[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[BPF]

This is going to be a complex deal, buying any football club is. There are a whole host of issues that both parties will have to resolve, the fact that the agreement signed today allows Rovers to continue negotiating with other parties suggests that there are still things that need to be worked out. I don't want to sound negative, but the potential for this to all fall down is still there.

I am sure that thing will work out and the deal will be concluded but we just need to keep feet on the ground until it is.

Is that not a good idea? To always make sure that you are willing to talk to other people until one signs on the dotted line? That way, there are people waiting to continue where the last left off. I'm sure Rovers have learned by now never to take anything for granted.

[RevidgeBlue]

This is going to be a complex deal, buying any football club is. There are a whole host of issues that both parties will have to resolve, the fact that the agreement signed today allows Rovers to continue negotiating with other parties suggests that there are still things that need to be worked out. I don't want to sound negative, but the potential for this to all fall down is still there.

I am sure that thing will work out and the deal will be concluded but we just need to keep feet on the ground until it is.

I would describe myself as being absolutely petrified something is going to go wrong until the deal has actually been completed.

If Mr. Syed is all he says he is, and there's absolutely nothing so far to suggest he's not, I don't think people would ever forgive the Trustees if the deal failed because we were being too inflexible about a particular point.

[BringOnNextSeason]

Anyone seen the skysports link , even more detail of his plans

[American Rover12]

Going to echo a lot of the sentiments expressed here already. Very hard, even with a little skepticism, not to get a little swept up in the proceedings. Just had a listen to the radio lancs interview and the guy seems legit. Might be silly to say as I don't know a thing about him, but I guess I don't want to just assume the worst when he's been open about his thoughts and ambitions for the club. I don't think that he'll be able to make an impact this window but should everything go smoothly and Syed become the new owner, this January will bring one my my most anticipated new years in a while.

Anyone seen the skysports link , even more detail of his plans

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_6316462,00.html

[Guest Kamy100]

I totally agree Rev, the Trust should be as flexible as possible to try and ensure that this deal happens. The message consistently from his team over the last two weeks has been exactly what Syed has said to the press today, I believe him mainly because he has no reason to lie. He is clearly a very wealthy man who is determined to buy Rovers.

Not only that but they want to do the deal quickly to give Sam some funds, that is a statement of intent that they mean business.

After today if this falls through because of issues with the trust then they are going to face a huge backlash, very surprised that the club haven't released a statement today.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_6316462,00.html

Excellent interview.

He talks about his liquidity and crucially about the long term "15 year business plan" "making Rovers self sustainable". He is clearly thought out plan as to how to take Rovers forward.

[Greedy_Crawford]

Like everyone else I really excited by the developments and hope this is all signed off asap. I have been wondering why Rovers, here's might take:

1 - we are for sale

2 - we are cheaper than virtually every other Premier League club

3 - we have little debt

4 - we have been very well run for the last 20 years (IMO, I know some don't agree)

5 - Premier League is massive world wide. Owning a team is worth alot of publicity, especially in Asian market

6 - access into the UK/European market for Mr Syed's other investments e.g. shirt sponsors, stadium sponsors

7 - its a big ego trip being a high profile owner who can compete at the top, just look at how much Roman enjoys it

I just hope it goes through after all the hope it has given us on here. As a number of others have said, to have another wealthy owner inside 20 years is a huge blessing and one we as fans such back to the hilt if it comes off.

[RevidgeBlue]

After today if this falls through because of issues with the trust then they are going to face a huge backlash, very surprised that the club haven't released a statement today.

To be fair, if things are going well the club/Trustees have absolutely no need to say anything until after it's a done deal then they can say how delighted they are etc.

It's only if something goes wrong some form of comment or explanation might be required.

[1864roverite]

Maybe Kamy the club have seen the vision for the future and maybe, the trust are reconsidering their overall position.

Maybe, just maybe, the club may be more of an asset than they realise and that with a little vision there is a future for BRFC in their hands.

Alternatively, if we accept the vision for the club that has been suggested, then Rovers would appear to be in very trustworthy hands. It all sounds too good to beleive and like the good rev says, we ha ve to pinch ourselves at hitting the jackpot not once but twice.

Those heartwarming days back in Div 3 seems such a million miles away. Cast your mind back to 1992 and the heartbreaking thoughts as we nearly missed the play offs. Imagine the fervour as we won at wembley, made the big time and then in our first season finished 4th. We went 2nd then won it and the dream was made.

it would appear now that we can dream again, albeit, it wont be on a scale like we saw back in the 90's. What it will be is exciting.

A 15yr plan seems plausible.

Dream was a word Jack used and we all dared to. The ride is going to continue.

[philipl]

We are into areas which in many ways are beyond money now. A number for investment in Rovers has been repeatedly articulated by Ahsan Ali Syed and I doubt a guy worth $8bn would be unable to point at where $480m is going to come from over the next 15 years so the question now is whether the mutual trust, professionalism and energy are there to make this deal real?

From the outside I get the impression of highly competent professionalism on both sides and that should rapidly develop into mutual personal respect. Increasingly the Executives who met today will own making the deal happen as their personal projects based on business judgement and how they feel about the people on the other side of the table.

At 9am this morning, you have to remember their brief was to meet complete strangers representing the other side not only to see whether they can make the respective owners' deal wishes come true but also to protect the interests of their respective owner/ bosses.

After a hard day's work, the really revealing photographs would not have been of everyone going into Ewood this morning but their demeanour and body language when they come out this evening.

If today has gone well, the acquisition by WGA will be getting a momentum which is close to unstoppable. Goodwill rapidly built up on both sides will mean they all get into problem solving mode to resolve any issues as they come up.

[jim mk2]

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

We are cheap and blackburn has a huge asian population. We have a name which will be recognised due to winning the league plus have had notable players playing for us. For all i care he just wants to get a piece of Wendy. Whatever his reasons are we might might be about to launch into the outer stratosphere of our footballing imaginations.

If this happens then i'm moving to Blackburn.

Im on my 4th pair of boxer shorts already.

[koi]

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Dam right Jimbo, I still have my doubts over that Jack Walker chappie....

[BuckyRover]

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Have you learnt from the New Labour debacle?

[Ewood and I Would]

Mr Syed is giving me the same confused excitement I get when a girl way out of my league (most of them) smiles at me......

[BuckyRover]

Mr Syed is giving me the same confused excitement I get when a girl way out of my league (most of them) smiles at me......

Get an iPhone.

You'll be beating them off with a stick

[Majiball]

Mr Syed is giving me the same confused excitement I get when a girl way out of my league (most of them) smiles at me......

What happens when one of them says hello to you??

[Ben-2000]

Think i'm getting a little excited... can't help it

[Ewood and I Would]

What happens when one of them says hello to you??

Dunno, they usually open with "you looking for business?"

[Hughesy]

KEY points From that skysports article...

Syed has pledged to give manager Sam Allardyce an initial transfer pot of between £80-100million and clear the club's debts of around £20million as part of an overall investment of £300million during the first five-year phase of a 15-year masterplan

"In the first phase I would concentrate on enhancing the academy; getting some good players in, either this month or otherwise in January; increasing the capacity of the stadium and marketing the club in the Far East, Middle East and India."

An increase in the capacity of 31,000-seat Ewood Park would also include other developments, according to Syed.

"But you need to create a lot of assets, in and around Ewood Park, in order to make it self-sustainable."

[Metaler]

From the horse's mouth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0099k4p/Sport_16_08_2010/

Skip to 2.45

[imy9]

The bits I really like from the Sky Sports interview are:

"The evidence of my funds is public as are my capabilities and what I can do"

"I want the fans to trust in me, believe in me and do due diligence on me."

He is very confident and comes across extremely well, a 15 year plan is certainly long term and he did say that £300 million plus worth of investment. Did anyone else notice he referred to Sam as "Big Sam"?!

[tony gale's mic]

I think the current PL owner who Syed maybe sounds most like emulating hopefully is Randy Lerner. He's been great for the club, quietly provided lots of cash for them over the years. However in O'Neill they had a manager who was very good on the pitch but in the transfer market spent £130m over four years and recouped just £40m.

If we spend more money we have to accept we will be making losses on some players, which is something that's been unfathomable for us to contemplate these last few years. However it's realistic to hope that if we spend £100m over a period of time (say 4-5 years) which is what Syed has proposed, we could sell some on at profit, make losses on some and retain some and at least get £70-80m back to spend again, although hopefully on top of a base of increased revenue from higher PL placings (which could provide £3-4m a season), longer cup runs, UEFA cup runs (maybe £1-2m) and better marketing (who knows).

Whilst not actually improving the ground itself, Lerner has made several improvements around the ground. I went to Villa Park for a Rovers game with a Villa fan friend of mine and he said Lerner had spent £3 million buying back and/or refurbishing (can't remember which) the famous Holte Pub near the ground. That has a really significant place in their history and for an outsider not even from England to come in, realise its significance and spend the money which has meant a lot to Villa fans is something which shows a large degree of understanding about the club rather than just treating it as a plaything.

[Majiball]

Dunno, they usually open with "you looking for business?"

:lol:

[Steve Moss]

This "too good to be true" feeling is all that's stopping me buy into this 100%.

One question that I can't begin to find an answer for...if you had £300 million to invest in a PL club, why would you buy Rovers and not Everton?

Blackburn. I'm an American who has no natural ties to the club (other than a 15+ generation paternal ancestor who immigrated from your neck of the woods). 4 years ago when Ibecame interested in soccer, it took me about a month of watching and reading about the PL to bond with the Rovers as the team to support. Well run, professional, scrapy underdogs. Not to demean the Rovers, but the club is like a 5'5" guy who manages to run and hit with with 6' plus athletes, and who picks himself up again every time he is blasted. There is a lot to admire in the Rovers spirit and their history, without all the more recent baggage attached to the 'bigger' clubs.

Don't get me wrong. I like Everton. But there is a lot of problems, financial and otherwise, with that club. On the financial end there is the lack of a decent stadium. On the 'morale' side, when I attended Everton v. Hull in March of this year, it was the most foul mouthed fan base I encountered. Of course, I only saw three games, the other two being Rochdale v. Leicester (I believe, maybe it was Lincoln) and the other Spurs v. Rovers. I much preferred sitting with sitting with the Rovers at White Hart Lane, then with the Evertonians at Goodison.

Maybe we are more recognisable in India. He went to LSE when he was younger, maybe when we were doing well?

He's the right age to have caught that particular fever.

Just a note of caution we are nor looking at Man City level's of spending, but it will be substancial and give Rovers a real chance at competing.

Keep the faith guys, if this all goes through then exciting times are ahead.

I think even 10 million a year for a period of years would do wonders for our league standing. We have an excellent management team that will get value for those pounds.

. . . Those thinking that this is Jack reincarnated are just fooling themselves. Theres only one Jack Walker.

Jack was a special person and was defintely the right man at the right time for the Rovers. However, there are only 20 EPL teams in the world. All things considered, there might be a few billionaires running around who might be above board businessmen who might want the slice of history and glory that owning a succesful PL might bring them.

I agree eddie, though how many of the big bucks business men who have tried or taken over clubs don't even have the intelligence to say the right things!

The fact that he understands the fans concerns is a very good sign. Whether he's Jack MkII or looter history well tell, but he's definetly smart.

[Majiball]

Whilst not actually improving the ground itself, Lerner has made several improvements around the ground. I went to Villa Park for a Rovers game with a Villa fan friend of mine and he said Lerner had spent £3 million buying back and/or refurbishing (can't remember which) the famous Holte Pub near the ground. That has a really significant place in their history and for an outsider not even from England to come in, realise its significance and spend the money which has meant a lot to Villa fans is something which shows a large degree of understanding about the club rather than just treating it as a plaything.

I wonder if Syed can afford to fix the flags?