Average Scottish Premiership Weekly Wages (Annual)

[The Goalie]

Whilst reading the high brow newspaper, the Daily Ranger, I noticed that allegedly Accies pay on average £921 per week (£47,879). If true, then Accies pay slightly more than Motherwell - £910, whilst, St. Mirren - £888.

The least is paid by Livingston - £671.

Kind of blows the argument that Accies have the smallest budget, if figures above correct.

Furthermore, makes the comment made by Martin Canning, after the victory against Livingston that Accies were set up to counter attack, at home, against the team that got promoted into the league.

Albeit, in Livingston's defence (pardon the pun) at least the players play as a team, namely, know how to play to their strengths, strong at the back, in the face of the opposition, utilise (majority of the time) set pieces, etc...

Sounds familiar to Alex Neil Accies team.

[Willie Wastle]

Irrespective of source, I find it hard to believe that Accies pay higher wages to players, on average, than Motherwell.

However, let's be careful about projecting too much from one (dubious) piece of data. Even if true, it doesn't refute the argument that we have the smallest budget in the league. How many players does each club have? You need to multiply the average by that figure. And one possible explanation is that we have a lot of players on or around that average figure, while other clubs have a small number of high earners offset by many youth or part time players on lower pay.

I'd take that partial info with a large pinch of salt.

[The Goalie]

The 2018 Global Sports Salaries Survey, produced by sportingintelligence.com

12 Livingston £671 (£34,882)

11: St Mirren £888 (£46,169

10: Motherwell £910 (£47,342)

9: Hamilton £921 (£47,879)

8: St Johnstone £935 (£48,630)

7: Kilmarnock £1,208 (£62,816)

6: Dundee £1,208 (£62,833)

5 Hibs £1,988 (£103,376)

4: Hearts £2,146 (£111,600)

3: Aberdeen £2,667 (£138,667)

2: Rangers £8,972 (£466,556)

1: Celtic £16,646 - £865,614

[Willie Wastle]

The 2018 Global Sports Salaries Survey, produced by sportingintelligence.com

12 Livingston £671 (£34,882)

11: St Mirren £888 (£46,169

10: Motherwell £910 (£47,342)

9: Hamilton £921 (£47,879)

8: St Johnstone £935 (£48,630)

7: Kilmarnock £1,208 (£62,816)

6: Dundee £1,208 (£62,833)

5 Hibs £1,988 (£103,376)

4: Hearts £2,146 (£111,600)

3: Aberdeen £2,667 (£138,667)

2: Rangers £8,972 (£466,556)

1: Celtic £16,646 - £865,614

Thanks - I assume that's the source for the Record story?

As I said, average pay doesn't mean much unless we know how many players are included to compose the average, and unless there's transparency and consistency about counting, say, basic pay without win bonuses.

[TerracingTomas]

I have a copy of the 2016 report from this organisation. In that report we were bottom of the salary league paying an average of £42,606. Patrick were next paying not much more at £42,671 and then St Johnstone at £47,606. Not sure where they get their info as whats available in the club’s accounts is bare bones figures. However it would not surprise me if we are paying more than Livingston and given st Mirren have been through the financial mill before they got promoted I can accept we are above them. Given the money that has come into the club as a result of our continued presence in the top leaguefrom prize money and the European payments perhaps we have increased our playing budget over the last couple of years?

[TerracingTomas]

Full 2018 report available here. It makes interesting reading. It also explains the methodology in some detail I certainly wouldn’t dismiss its findings out of hand.

http://globalsportssalaries.com/GSSS%202018.pdf

[smc4761]

Really surprised at the figures especially for us. Thought Hibs and Hearts would have paid more as well.

You can see from these figures why guys like Moult of Motherwell went to a Championship side and others have went to league 1 and maybe even some league 2 sides

[Swift Frank]

These figures make Martin Guardiola's position even more untenable.
Consistently states Accies have the worst budget.
Well here is the proof that they don't.
Canning Out.

[Willie Wastle]

Full 2018 report available here. It makes interesting reading. It also explains the methodology in some detail I certainly wouldn’t dismiss its findings out of hand.

http://globalsportssalaries.com/GSSS%202018.pdf

I also wouldn't dismiss these findings out of hand, but the methodology isn't explained.

For those looking for the relevant bits of the document, it's pp 51-52 of the PDF, or pp 100-103 of the original document. There's also a repeat of the info in a global table on p 18 of the PDF, p 35 of the original document.

You can't infer the total players' salaries budget from average pay stats. I agree that this season Livingston and perhaps even St Mirren might have smaller budgets than us, but I'd be amazed if Motherwell have.

[TerracingTomas]

I also wouldn't dismiss these findings out of hand, but the methodology isn't explained.

Take the time to read the report and you will find the methodology is explained through pages 8 to 11. They even offer to share their data sets with other researchers always a good sign. Its a well written report in my opinion that has a pedigree going back to 2009. No it doesnt include bonuses or other figures. Its purely basic salary. But hey given our win ratio and lack of cup runs then its unlikely bonuses etc feature much in an Accies players wage packet I suspect we have upped our basic salary over the last couple of years to try and attract players who know they cant expect much else unless we are handing out hefty signing on fees. Whatever it makes interesting reading.

[Willie Wastle]

I also wouldn't dismiss these findings out of hand, but the methodology isn't explained.

Take the time to read the report and you will find the methodology is explained through pages 8 to 11. They even offer to share their data sets with other researchers always a good sign. Its a well written report in my opinion that has a pedigree going back to 2009. No it doesnt include bonuses or other figures. Its purely basic salary. But hey given our win ratio and lack of cup runs then its unlikely bonuses etc feature much in an Accies players wage packet I suspect we have upped our basic salary over the last couple of years to try and attract players who know they cant expect much else unless we are handing out hefty signing on fees. Whatever it makes interesting reading.

I did read that section, but all it does is attempt to justify their chosen metric. It doesn't tell us, for example: how they can vouch for the accuracy of the player salaries they capture, although they acknowledge some data is not in the public domain; how many players are included in each club's figures (good luck figuring out who is, and who isn't, in the Accies first team squad); how consistent their measures are from club to club; and more.

With regard to measuring just basic salary, as opposed to actual earnings (including any bonuses), this will have the effect of inflating the position of clubs who pay higher basics and lower bonuses (I have no idea how Accies compare with other clubs, and I suspect neither do these researchers), but won't really tell us how players' actual earnings compare, or how clubs' actual payroll outlays compare.

I can see why they do it this way, for comparative purposes, and some data is better than none. But I'm sceptical about extrapolating in the ways the OP and others are clearly tempted.

[TerracingTomas]

First you say the methodology isn’t explained then when I point out it is you rubbish it. Your all over the place. And as for the number of players in the first team squad it’s 29. I’ve read the report and previous ones and I think it’s a useful solid bit of work. Won’t help us get 3 points on Saturday though.

[Rojano]

The criteria is the same for every teams calculation and the variables are the same . Do you know what an average is ? Why is it so hard to believe that we pay on average more than Motherwell, and St Mirren and Livi and nearly as much as St J . Also yea there will be high earners ( I don't imagine KILGALLON came up here for 400 quid a week) and low earners but that's the same for everyone and that's why its an average ( get it ?). Are we not believing evidence based data now ?

Honestly some people just refuse to look at things as they actually are.

[Swift Frank]

Accies are not very good with money it seems.
The near £1m giveaway.
The Euro Pish Years.
And now the revelation that we actually do pay decent wages on a bunch of Championship bound donkeys.