Damien Delaney says that promotion can involve 'eye-watering' figures and meant that he doubled his wages.
Speaking on Off The Ball, the former Crystal Palace defender recalled when he was promoted to the Premier League in 2013 after beating Watford at Wembley.
“It means so much. I remember it like it was yesterday. You battle hard for 46 games, playing good, playing not so good, in and out of form. Every emotion you could imagine, and it comes down to one game.”
Delaney said that the playoff final changed the careers of him and his team-mates, particularly financially.
“I think most lads are celebrating because they got promoted and that their contracts go up. Their wages go up on the back of promotion.”
“Back in 2013, everyone got their money doubled when they got promoted to the Premier League and their contract doubled too. That is what I had, and everyone on the team had.
“Now they have gone a different route in the Championship because most Championship teams are playing off Premier League wages. In that, give them the money and hope they get promoted.
“The following couple of weeks, you are doing your bonus sheet with the chairman. Financially, you were structured in a way that your bonus sheet was very good.”
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Delaney said that with the increase in money, you elevated yourself in getting better contracts if you ever decided to move to another club.
“To double your money and get into a certain bracket of wages, if anyone else wants to buy you, they have to match your wages.
“If you do get sent back to the Championship, you are entitled to say that you were on an 'x' amount of money at Crystal Palace. So, you elevate yourself into a wage bracket.”
Delaney believes that this year's Championship playoff final will be won by the team that is able to stitch together a coherent performance under huge pressure - and picked Fulham to do the job.
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