[theo_luddite]

You need to look at what Brighton spent to get to where we both got to at the same time Snoots. Since then they've sold (mostly) and bought at a level to keep them there. They had a plan to get there, we more or less stumbled our way up there when mid-table mediocrity was the real goal. How many players have left Brighton to play for other Prima Donna (or elite European) clubs? How many of our players have trod the same path, other than Mooy? He went to Brighton, China and now Celtic.
Everton have spent way more than us and Brighton combined, maybe you should compare us to them given where they are?
The bad decision we made was maybe getting promoted in the first place?
We had one of the lowest budgets in the Chumpionship at the time we were promoted and we still do.
We had the lowest budget in the Prima Donna League and survived for 2 seasons.
That we were less than brilliant on how we spent that budget didn't help but were never, ever going to stay up spending less than everyone else.
We are finally punching at our weight (er, spend) in the Chumpionship, rather than above it, and wondering why we are as piss poor as we actually are.
Why we are spending less than Luton, Coventry, Hull, Brum, Cardiff and a few others of similar stature is beyond me, but spend nowt, you get nowt generally.
I know if you go barmy, you go bust (see Derby) but we're a long way from being another Derby.
We might be playing them next season though, just not in the Chumpionship.