Catlin: Fans' backing handed Pompey budget rise

MARK CATLIN revealed Pompey's thriving finances have resulted in Paul Cook being handed an increased budget to escape League Two.
Mark Catlin. Picture: Joe PeplerMark Catlin. Picture: Joe Pepler
Mark Catlin. Picture: Joe Pepler

Season-ticket holder numbers are quickening towards the 12,500 mark, while commercial aspects of the Blues continue to flourish.

Off the field, Pompey remain stable and debt-free, a position also boosted by Adam Webster’s Ipswich sale.

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And the outcome has seen Cook allowed more financial muscle to create a playing squad to achieve promotion.

Catlin said: We’ve had four years of consistent season-ticket growth, commercially it has improved, the conferencing and banqueting department is functioning extremely well now and there are a lot of positives.

‘With Paul coming in last year the expectations rose greatly and rightly so, so our budget has consistently improved.

‘There has been a slight improvement on the budget this season.

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‘We have one of the most competitive budgets in the league. Year-on-year we have continued to put more into the core product, which is players and management.

‘Yet we remain sustainable, trying to align what goes on off the pitch with what goes on on the pitch.

‘For the first season or two there was a little bit of a lag on the pitch because of all the focus and effort designed to stop the club going back into trouble off it.

‘We can’t take our eye off the ball – but off the pitch are in a relatively healthy position and all our focus needs to shift in ensuring our strength off the pitch manifests itself on it.

‘Tony Brown and myself manage to keep a lid on costs as much as we can – that then produces what you hope is a competitive budget on the pitch.’

– NEIL ALLEN