£1.4m in Transfer Kitty

[BobbyBiscuit]

Announced just in time for the AGM... how coincidental.

 

 

http://www.thisisaberdeen.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=148766&command=displayContent&sourceNode=148590&contentPK=19143630&pNodeId=148360

 

JIMMY GETS £1.4M KITTY

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12:00 - 03 December 2007

 

 

 

The Dons are hoping an extra £1.4m in the transfer kitty will help persuade manager Jimmy Calderwood to agree a new contract.

 

Speaking ahead of the club's annual general meeting at Pittodrie tonight, managing director Duncan Fraser confirmed the board have agreed to come up with the extra cash, despite debts of around £10m and average crowds this season dropping to 11,800, the lowest for four years.

 

Fraser said: "We have come up with an additional £1.4m, from the sale of Russell Anderson and other avenues.

 

 

 

"Part of it was put back in this season and the rest will be available for his use over the next three years.

 

"That is a guaranteed basic sum. Other money could become available if we generate extra funds through success on the pitch or maybe sell a player."

 

Calderwood stated he wanted guarantees he could "take the club up a level" before he would extend his contract, which is due to expire in the summer.

 

Calderwood confirmed he will have further talks with football director Willie Miller this week in the hope of finally ending the uncertainty over his future.

 

Calderwood said: "I'm off to Copenhagen tomorrow to support Atletico Madrid and won't be back until Thursday, so the talks may have to wait until then.

 

"But we have pretty much agreed on the personal side of the contract.

 

"I want to stay and they want me to stay - they know how much I love it at Aberdeen.

 

"We just have to discuss a few other things and we will take it from there."

 

Calderwood revealed striker Lee Miller, the star performer in their 3-1 SPL victory over Hibs at Pittodrie, will be the next Dons player to be offered a new contract.

 

Michael Hart, Jamie Langfield, Chris Clark, Barry Nicholson and Zander Diamond are already thinking over new deals.

 

Calderwood said: "We were trying to get the other five sorted out so we haven't made a formal offer to Lee yet, but I hope that will happen within the next 10 days.

 

"I've already spoken to Lee to underline how much I want him to stay. It's just a matter of Willie sorting out those other ones then getting down to discussions with Lee and his agent.

 

"Lee knew six weeks ago that I wanted him to extend his stay with Aberdeen, so I hope he will get that sorted out before we go into the New Year."

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Certainly sounds promising.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Sounds good but I wonder how that compares to any other season as "part of it was put back in this season and the rest will be available for his use over the next three years".

 

Possibly not the smartest move telling people how much is in the kitty though.  Hart, Langfield, Clark, Nicholson, Zander and Lee Miller all now know they may get a slice of that along with any clubs we're looking to nab players from.

[Ajja]

Now we know where Miller's form has come from

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Now we know where Miller's form has come from

 

Yeah, seems to have co-incidentally enough gotten a lot better about 6 weeks ago.

[Guest Nellie The Don]

A wee bid to make Aluko's move permanent, then?

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

A wee bid to make Aluko's move permanent, then?

 

Dunno about that Nellie. He did well in a couple of games, remember Snoyl? He didn't do enough with his Dutchness.

 

 

[Millers Tache]

Dunno about that Nellie. He did well in a couple of games, remember Snoyl? He didn't do enough with his Dutchness.

 

 

 

Speaking of Snoyle, did anyone else see he was freed/sacked by his club in Holland the other week? Turned up fat for pre-season, then got arrested for domestic violence. He's gone to some second division team in Holland now.

 

£1.4 million sounds quite good. Over 3 seasons does not sound so good. But it's some much needed transfer money in the kitty at any rate.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Speaking of Snoyle, did anyone else see he was freed/sacked by his club in Holland the other week? Turned up fat for pre-season, then got arrested for domestic violence. He's gone to some second division team in Holland now.

 

£1.4 million sounds quite good. Over 3 seasons does not sound so good. But it's some much needed transfer money in the kitty at any rate.

 

Yeah, heard that too MT. I also heard he was about to make a dramatic return to the SPL with Inverness

 

Just wonder the way the 1.4 is distributed ie is it wages? Signing on fees? Transfer fees? 1.4, even over 3 years, could actually be quite a lot in SPL terms, albeit outwith the OF, Hearts  and a pretty financially secure Hibs.

[Millers Tache]

That's why i'm wondering if it's as good as the soundbite headline suggests. The article even says we've used some of it already. In SPL terms, it is a good amount of cash though and i'm not going to grumble if we see some good players coming in as a result.

[El Padre™]

Its almost half a mill a season, I reckon calderwood could do not bad with that. 

[BobbyBiscuit]

That's why i'm wondering if it's as good as the soundbite headline suggests. The article even says we've used some of it already. In SPL terms, it is a good amount of cash though and i'm not going to grumble if we see some good players coming in as a result.

 

It does also say that more may be made available.

[Guest Nellie The Don]

It does also say that more may be made available.

 

More might be made available, but in practice it'll be handed over to a bunch of spanish touts who will take a massive cut and rip us off.

[El Padre™]

It does also say that more may be made available.

 

Possible involvement from Fund a Don? 

[Superstar Tradesman]

Its almost half a mill a season, I reckon calderwood could do not bad with that. 

 

Is it is half a million per season for tranfer fees alone it will be.

 

Unless that figure include the player's wages they're looking to bring in?

[bilbobaggins]

Possible involvement from Fund a Don? 

 

They are too busy formulating their plan to take over the world.

 

[BigAl]

Pretty sure that sum will include the increased wages for players we're hoping to re-sign

[Sharpie]

Pretty sure that sum will include the increased wages for players we're hoping to re-sign

 

Aye, the cynic within me agrees.

[glasgow sheep]

my god....this years agm will be even more of a cake walk for the board than recent years.

Good result on sat, decent euro run and now £1.4M added to the football budget.  Amazing what they will do to avoid probing questions about the farcical nature of our finances and plans for the future (cross our fingers and close our eyes)

 

I'd be amazed if this works out as much more than a few magic beans per season.  Most will go to wages (including JC and the rest) and (re)signing on fees. 

 

I'm sure it will mean we have a bit of leeway to get in a bosman here and there but I don't believe we'll actually see £1.4M in JCs hands in 10yrs, never mind 3

[capitalsharpie]

Its time for Willie Miller to show us wot hes made to keep the players that are worth keeping (and yeasyou cynics, there are a few) . I dare say though, is probably more than the likes of motherwell and Killie have to work with.

[rednek]

Some of it should be used to resign Hart et all. With a new manager at brum could Aluko be staying? And with JC's contacts half a mill is an awful lot of money.