Win-Bonus Gate

Win-Bonus Gate

As a Football Fan and not a business man, there are certain aspects to running a club as Great as Hibernian F.C. that baffles me, usually the monitory comings and goings, but who does really understand that, let’s be honest

Even after reading the latest ‘Annual Report and Accounts’ released in September 2005 which boasts a turnaround from a loss of £1.9 million (for the year ended 31 July 2004) to a profit of £65,000 (for the year just ended 31 July 2005) which is great news for a business.

That I can understand. But only in the simplest of ways.

At the time of the Accounts’ release, Rod Petrie thanked fans for backing the Club’s ‘Stay at Easter Road’ Business Plan, and stressed that their continued support for Tony and the team was essential to the continued success of the Club

Well done, said I at the time, and I gave Mr. Petrie heaps of praise at the time

Superb appointment in Tony Mowbray that year as well I may add

With Mogga in charge of this young Hibs team, who did exceptionally well last season on the pitch, and in doing so brought back thousands of lapsed Hibees to Easter Road with the average gate increased by 3,300 (at say £15 a head that’s £49,500 A GAME), so much so in fact that this seasons ‘season ticket’ sales have broke all past records, the club merchandise is going good guns, new double sized club shop in construction to cope, all in all generating lots more income for the club on all fronts.
Still with me I hope

All that extra income because of the product on the field …

Now, this young team who have, in the most, just extended their contracts with Hibs, go away for their break happy enough with the season they have just had, and rightly so IMHO

Job well done, things looking rosy for the future again IMHO.

Then they come back looking forward to the new season and continuing where they left off last season….or so they thought.

Last season the players were on about £500 a match WIN Bonus, fair enough Hibs aren’t a Man U or a Chelsea, in saying that it's still about an average working mans weekly wage as a win bonus, so as I've said fair enough, if they earn it they deserve it.

BUT

and this is the bit that gets me:-

Employer to Hibs players “This season as a thank you for such a good season last time round, on the pitch as well as the bank balance, we’re going to CUT your win Bonus to £400 a match, how’s that, it’s only a drop of 20% BTW”



Eh!!!, now is it just me, or, does that make sense to you, as I don’t understand the logic in that one little bit.

With the release of high earners Orman, Fenwick, Murray etc. you would have thought the wages kitty would have been a plenty would you not?

A Max outlay of £1,600 to the players who have earned it!

I know a lot of people will say that they should go out on the pitch and try and win the game regardless, but is your job ‘Playing Football’?

Mine isn’t, but I for one would be furious if that happened to me at my work place.

You work your socks off for your employer, turn the product around, and then get hit in the pocket by the very people you have made money for!

If you show some loyalty to your employers you do expect a bit back, especially the line of business the players are in.

Sorry but it just doesn’t make sense to me no matter how I approach it.

As I said earlier, I’m no business man, just a fan, but that penny pinching like that just doesn’t make business nor Football sense to me. Keep the players happy without going over the top with wages etc. yes but to Cut a win bonus?!?!?!

LOST !!…also running on TV just now, and it’s quite cool, BTW

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