wanted bigger signings but I sat with the gaffer after the season ended and asked him what he needed and the list was short. He wants to stay loyal to many of the players who have brought us success."
Griffiths (18) scored 18 goals in 21 appearances for Livingston last season and was on on the verge of a 300,000 move to West Brom before Baggies boss Tony Mowbray left The Hawthorns.
Johnson joined Stockport from Nostell Miners Welfare in October 2008 and scored six goals in his first season at Edgeley Park.
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Saturday 20 March 2010
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