Why it’s vital for Posh to reach the Championship: There are seven million reasons for starters

The PT spoke to club director of football Barry Fry about them.

INSTANT CASH BOOST

Clubs have had a potentially ruinous financial year because of Covid issues, so, for kick-off, there are seven million reasons why winning promotion this season is so important.

“Just by going up and before a ball is kicked we would be £7 million better off,” Fry stated. “That’s the difference in TV money and solidarity payments between the Championship and League One

“Plus we would get £100k every time one of our home games was screened live on TV. In League One it’s £30k for a home game.”

According to the Daily Express that £100k fee rises to £120k for a Sunday match and £140k for a Thursday game. The away side in a live TV game receives a flat £10k fee.

Championship clubs received a £2.3 million basic award and a £4.5 million solidarity payment from the Premier League this season.

According to VitalFootball.co.uk each League One club reportedly received £677,000 this season. The teams also received a £645,000 ‘solidarity payment’ from the Premier League.

“The difference in payments explains why clubs coming down from the Championship to League One start with such a massive advantage,” Fry added

BETTER PLAYERS

“Naturally going into the Championship means we have a better chance of keeping our better players and a better chance of attracting quality additions,” Fry said. “Our playing budget for next season would be bigger if we won promotion.”

There is a school of thought that many first-team regulars from this season would struggle at the higher level. One Posh fan recently suggested the club would need a ‘Steve Evans-style rebuild’ if they went up. Evans signed 23 players in his 11 months as Posh manager.

The first order of business should Posh go up would be offering wing wizard Siriki Dembele an improved contract, but if he turned it down at least he would be easier to replace if Championship football is available.

One unknown for next season is the real financial effect of the pandemic. Some clubs could well be forced into player sales just to keep going.

Posh have delayed contract talks, that would normally have been held by now, with several players

A TOUGHER LEAGUE ONE

League One has been poor this season.

But it’s shaping up to be a very tough third tier in 2021-22. Relative giants Sunderland and Ipswich are under wealthy new owners, with decent managers in place, who are ready to spend their way to promotion. That could also be the case with Wigan and Charlton, while Blackpool are stirring under a rich local owner.

The relegation of Rotherham and Wycombe would be of little consequence to promotion chasers, but a Sheffield Wednesday side managed by Darren Moore would be a threat providing they’ve sorted themselves out at boardroom level and Portsmouth could well become a force under the Cowleys, if they stay.

Bigger crowds

In their last Championship season (2012-13) Posh’s average home gate was 8,200. It’s reasonable to expect that figure to rise next season if Championship football was on offer as fans should be clamouring to get back into grounds after 18 months without a live football fix.

“The likes of Forest, Stoke, Derby would sell out the away end,” Fry insisted.

POtential hangover

If Posh failed to finish in the top two after looking in such a strong position they’d need a massive pick-me-up ahead of the play-offs.

And if the play-offs ended in failure there would also be a danger a hangover would stretch into the start of next season a la Oxford this season.