IMO the agent fees list could show anything you want it to show. Obviously you've managed to work it into your narrative. I'm sure we're all shocked.
Any budget/finanical comments can be spun to fit any narrative TBH and as we know some are far better at that than others!
Town budget cut....Power fed up and thinking about moving on.
Town budget raised....Power fed up being in this division, trying to get us promoted before selling up.
Town budget stays the same....Power fed up and won't put any extra money in.
Agent fees high...we are paying far too much for average players in agents fees.
Agent fees low...we aren't paying enough to attract the right players.
Agent fees the same....we can't compete with the bigger teams in attracting the better players with higher agent fees.
etc etc
According to the Mansfield forum their budget is likely to be cut next season from a figure said to be £4.5m this season, Flitcroft had a budget cut from the £5m budget Evans had the previous season.
Whatever our budget or anyone elses this coming season I hope we have enough to scrape together a decent side mixed with some experience, some good prospects and some loans. That is all I want. Players who want to play for the club and make us competitive again.
Also just because we haven't heard of a certain player does mean he is automatically shit and visa versa...if he is a well known name then he is not going to automatically make us better. Look at Notts County...similarly look at Tranmere at the other end of the table.
Some players fit clubs, some clubs fit players, some manager styles fit players etc etc
It would be pointless Lincoln signing Doughty as they lump the ball over midfield rather than playing through it which is why they have players the size and build of Bostwick in the side, play breakers not play makers.
I would like to think that Power ISNT telling porkies when it comes to budgets and that he is backing up Wellens in the transfer market as he has done with all his managers previously. Why would he lie when he says we will be a top 7 budget next season and getting fans hopes up just to give Wellens a bottom 7 budget? doesn't make any sense.
Fans aren't stupid, they know when the club sign a cheap player who can just do the job (McCourt) compared to a decent player who we can build a side around (Doughty), we can tell when we replace a decent player with somebody shit in the same position.
What would Power gain in telling us we have a decent budget then not delivering it? nothing, in fact quite the opposite.
Also Power will pay fees for signings, many of our signings cost us money rather than arriving on frees.
Yes the fees may sound exaggerated such as £300k for Woolery and £400k for Vigs but I expect those fees are made up with promotion clauses/sell ons etc so they are "best case scenario" fees not basic fee like they used to be in the old days.