You spent about £40m to get promoted man. Don’t give me this utter bollocks about net spend, because yes you made money off players who you still spent £40m to replace them!!
That is not being ‘shockingly backed’.
Ashley could have quite easily done a Short and pulled off funding. He didn’t, he gambled and spent big to get promoted. Rafa spent that money on average players who nobody now wants to take, probably because of their higher wages. This is hindering things now.
People did say at the time that spending big money on the likes of Clark, Gayle and Ritchie is all well and good to get you promoted, but when these players are sitting on lucrative deals and Rafa wants an upgrade, what happens then??
But aye, net spend and all that shit that goes with it!