Taking a lead from Europe's governing body, Uefa, the Championship is drawing up its own rules for financial fair play (FFP). Clubs will spend only what they can afford, particularly in terms of wages, the consensus being that 60 per cent of turnover is a sensible ceiling. Forest's wage bill for 2010-11 was 109 per cent.
New Chairman Frank Clark has said,"The game cannot carry on paying the salaries it has been doing, certainly below the Premier League.
"This will force clubs to address that. And it will force agents and players to become more realistic."
One of the Football League's key FFP strategists is the chief executive of Derby, the American Tom Glick. Under his stewardship on behalf of Derby's transatlantic owners, Derby's debts have fallen from £30m to half that and a wage bill that stood at £16m when Nigel Clough became manager three years ago has been cut by 40 per cent. Of more than 40 players on his original roster, only two remain.
When FFP comes in you hope that the Football League will have in place strong sanctions to hopefully deter those clubs who have in the past and do now cheat financially but paying out money that they do not have. Only time will tell?