Compared: How Leeds United's and Derby County's financial might matches up ahead of play-offs - Leeds Live
Two teams that have spent more than a decade outside of the Premier League do battle in the play offs this week, desperately looking to muscle their way back in.
Despite spending the majority of the season in the automatic promotion places, third-placed Leeds United finished only nine points ahead of sixth-placed Derby County.
The Saturday tea-time clash at Pride Park is the first of three steps to Premier League football for either of the teams, which would be worth at least £150million to either side.
This is considering at least one season of Premier League football and at least two seasons of parachute payments should immediate relegation follow.
Leeds have endured a torrid time since being relegated in 2004, spending three seasons in League 1 after being relegated again in 2007 and having only one other crack at the Championship play-offs in that time, thirteen years ago.
Leeds beat Derby twice this season
Derby, for their own part, have also punched below their weight since being relegated in 2008, spending six years outside of play-off contention, although since 2013/14 the club is having its fourth crack of the whip.
Over the past 10 seasons, Leeds have earned a little under £300million from revenues – £298million – despite spending 2008-10 in England’s third tier, testament to the club’s prestige and extremely loyal fan base.
Derby, meanwhile, earned just more than £234million, despite receiving parachute payments across 2008-10 under the Premier League’s old rules, following their last relegation eleven years ago.
But with regards to wages, Derby really are a case study in how Championship clubs have spent above their means in a bid to win a ticket back to the Premier League, a trend analysts say really kicked off in around 2015.
On the back of Derby’s enormous spending on wages from 2015/16 to 2017/18 – when the total wage bills were respectively £35.5million, £39.8million and £46.8million – Derby have actually spent more on wages than they earned in revenues across the past 10 seasons.
Their wage bill across this period is around £237million, which is actually around £3million higher than revenues during the period.
Derby owner Mel Morris with Frank Lampard
Meanwhile, their wage bill in this time is more than £40million higher than Leeds United's £193million.
Leeds from 2008/09 to 2017/18 spent around £65 on wages for every £100 they earned in revenues.
But the club did break the mould last season, when their wage bill crept above £30million for the first time.
Leeds United finances
(Image: Alex Dodd/CameraSport)
According to sports data analyst vysyble, overall Premier League club revenues have increased from £1.97billion to a record £4.83billion since Derby’s relegation in 2008.
