Dundee United find themselves in an exasperating financial position in the wake of the David Goodwillie sale.
When their star striker joined Blackburn Rovers earlier this month, the deal saw the English club agree to pay £2 million up front. Winging its way to Tannadice would be £1.8 million and the rest was to be collected by the player.
Chairman Stephen Thompson immediately stated that “the vast majority” of the new cash would go on debt reduction, with bankers HBOS owed approximately £5.4 million accompanied by a £1 million overdraft.
That prudent approach from the United board would also have allowed for some money to go to manager Peter Houston to spend most likely on wages for a frontman to replace Goodwillie.
However, the bank have insisted all the money goes towards reducing the debt, leaving the club in financial handcuffs. It is now clear that no player will be added to the squad unless funded by something other than the Goodwillie cash. Therefore, the prospect of a new face arriving any time soon is remote.
It is a remarkable bind for a club that has just been involved in a sale that, including add-ons, could ultimately be worth £2.8 million. Perhaps more worrying than there being no fresh funds for signings, none of the Goodwillie pot can be put towards running costs either. That will mean Thompson and his fellow directors indulging in more fiscal juggling in the months ahead.
Directors and manager are at least united in facing up to the bank’s hardline approach, with Houston speaking after Saturday’s home defeat to Dunfermline about how he may have targets in mind but is also well aware of the situation regarding the bank.
He stated: “If that’s the way it is and we don’t have any money I can’t say anything. It’s either do it (buy) or don’t do it. We will work with what we have and what I do have is a good group of honest players.
“I know the situation. If there’s no money then fine.”
The news that there will be no transfer kitty will disappoint those in the dressing-room, with midfielder John Rankin, one of the players signed over the summer, having expressed his hope that he may be joined by others before the end of the month.
“The depth of the squad is probably not what we would like it to be,” admitted Rankin. “There are another two weeks before the transfer window closes and I am sure the manager is looking to bring new faces in. Whether he can do that or not, I don’t know.
“We would like to see more players coming in because competition for places is good at any club. Sometimes having that competition brings people on another notch and it is also good for a dressing-room to see new faces.”