[Archived] Rovers Sold ??

[fozzer]

With my current run of tipping it might be safe to avoid putting a price on it.

Haha ok fair enough !!

[rogerjonesgloves]

He's new Nicko, I don't think he realises you're the author...

I realise Nicko's the author but if a newspaper posts an article on its website they can't complain if people then don't buy the paper.

[Alex Rover]

I realise Nicko's the author but if a newspaper posts an article on its website they can't complain if people then don't buy the paper.

Well I've done my little bit to thank Nicko by buying the Mirror for,I think the 1st time ever. Although I have to admit that I ripped out the article and chucked the rest of the paper in the recycling before anyone could see me with it

[USRoverME]

I realise Nicko's the author but if a newspaper posts an article on its website they can't complain if people then don't buy the paper.

Perhaps, but ripping the article word for word from another site so that the mirror doesn't even get the pittance it gets in advertising from a few more hits IS something they have a right to complain about.

[1864roverite]

Well I've done my little bit to thank Nicko by buying the Mirror for,I think the 1st time ever. Although I have to admit that I ripped out the article and chucked the rest of the paper in the recycling before anyone could see me with it

funny enough I did exactly the same

who the hell wishes to be associated with a labour supporting paper ??????

[Raymond Rover]

Yeah I'm normally a Guardian reader myself but in support of Nicko and his great contribution here I bought a Mirror so I did my bit. Thanks again Nicko and keep up the great work!

[Alex Rover]

That is what will be available once - and if - the takeover goes through.

After that it is down to the manager.

I think it would make a difference from a personal point of view. You could bring in the two or three men for competition that would help if there were injuries.

It is quite a lot as well. But it is how you spend it.

Other clubs have spent fortunes on average players and will be mid-table at best.

I don't think the current squad needs changing, just helping.

There is also the speculate to accumulate factor. The right players would mean a higher league placing and maybe Europe or, at a real stretch, the top four.

I agree but I'd hope that this money (should it come) should also be used on improving contracts for some of our current star's rather than just new investments. As has been mentioned by Nicko, we have a very good starting 11 when all fit and we should protect it as a priority.

[neekoy]

I agree but I'd hope that this money (should it come) should also be used on improving contracts for some of our current star's rather than just new investments. As has been mentioned by Nicko, we have a very good starting 11 when all fit and we should protect it as a priority.

A good starting 11 for the money that MH has spent, if the money was available we could certainly get better players then every single one currently in said 11.

[Guest Kamy100]

Today morning the Lancashire Telegraph reports that no bid has been made for Rovers but that talks are at an advanced stage and a bid is "likely" within the next few weeks, they also understand that Dan Williams would like to keep the likes of John Williams at the club should the bid be successful.

[Ste B]

Today morning the Lancashire Telegraph reports that no bid has been made for Rovers but that talks are at an advanced stage and a bid is "likely" within the next few weeks, they also understand that Dan Williams would like to keep the likes of John Williams at the club should the bid be successful.

So they've basically done a bit more homework and rewrote Nickos mirror article ?

[roversinmyblood]

Nicko, is the £25M that will be available for new players the total amount available until next summer?

Also, can we expect the same or more available each summer or is this just a bit of a windfall amount and we will be back as we were again from next summer?

Does Mr. Williams have real ambitions for the club to compete regularly for the title or does he just want to own Blackburn Rovers?

[nicko]

Is the £25M that will be available for new players the total amount available until next summer?

Also, can we expect the same or more available each summer or is this just a bit of a windfall amount and we will be back as we were again from next summer?

Does Mr. Williams have real ambitions for the club to compete regularly for the title or does he just want to own Blackburn Rovers?

As it stands there is £25 million immediately available if the deal goes through. I think it is a relatively large sum of money. It would certainly be more than the club has had to spend at one time for many a year.

But it would be down to the manager to decide what to do with it. He has been a good judge so far.

After that, who knows?

It would cost fortunes to chase the title. It would cost small fortunes, well-spent, to crack the top four. I think £25 million in the current climate is a 'small fortune.'

To be fair to Dan Williams he has had a knack of talking people into backing his ideas so far. If he delivers what he is trying then the club should be an interesting place in many new ways.

Put it this way, I think Rovers would be better off than many rivals for the top-six than they have been in a long time.

But it would be wrong to dream too much or guess about the future until the takeover happens - or doesn't.

On the timing side...I think it is a lot sooner than 'weeks' but there are confidentiality issues on all sides.

[revolutionrock!]

As it stands there is £25 million immediately available if the deal goes through. I think it is a relatively large sum of money. It would certainly be more than the club has had to spend at one time for many a year.

But it would be down to the manager to decide what to do with it. He has been a good judge so far.

After that, who knows?

It would cost fortunes to chase the title. It would cost small fortunes, well-spent, to crack the top four. I think £25 million in the current climate is a 'small fortune.'

To be fair to Dan Williams he has had a knack of talking people into backing his ideas so far. If he delivers what he is trying then the club should be an interesting place in many new ways.

Put it this way, I think Rovers would be better off than many rivals for the top-six than they have been in a long time.

But it would be wrong to dream too much or guess about the future until the takeover happens - or doesn't.

On the timing side...I think it is a lot sooner than 'weeks' but there are confidentiality issues on all sides.

Will there be any news in any more newspapers i.e Mirro/Sun

[nicko]

Will there be any news in any more newspapers i.e Mirro/Sun

As far as I am concerned the next news will be when there is a result.

There are things happening behind the scenes all the time but until it goes to the next stage then it is just repetition.

Time is a factor and I hope it's quick.

I am also keeping my ears open for rival bidders. It's been months since there were supposed to be 'others' and nobody has surfaced.

[BlueMonday]

Of course, the question of what will the transfer budget be year on year is an important one and in fact the ongoing financing generally. 25mill is certainly a very good start, but will they/can they maintain this. Will they continue to finance the club or in coming seasons become more frugal and expect Rovers to stand on its own two feet. Answers we don't have and this makes some of us uneasy about the take over.

[Cocker]

As it stands there is £25 million immediately available if the deal goes through. I think it is a relatively large sum of money. It would certainly be more than the club has had to spend at one time for many a year.

To be fair, that could do more harm than good. All these other clubs who have had cash spend large amounts on avarage players. The selling clubs know they have the cash so up the price. Imagine if we would have had money to spend we might have missed out on people like Samba/Nelson.

To be fair though if Ronaldhinio wants to come for 10m then I wont complain

[nicko]

Of course, the question of what will the transfer budget be year on year is an important one and in fact the ongoing financing generally. 25mill is certainly a very good start, but will they/can they maintain this. Will they continue to finance the club or in coming seasons become more frugal and expect Rovers to stand on its own two feet. Answers we don't have and this makes some of us uneasy about the take over.

£25 million can go a long way in the short-term.

It would be more than Chelsea have spent so far this summer on Ben Haim, Sidwell and Malouda and Arsenal who sold Henry and spent the cash.

Others have spent more and wasted their dosh in many cases.

£25 million in safe hands is a hell of a start.

What happens in the future is anyone's guess and I don't have those answers.

I would say it is unrealistic to imagine £25 million coming in every year. Nobody 'finds' that money annually.

The gamble is 'do we spend money now and try to get into the Champions League with all the prize money?' or 'do we keep the cash and build gradually?'

The cash would also guarantee that nobody left the club unless the club wanted to sell.

The current long-term problem that would worry me is the age of some key players who will have to be replaced.

Brad Friedel cannot go on forever. It would be impossible to find a free transfer of his quality. So, one day, that is an important buy.

Robbie Savage cannot go on forever. And you tell me where these is a suitable replacement for him coming through anywhere?

Tugay is probably the first one to be replaced. And that will cost money, big money.

You only have to look at Bolton to see what happens when money has to be spent on running repairs - and isn't.

It is a fine line. Getting into the top six has to be a realistic Rovers ambition, making the top four is the dream.

Having money to let you make that choice would be about as good as it gets.

[den]

To make the fans truly happy about this sell out, DW would have to out perform, or at least equal the Jersey trusts support for the club. £25m first season is a great start, but if there's nothing coming after that, the fans will soon become angered. Better £6m annually, than a one-off £25m.

Of course I know that the trust wants out - so that shouldn't really be a comparison, but it WILL be. To win friends, DW is going to have to show his long term plans, and soon into his tenure.

[nicko]

To make the fans truly happy about this sell out, DW would have to out perform, or at least equal the Jersey trusts support for the club. £25m first season is a great start, but if there's nothing coming after that, the fans will soon become angered. Better £6m annually, than a one-off £25m.

Of course I know that the trust wants out - so that shouldn't really be a comparison, but it WILL be. To win friends, DW is going to have to show his long term plans, and soon into his tenure.

No matter what anyone else thinks there is only one issue here.

Do the trust think they have a good and safe sale.

End of.

[den]

No matter what anyone else thinks there is only one issue here.

Do the trust think they have a good and safe sale.

End of.

Well of course that will be what happens. Disgruntled fans though, [and I'm not saying that is how it will go - hopefully not] are a very powerful body.

Would DW have the committment in that case?

[RevidgeBlue]

Thanks nicko, excellent information on progress with the proposed takeover as always.

It was me who described the story originally as "your baby" it's now well past it's "due date" and as the expectant father you must be tearing your hair out!

In my view a 25m cash injection in the hands of Mark Hughes would be a very significant amount indeed.

In future years I would have thought the ability to choose whether or not to add one 10m plus player to the squad each season would be the sort of investment necessary to keep us challenging regularly for top six/top four.

There are a couple of things which concern me slightly, if today's LT is reporting that a bid is a few weeks away, that is exactly the same situation as was reported in the LT on June 19th when the story first broke!

Secondly, and I think this is vitally important, is there any indication yet of DW's personal investment in the project? We're told he will be new chairman, but will he be purchasing 25% + of the shares himself or will the backers be able to remove him at the drop of a hat?

I know in theory the existing Trustees could do that with John Williams but we've seen that the existing arrangements work fairly well and that that isn't likely to happen etc.

[den]

DW has no interest in becoming chairman. - according to the LT.

[RevidgeBlue]

To make the fans truly happy about this sell out, DW would have to out perform, or at least equal the Jersey trusts support for the club. £25m first season is a great start, but if there's nothing coming after that, the fans will soon become angered. Better £6m annually, than a one-off £25m.

Of course I know that the trust wants out - so that shouldn't really be a comparison, but it WILL be. To win friends, DW is going to have to show his long term plans, and soon into his tenure.

The actual cash injection from the Trustees has been 3m p.a. for the last few seasons, their overall contribution being taken up to 6m p.a. thanks to the writing off of various loans.

Those loans would be wiped out on a takeover so in pure cash terms new owners would have to "beat" 3m p.a.

That's not the whole story though, we need to know we'd have backing if things went pear shaped. I think we can be fairly confident the existing Trustees wouldn't toss us to the wolves completely if the worst came to the worst and we were relegated, although I don't think they'd stand behind us to anything like the extent Jack did in 1999/2000 either.

[nicko]

There are a couple of things which concern me slightly, if today's LT is reporting that a bid is a few weeks away, that is exactly the same situation as was reported in the LT on June 19th when the story first broke!

Secondly, and I think this is vitally important, is there any indication yet of DW's personal investment in the project? We're told he will be new chairman, but will he be purchasing 25% + of the shares himself or will the backers be able to remove him at the drop of a hat?

I will stand by what I wrote - and definitely the timing. We are going into 'off the record' territory a bit if I am too specific on the significance of time here.

The story first broke in the Mirror and then the People, btw.

The last I heard Dan Williams is putting in a big chunk of the money. I can't imagine he would let his partners hire or fire him. It would best to describe him as the man with the plan. I don't think he's daft, so he will be well-covered.

On the question of who is chairman, that is a subtle point that will become more obvious once or if the thing is done.

There is no question that Dan Williams wants John Williams to stay. From what I know there are no ego issues involved. As it is planned to be a partnership then titles are not likely to matter.

On future investment and possible disgruntled fans...who can say? The best way to keep the punters happy is by playing good and winning football.

Although you can't keep everyone happy.

[stuwilky]

The actual cash injection from the Trustees has been 3m p.a. for the last few seasons, their overall contribution being taken up to 6m p.a. thanks to the writing off of various loans.

Those loans would be wiped out on a takeover so in pure cash terms new owners would have to "beat" 3m p.a.

Thats dodgy accounting Simon. The loans have been converted into share capital as well as written off - we no longer have to pay them back, had this not happened in a takeover someone else would have to take them on - they dont have to do that now.

£6m a season is what the trust have averaged over the last 7 or so years, on the actual balance sheet.