When playing in the English leagues, what is the point in being a feeder club?

So I am Reading and have asked to be a feeder club. In the end I choose Man Utd as I would love Bebe on loan. I go in for him and some other players but don't manage to get any of them as more high profile clubs offer for him and he chooses to go there.

So my question is other than the 100k I am being paid, if I don't get first dibs on loan players, what is the point in being a feeder club?

The 100k for a start. But also, if you do manage to get a player on loan, you usually don't have to pay any wages.

You will get more loan players then if you didn't have the parent, you won't always get them as it is ultimately up to the player where they go. I was averaging 2 good loan players a year off my parent

You will get more loan players then if you didn't have the parent, you won't always get them as it is ultimately up to the player where they go. I was averaging 2 good loan players a year off my parent

Largely this. Even "first dibs" is meaningless - you're not going to get an unhappy Rooney on loan, for example.

What I tend to do is make a loan offer for just about every single reserve from my parent club, and pick-and-choose from there (it saves scouting them). The parent club is usually very happy to cooperate.

Largely this. Even "first dibs" is meaningless - you're not going to get an unhappy Rooney on loan, for example.

What I mean by first dibs is that if a player is available for loan I should be able to get first refusal to have the player on loan, not that I should be able to get every loan player.

Its down to reputation. I tried to get Bebe and Rafael on loan for Blackpool, both declined. Bebe going to Crystal Palace and Rafael going to Wolves.

I can see what you're saying but you can't force a player to go on loan. The club for their part (I assume) are accepting your loan requests. So they are fore-filling their part. But if the player feels he has a better offer then obviously he has to put his own career first.

As Cambridge United, I never got a single loan from my "parent" Norwich. Eventually, I caught up with them in the league and the deal was canceled.

What I mean by first dibs is that if a player is available for loan I should be able to get first refusal to have the player on loan, not that I should be able to get every loan player.

as has been said, generally the parent will accept your loan bid, basically giving you first refusal, but the player is under no obligation at all to join you as the deal is with the club and not him.