I think we should hang on to our best players, especially home-grown, and push for Europe. Why should we give in to the Man Utd's when they wave their cash? Show some intent. Southampton and Swansea are "selling clubs" and where has it got them?

The salary issue is a serious problem that I hadn't really considered. AWB will be on a low salary, doesn't matter what we sell him for, we wont be able to buy even one equivalent replacement because any recruit would want higher wages and I understand we are at maximum wages under FFP rules. So the talk of investing 50 million in two or three quality players just cannot happen unless we sell more of the squad.

The decision then becomes:

do we make 50 million this year and hope we can hang on another year with a weakened squad and invest next year when one or two of our high earners are off the books?

Or, do we hope AWB has another good year and retains his value so we can sell him at the end of the season and have the wage capacity to buy a decent replacement?

I know, we could sell the likes of Benteke. But would he go and who in their right mind would buy him?

If it's true that AWB is on £15k per week then surely if he stays we will have to seriously improve that?

With a fully-fit back four we have probably the best defence outside of the top 6, so it would be a huge loss, but our reliance on him is not the same as with Zaha.

Re the wages, FFP allows you to increase your yearly wage expenditure by £7m per year on last years total amount, unless the increases is funded by an uplift in revenue.

With £50m coming in, we would be within our rights to increase the wage bill by in excess of the £7m allowed. The downside is obviously that you are committing to a wage bill that would mean we would probably need to sell someone again next year or increase income significantly to pay for the wages in years 2 and 3.

I am more interested in following the team.

It makes me laugh when fans preoccupy themselves with the club finances. This club is not broke. It has a high wage bill like all PL clubs.

We will never do anything other than circle the plug hole if we sell our best players. The most important business in football is done on the pitch and our status as a PL club is in serious danger if we don't stay ahead of the bottom clubs.

Parish has had as much luck as good judgment so far.

My point being that we haven't sold our best players, which is a good effort if you think about the talent in our squad.

We posted a £35M loss in 17/18 season, and that was delayed which was worrying. We haven't finished in Europe or sold anyone, so that loss may have deepened.You just can't ignore that as a fan?

It may be worth considering the financial side when supporting the team, as we cannot throw money around. It only leads to high expectations and an underwhelming feeling at the end of each transfer window.

If AWB has to go for us to progress or stabilise, then so be it sadly.

Wilf is far more important. To lose both would be suicide.

I understand what you are saying, but this isn't Football Manager on the PC, and expectations of what we can achieve and remembering who are we are need to be real.