West Brom news: Kieran Maguire issues ‘big club’ verdict after £53m reveal
The likes of West Brom do not gain an unfair advantage because of the parachute payment system.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the competitive balance in the Championship.
As relayed by the Daily Mail on Monday (28 March), a study from Sheffield Hallam Univesity found that parachute payments make a club three times more likely to be re-promoted from the Championship.
The study also revealed that the average turnover of a club in receipt of parachute payments is £53million, compared to £14.5m for those without.
West Brom are currently in their first year of parachute payments following their relegation from the Premier League in 2020-21.
But Maguire argues that their status as a “big club” means that they are more likely to go up, not the money they receive from the Premier League.
“They are more likely to go up because they have just come down with Premier League players,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“When you’ve got teams coming up from League One, they have League One players.
“West Brom are a bigger club than, say, Rotherham regardless of whether West Brom have parachute payments or not.
“There is more to this than parachute payments.
“Clubs who have been relegated from the Premier League tend to have owners who are willing to underwrite the losses associated with seeking promotion.
“The purpose of parachute payments is to stop clubs from going bust, and they have achieved that objective.”
Promotion looks a remote possibility for the Baggies this term.
Steve Bruce’s side are eight points outside the playoff places with seven games left to play.
In other news, major Sam Johnstone update from West Brom after plug pulled on loan deal.