Think these are the 99 questions
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1. Accuracy of presentation of financial data and statements in annual accounts
1.1. Please identify where, in the 2003 accounts, disclosure is made of agents' commission payments? If they are included in aggregate figure, please identify the figure.
1.2. Why are payments of commissions to agents not individually recorded in the company's annual accounts? Are the documents relating to player transfers examined by the auditors when preparing and auditing the company's annual accounts?
1.3. Why, notwithstanding the substantial sums involved, and the fact that the players bought and sold each year constitute a significant portion of the turnover of the company, do the accounts not contain a distinct, clear and fully explained note of the costs of trading players?
1.4. Please explain the process for amortisation of a player's value and the calculation of the net book value of the players. How is the drop in the net book value of players' registrations (from £82m in 2002 to £55m in 2003) explainable? Is this process in accord with relevant accounting standards and standard industry practice? Is it normal to spread the amortisation over equal annual instalments over the seasons covered by the player's contract?
1.5. Does the company consider that the policy of only capitalising acquired players provides a balance sheet which gives a true and fair assessment of the company's net assets at the balance sheet date? If so, why?
1.6. Please can you inform us if there is an outstanding sum owing to the company from Lazio in relation to the transfer fee for Mr Stam. Where is this outstanding debt referred to in the 2003 accounts?
1.7. What constitute the 'intangible fixed assets' for the purposes of the accounts? Does this include any commissions paid to player or club agents? In the alternative, are these agent commissions included in the section addressing 'signing-on fees'?
1.8. Why are the 'intangible fixed assets' and the 'signing-on fees' spread over the life of the player's contract?
1.9. On what basis are signing-on fees capitalised? Why are they shown in the accounts? If they are not shown separately, why?
1.10. In the remuneration report, it is stated that the company provides 'competitive rewards for its executive directors and other senior executives' and further that no 'senior executive is involved in any decision as to his own remuneration'. To what extent are senior executives' terms and conditions the same as those offered to directors?
1.11. What length of service contract is usually offered by the company to its senior executives? Why is the standard 12-month rolling contract (which the report indicates is applied to directors) not applied to all senior executives?
1.12. Please clarify the role and input of the audit committee on these issues and the preparation of the annual accounts.
1.13. What work has the 'external consultant' to the audit committee, as noted in the 2003 annual accounts, undertaken? What reports has this consultant made to the board and on what issues?
1.14. Why does the audit committee consider it inappropriate to have an internal audit function?
2. Conduct of player transfers by the company
2.1. On whose authority are transfer offers made to buying or selling clubs?
2.2. What role does the board play in the negotiations?
2.3. Does the board receive submissions as to the 'pros and cons' of each transaction? If so, what is the form of these submissions?
2.4. How is the purchase or sale price determined? To what extent is the amount paid determined by a considered view of the likely financial benefit of the transfer?
2.5. What role does the finance director play in the transfer? What analysis or due diligence is undertaken with respect to each transfer?
2.6. Please outline the extent of the board's consideration of the following transfers and provide details of the analysis or due diligence undertaken in each case:
2.6.1. The transfer of Mr Veron from Lazio to the company;
2.6.2. The transfer of Mr Veron from the company to Chelsea;
2.6.3. The transfer of Mr Ferdinand from Leeds United to the company;
2.6.4. The transfer of Mr Forlan from Independiente to the company;
2.6.5. The transfer of Mr Greening from the company to Middlesbrough;
2.6.6. The transfer of Mr Wilson from the company to Middlesbrough;
2.6.7. The transfer of Mr Stam from PSV Eindhoven to the company;
2.6.8. The transfer of Mr Stam from the company to Lazio;
2.6.9. The transfer of Mr Howard from New York Metrostars to the company;
2.6.10. The transfer of Mr Kleberson from Atletico Paranaense to the company;
2.6.11. The transfer of Mr Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon to the company;
2.6.12. The transfer of Mr Carroll from Wigan Athletic to the company;
2.6.13. The transfer of Mr Blanc from Inter Milan to the company;
2.6.14. The transfer of Mr Bellion from Sunderland to the company; and
2.6.15. The transfer of Mr Taibi from the company to Reggina.
2.7. When were these deals brought to the attention of the board? How long did the board have to consider the transactions? Did the board make any changes to the transaction from the terms initially presented to them?
3. Commissions paid in relation to large transactions
3.1. Please identify the person on behalf of the company who conducted the negotiations with agents in the purchase or sale of the above players.
3.2. Who signs off on the value of agents' commissions? What approval procedures are in place?
3.3. Does the company have a select few agents it retains? Please identify those agents. Are these the only agents the company will use? If so, how has the company identified or approved these agents?
3.4. In relation to each of the above transfers, what were the services provided by the agents engaged on behalf of the company?
3.5. What were the commissions paid in respect of each of the above transfers? How was this figure determined? When in the transfer process was the figure determined? Do agents get paid anything if transactions are not completed?
3.6. Were the payments made in respect of the above transfers made on behalf of the company and the player? If so, in what proportion?
3.7. Has a single agent ever been engaged on behalf of both the company and the player in relation to a single transfer? If so, what steps were taken to avoid the evident conflict of interest of that agent?
3.8. Did the company pay any commission to agents in relation to the following transactions:
3.8.1. The transfer of Mr Veron from Lazio to the company;
3.8.2. The transfer of Mr Veron from the company to Chelsea;
3.8.3. The transfer of Mr Ferdinand from Leeds United to the company;
3.8.4. The transfer of Mr Forlan from Independiente to the company;
3.8.5. The transfer of Mr Greening from the company to Middlesbrough;
3.8.6. The transfer of Mr Wilson from the company to Middlesbrough;
3.8.7. The transfer of Mr Stam from PSV Eindhoven to the company;
3.8.8. The transfer of Mr Stam from the company to Lazio;
3.8.9. The transfer of Mr Howard from New York Metrostars to the company;
3.8.10. The transfer of Mr Kleberson from Atletico Paranaense to the company;
3.8.11. The transfer of Mr Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon to the company;
3.8.12. The transfer of Mr Carroll from Wigan Athletic to the company;
3.8.13. The transfer of Mr Blanc from Inter Milan to the company;
3.8.14. The transfer of Mr Bellion from Sunderland to the company; and
3.8.15. The transfer of Mr Taibi from the company to Reggina.
3.9. If commissions were paid on these transactions, please identify the agent engaged on behalf of the company. Please identify the agent engaged on behalf of the player. Please explain the reason for the amount of the commission and the process of calculation of that figure. Was the commission paid on behalf of both the company and the player? What were the proportions of the payment? Did the company pay the proportion on behalf of the player? Were appropriate tax declarations made for this?
3.10. Please outline any continuing payments made to players' agents which extend beyond the initial transfer commission. For example, does the company operate a 'pay for play' scheme whereby additional commissions are paid to agents dependant on the participation in a match by a player they represent?
3.11. Please supply a list of the agents engaged by the players in the company's squad.
3.12. Does the company have any clauses in contracts with its players (or with its agents) which entitle an agent to a fee on the future sale of the player from the company? If so, why?
3.13. Does the company have a code of conduct for its directors, officers and employees in relation to:
* Transfers;
* Dealings with agents; and
* Dealings by the company and/or its players with directors, officers or employees or persons connected with them?
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