Below youâÂÂll find a rather interesting league table. It shows the price that 10 Premier League club owners have paid for each and every point their club has won since they took over. Take a lookâ¦
So how much would you pay for a Premier League point? Any Premier League club owners care to answer?
Now, weâÂÂre not stupid: we know the science weâÂÂve applied isnâÂÂt going to win the Nobel Prize anytime soon. But as a snapshot of the current situation in Premier League boardrooms, itâÂÂs fascinating stuff.
Though Liverpool top a table that John W Henry would surely rather they didnâÂÂt, youâÂÂd guess he wonâÂÂt be too upset. Having splashed out to buy the club 12 months ago, then invested in players to make them competitive again, heâÂÂll feel confident that the points will pile up and the price per point will rapidly drop.
Find out where John W Henry is in the Football Rich List 2011/12
Ditto Sheikh Mansour â if he cares at all.
After all, in this particular league, once youâÂÂve bought your club, the only way is down. Even Roman Abramovich is under ã2m per point now.
The big losers: Arsenal & Everton
But what of Stanley Kroenke at Arsenal, third in the list, having spent ã1 million more PER POINT than both Manchester United and Chelsea, but still struggling to compete for silverware.
Or Everton, the paupers across Stanley Park. At ã48,000 per point, the Toffees even manage to make Tottenham Hotspur look profligate.
And the revelation, just four days after another derby defeat, that Liverpool have spent 156 TIMES MORE per point can only increase the pressure on an Everton board already facing serious criticism for their failure to invest.
Find out where Bill Kenright is in the Football Rich List 2011/12
In the context of our price per point league table, a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool looks admirable. But not many in the Gwladys Street End will see it that way.
Did you know?
This bit wonâÂÂt stand up to any mathematical interrogation whatsoever. But itâÂÂs harmless enough. At ã7.5m per pointâ¦
⢠Liverpool would have had to stump up ã301m to guarantee avoiding relegation last season.
⢠Or ã608m to win the Premier League title.
⢠Luis Suarez only needs to earn Liverpool 3 points this season to pay back his transfer fee.
⢠And Charlie Adam only needs to earn 1 point to pay back his transfer fee (though some would say he owes another 3 points after that sending off against Spurs).
Club-by-club breakdown: how we worked it out
Liverpool
Since October 15 2010, Liverpool FC has been owned by Fenway Sports Group (which in turn is owned by American, John W Henry). Fenway paid ã300m for the club, and have spent a further ã144m on it in the interim, resulting in a total spending figure of ã444m. In the short time period since this ownership began, Liverpool have scored 59 Premier League points making FenwayâÂÂs cost per point ã7,525,423.73.
Manchester City
Sheikh Mansour became the owner of the Manchester City football club on September 23 2008, paying ã210m to take control of the club. Since then heâÂÂs poured ã793m into the club, bringing his total spending to a staggering ã1.003 billion. Since then, City have notched up a total of 188 premier league points, meaning Mansour has paid the grand sum of ã5,335,106.38 for every league point.
Sunderland
Ellis Short has invested ã300m into Sunderland since taking it over in May 2009. The club has only won a total of 93 points since then, creating a hefty sum of ã2,257,526.88 for every point earned.
Arsenal
Stanley KroenkeâÂÂs Arsenal shares are worth around ã731m. In the period since he first bought shares in the North London club in 2007, Arsenal have picked up 298 Premier League points, resulting in a price of ã2,453,020.13 per point.
Manchester United
US billionaire Malcolm Glazer controversially bought Manchester United for ã790m in May 2005. Since then he has invested nothing in the club, the funds for transfers being self-generating. Yet Manchester United has gone on to win 523 League points, resulting in a total expenditure of ã1,510,516.25 for every point.
Chelsea
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea for ã140m in June 2003 and has since spent ã816.5m on the club, bringing his total expenditure to ã956.5m. In the eight years since the transaction took place, Chelsea have won 680 Premier League points resulting in a total cost of ã1,406,617.65 for every point.
Aston Villa
American entrepreneur Randy Lerner bought Aston Villa for ã62.6m in August 2006, and has put a further ã223m into the club since. Villa have won 289 Premier League points in LernerâÂÂs five years, making the price of every point ã988,235.29.
Fulham
Infamous as the previous owner of Harrods, Mohamed Al-Fayed, added Fulham FC to his portfolio back in the summer of 1997. He paid ã6.25m for the club and has since put around ã203.6m into it. In the 14 years since he bought it, Fulham has earned a total of 460 Premier League points meaning that Al-Fayed has paid a comparatively cheap ã456,195.65 per point.
TottenhamHotspur
ENIC Group owner Joe Lewis first bought shares in Tottenham Hotspur in 2001 and, by 2011, owned 85 percent of the club. The club was worth ã150m then, and has earned 564 League point since, which works out at ã303,191.49 per point, including LewisâÂÂs subsequent investments.
Everton
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright paid a relatively small ã20m for the club. Since he became majority shareholder in 2004, the Toffees have earned 415 League points. That works out at the cheapest price per point in the 2010/11 top 10 Premier League clubs: just ã48,192.77.
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:Sheikh Mansour stays top of Rich List
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:Henry highest new entry on Rich List
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:See the Top 100 in full
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:Man United players dominate Rich List
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:Discover the 20 richest players
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:Capello tops manager standings
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:The 10 richest managers revealed
FOOTBALL RICH LIST:How we count the beans
