‘Lower end in terms of resources’: Chief’s budget admission and how Portsmouth now plan to fight wealth of Birmingham City, Wrexham & Co
The Championship welcomes financial heavy-hitters next season in a powerful line-up and, even with an improved playing budget, Pompey will be at the bottom end of the spending table. Chief executive Andy Cullen feels there’s reason for optimism, however.
Andy Cullen acknowledged the challenge Pompey face in a powerful Championship distorted by the financial muscle of its newcomers next season.
But the chief executive is adamant the Blues can take on the huge wealth of League One new boys Birmingham City and Wrexham, in what is going to be a stacked second tier next term.
Cullen acknowledged John Mousinho’s playing budget this season was near the foot of the division’s spending table, after a return to the level following a 12-year absence.
Pompey punched above their weight to finish a mightily impressive 16th, securing their place in the division with two games to spare in the process.
The budget is going up next term with there confidence more significant fees will be available for new faces, as the transfer window opens next week.
Things aren’t going to get easier for John Mousinho’s men, however, with Wrexham backed by Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and looking for a fourth successive promotion.
Meanwhile, Birmingham City spent big under billionaire Tom Wagner and NFL star Tom Brady, as they stormed to the League One title in record-breaking fashion.
Cullen pointed to the likes of Cardiff and Luton going down with resources beyond Pompey’s, as evidence it's not just about who has the biggest warchests for players.
He said: ‘The promoted teams is going to be another issue which could potentially distort the league, we understand that.
‘Birmingham would have been really strong financially whichever league they were in last season. They blew League One away in terms of the points they achieved and they spent well.
‘But it’s not just about the level of spend you have or the highest budget, it’s the way you recruit and the way you spend that money.
‘It’s well documented that we were towards the lower end last season in terms of the resources available to us, but we finished in a good position up the league.
‘You put that into context with the teams who went down with probably far bigger resources than we had.
‘Partly, that is down to the way you are to recruit along with other factors as well. That’s notwithstanding the dreadful luck we had last season with injuries, that’s not just with the number of injuries but the concentration in key positions.
‘That makes last year’s achievement particularly impressive.’
Premier League parachute payment shift in Championship
Some good news for Pompey arrives in the confirmed news fewer Championship sides will benefit from parachute payments in the 2025-26 season, with less of the £1.6 billion set aside by the Premier League remaining in the division.
With payments made over three seasons Luton have dropped straight into League One, while Leeds and Burnley have reset their counters with a return to the top flight in that period.
Relegated sides Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester were promoted in the 2023-24 campaign, meaning they will not receive the £17m clubs are due in the final season of payments. Clubs receive £48m in the first and £39m in the second season following relegation.
Mousinho’s stance is to look at the picture at Pompey, however, with the foundations of a competitive Championship group in place. The head coach is then taking confidence from the improved resources the football operation has to strengthen this summer.
Cullen added: ‘John articulates it brilliantly, in terms of where we are.
‘When you go up from one division to another you have that learning curve, as we had last season. We adapted at the right time and the core of our squad, the strength of our squad, did absolutely brilliantly to achieve what we did.’