Walsall Football Club have this afternoon released a statement in response to recent press articles and supporter queries, and you can read it below.
The statement, which was released via Saddlers.co.uk, reads; In response to recent press articles, Walsall Football Club wishes to address a number of supporter queries and concerns ahead of the new 2017/18 campaign.
The club can confirm that this season’s ‘Playing Budget’ has been increased compared to last season. While exact figures are commercially sensitive and will not be disclosed, we can confirm it is the biggest playing budget we have ever had in this division. We can further confirm that funds remain available to the manager for further recruitment.
The club’s policy to reinvest ‘Football Fortune’ (i.e. monies received in respect of player transfers and cup prize money) has not altered. 50% of funds are reinvested directly into the manager’s playing budget as they are received and 50% is spent on the infrastructure of the club.
At the core of the club’s philosophy is the development of our own players from the Academy through to the first team. The club have invested a significant amount of money in our infrastructure in order to further enhance facilities, equipment and staffing levels within the Academy and first team.
A new FIFA Quality Pro 4G pitch has been installed at the Banks’s Stadium for the Academy players to hone their skills, two fully-equipped gymnasiums are in operation at the stadium and improvements to the training facilities at our Essington training base have been undertaken. This is vital to the ongoing development and sustainability of our philosophy.
We are all committed - directors, management, staff and players - to a long-term and sustainable philosophy which centres around a programme and set of values throughout the club from our under-9’s to the first-team.
The club also uses this money to reinvest in commercial ventures, which in turn generate additional long-term profits to be re-invested into the playing side of the club year-on-year.
A full set of Audited Accounts are produced each and every year, detailing the club’s finances including this investment. The Audited Accounts are a publicly available document and can be downloaded from the Companies House website. The club also issue Accounts to shareholders and invite questions concerning the figures each year at the AGM.
We are looking forward to the new season and felt it was important to clarify our position on a number of fronts.
We would like to thank fans for their continued support as we look ahead to the new campaign. A Fans Focus meeting has been arranged for this coming Monday, July 31st, where club officials will be on hand to further elaborate on these positions.