Blue Square Bet Premier League Play-Offs: Finance, Fleetwood and the Football League

As Crawley Town were confirmed as Blue Square Bet Premier champions weeks ago, it is now the turn of the finalised play-off line-up to mount their decisive bids for promotion as the prospect of reaching the Football League looms, William Geldart writes. 

With only one game of the regular season remaining, AFC Wimbledon, Luton Town, Wrexham and surprise package Fleetwood Town have ensured their inclusion in this year’s play-off competition, with the final due to be held on Saturday May 21 at the City of Manchester Stadium. 

How perverse that the prize of League football, something that could prove crucial to safeguarding the financial future of those involved, will be played out at the home of the richest club in the world, Manchester City. 

Certainly, Wrexham’s much publicised off-field turmoil has been well documented and they can only dream of acquiring a benefactor similar to that of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, City’s owner who is believed to have a family fortune of over $1 trillion (£555 billion). 

Indeed, the owners of the north Wales side, Ian Roberts and Geoff Moss, have publicly declared that no more funds are available for the Dragons, potentially threatening their participation in the play-offs as they battle to clear some of the club’s £14 million worth of debt. 

In a statement released by Roberts and Moss, it was said that “Various attempts to sell the club have been made, with some still ongoing, however, no potential investors, have yet been willing and/or able to commit to a deal. Whilst the team is on the verge of a potential promotion, it is unfortunate that the funding seems to have now reached an end.” 

Should they be granted the necessary permission by the relevant bodies involved, they will contest a play-off semi-final against Luton Town, who were defeated by York City in an ill-tempered match at the same stage last season. 

Luton are no strangers to financial hardship themselves, a situation illustrated by their relegation from the Football League in 2009. The Hatters had suffered an insurmountable 30 point deduction owing to the club’s previous state of administration and other irregularities. 

The Bedfordshire club are assured of third place in the league meaning they will enjoy home advantage in the second-leg of their play-off semi-final with Wrexham, due to take place in early May. 

It has been a steady season under the guidance of manager Gary Brabin. It is one that has already included a healthy dose of excitement, notably an FA Cup second round encounter with League One Charlton Athletic.  The first game at The Valley ended in a 2-2 draw before Luton gamely fell to a 3-1 home defeat in the Replay. 

The goals of striker Matthew Barnes-Homer have been crucial in propelling the Hatters into the upper echelons of the league and the squad already contains a healthy blend of Football League experience and non-league exuberance. 

Goakleeper Mark Tyler made 483 appearances for Peterborough United whereas midfielder-cum-defender Adam Newton was also a team-mate between 2002 and 2008. 

Former Cambridge United winger Robbie Wilmott is beginning to feature prominently for Luton and the 21-year-old has weighed in with some important goals in recent weeks, including a brace against Eastbourne Borough in a 3-0 win. 

Wrexham, meanwhile, secured a play-off date with Luton courtesy of their 4-2 victory over relegation threatened Tamworth yesterday. 

Manager Dean Saunders had been under intense pressure at the start of the season following two successive mid-table finishes, leading to widespread criticism from the club’s fans. 

The recruitment of striker Andy Mangan, the division’s top scorer during the previous season, has proved the catalyst for the Dragons’ assault on promotion. 

Indeed, despite scarce resources, Saunders has a relatively impressive squad at his disposal. Aside from 15-goal Mangan, the Dragons boast former Scottish Premier League winner Marvin Andrews amongst their ranks alongside FA Cup winner and fellow defender, Frank Sinclair. 

Wrexham saw off Luton at the Racecourse Ground with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of a Mangan strike. The return league fixture next Saturday at Kenilworth Road, home to Luton Town, will be a rehearsal for the two-legged play-off affair due to begin just a few days later. 

AFC Wimbledon, the club founded by fans of Wimbledon FC, in protest at the club’s relocation to Milton Keynes in 2004, are on the brink of seeing their incarnation return to the Football League. 

It has been an epic tussle between Crawley and Wimbledon this season. The Dons’ patchy form in the second-half of the season, however, coupled with the former’s almost untouchable brilliance, has meant they will have to win promotion the hard way. 

It is the first time they have reached the league’s play-offs after an eight placed finish last year, in their inaugural season at the top of the non-league pyramid. 

Manager Terry Brown’s squad is largely made up of those who have helped the Dons to previous success and players garnered from other non-league outfits besides those deemed surplus to requirements at League clubs. 

Defender Ishmail Yakubu is one of the few Wimbledon squad members with extensive Football League experience, having played over 200 times for Barnet. 

Strikers Danny Kedwell and Kirk Hudson feature prominently for a team who have scored 81 league goals so far this season, conceding just 46 at the other end of the pitch. 

The Dons will hope to continue to capitalise on their attacking prowess if they are to replicate the feats of their predecessors, who achieved promotion to the Football League in 1977, reaching the top division in 1986. 

Lancashire club, Fleetwood Town, are the final side to make the play-offs following a remarkable first season in the fifth tier of English football. 

It could be argued that Fleetwood are an unknown quantity however an examination of their squad displays their strength and experience. 

Veteran defender Sean Gregan regularly appears for the club affectionately nicknamed ‘The Cod Army’, a former Leeds United player who has appeared in all four professional divisions in England. 

Quite possibly the only Brazilian to feature in English non-league football, Magno Viera, has been instrumental in Fleetwood’s success this season. A prolific striker in the Blue Square Premier League, Viera has found it difficult to establish himself whilst at League clubs. 

His 22 league goals so far in his first season at Fleetwood, his latest coming in the 1-0 win over Barrow that secured a play-off berth, have certainly endeared him to the club’s fans. They will be hoping Viera and the club are given the chance to prove themselves in the league above. 

Prior to Fleetwood’s Easter programme of fixtures, manager Mickey Mellon told BBC Radio Lancashire, “We haven’t achieved anything yet, although we’ll certainly get excited if we cement that play-off place and go on to win the final at Eastlands [Manchester City's stadium].” 

It’s going to be a fascinating tussle between those involved to reach the Football League. AFC Wimbledon defeated Fleetwood in south-west London with both sharing the spoils at Fleetwood’s Highbury stadium. 

One question to ponder remains. How much is promotion to the Football League really worth? Certainly the club that achieves promotion will enjoy an increased profile and enjoy a slice of the most recent broadcasting deal between the BBC and BSkyB worth £264 million. There is the prestige, the added feel-good factor around the town and the likelihood of increased attendances. 

Offset by this, wages might go up although Dagenham and Redbridge’s promotion to League One shows that further progression is possible, even with meagre resources. 

In truth, managing promotion to the Football League is a delicate balancing act. Wrexham’s problems are not likely to be solved without significant investment, for example. Winning the play-off final would not represent total salvation for a club so seriously in debt. 

According to the respected Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance 2010, the potential negatives and positives of Football League membership are highlighted. 

There are repeated warnings following the recent financial turmoil witnessed at clubs such as Stockport County, Darlington and the now defunct Chester City. 

For those in the bottom two divisions, “Legacy debt issues and the risks taken by some boards of directors will, without correction, inevitably lead to further insolvency cases in the seasons to come.” 

In addition, the Football League is “now spending 86% of its revenues on total wages… which is a huge, and ultimately unsustainable, financial challenge.” 

Although economic conditions remain difficult, it was also reported that “The overall revenues of the 92 top English professional clubs exceeded £2.5 billion for the first time in 2008/09, an increase of almost £100m.” 

Whoever wins promotion alongside Crawley Town, a club envied by others in non-league circles because of its generous funding, the caveat of Football League status and increased revenue will have to be managed carefully. 

For those such as Wrexham, promotion could ensure a vital financial lifeline, no matter how temporary. If you’re a Luton Town fan, there may be a sense of entitlement, a notion that your club belongs back in ‘the 92’. 

If you’re a supporter of either AFC Wimbledon or Fleetwood Town, however, there is a romantic feeling of destiny that those particular teams are on the verge of achieving what seemed impossible merely a decade ago. 

The Football Blog will continue to provide extensive analysis of all levels of the national game and beyond as this season draws to a close. Don’t forget to revisit the site to read the thoughts of fans across the country.