[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[Stuart]

I'm still skeptical until more details are known but I do wonder: although they are a reasonably safe pair of hands, how long can and will The Trust carry on funding the running of the club?

Also given it's taken this long to find a buyer (if we actually have) then it's to be hoped that it is because they meet the criteria supposedly in place to protect the club.

Local paper http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburnrovers/news/5045106.No_takeover_imminent__says_Blackburn_Rovers_chairman/

And another Vinjay comment - he doesn't hang about!

[bennyboyt11]

I like to think John Williams wouldn't sell us up the river to make a quick buck.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I like to think John Williams wouldn't sell us up the river to make a quick buck.

Nothing to do with him. Not his decision to sell and he doesn't get anything if it happens, other than the sack perhaps.

I have long been of the view that having a disinterested owner in the Trust is bad for the long term direction of the club. Much better than a dodgy Pompey type but not as good as someone reliable who, for whatever reason, is interested.

The only 2 types of owner people seem to think exists is either a dodgy asset-stripper or an insane benefactor, but the continued rise in popularity of the Premier League is opening up a third possible option. EPL clubs now and in the future can be very effective marketing vehicles. City is a good example and also Wigan where Whelan, far from being just a benevolent benefactor, uses the stadium name and shirt sponsorship as he wishes. I'm sure he would see a good portion of his net investment into Wigan as being in lieu of money he would have to spend marketing his businesses.

And he is just UK-based. The ever-increasing popularity of the EPL overseas makes it increasingly attractive to people who a) have pots of money to spend and need to promote something on a world-wide stage. Hence the increasing interest from the Middle East. They need to market themselves as they seek to develop their economies away from being oil dependent, and they have an endless supply of money to spend. They wouldn't look at a Leeds over us as Leeds aren't on tv every week in 180 countries.

Not saying it's likely, but it's a possibility.

[Ewood Spark]

We might have all those but the most important to a businessman and would be owner is 'potential'. And we have the square root of sweet FA of that.

Not strictly true Gordon ... as you well know there is a large, local demographic that is currently under-represented at Ewood. With a little bit of patience and imagination I think this can be rectified.

[Kie_BRFC]

If something's too good to be true, it usually is. I can't see why anyone with serious money would invest in us over the many other PL clubs with a wider net.

Why did they buy city then when they was as bad as us ?

[Fife Rover]

Why did they buy city then when they was as bad as us ?

Ever heard of a sleeping giant?

[ewoodpo]

Why did they buy city then when they was as bad as us ?

Compared to us City are a very big club even before the Arabs.

[OJRovers]

If I seriously wanted to invest in an English team I would go for someone like Nottingham Forrest or one of the London Championship teams like QPR or Reading. Would be much cheaper to buy than a PL team and have much bigger catchment areas for fans. Although if someone wants to buy a solid PL team which doesn't cost a lot to service each year (how much do the trust put in??) then Rovers are a good proposition.

I would be vary of any investment having a destabilising affect on the club - how many takeovers actually work in the club's favour in the long term?

Maybe the Trust could sell part of their equity to raise money to spend, whilst keeping control.

[broadsword]

Nice try but QPR? Already competing with Chelsea/ Fulham for fans, and the capacity of Loftus Road I don't think is that great. Reading, hardly a hotbed of football.

Forest - pretty similar to us really.

[Kelbo]

I would be wary of any takeovers at the moment, Scudamore is smarting and UEFA are watching,

I honestly feel new legislation will be in place soon regarding clubs ownership and debts!!

[Majiball]

I would be wary of any takeovers at the moment, Scudamore is smarting and UEFA are watching,

I honestly feel new legislation will be in place soon regarding clubs ownership and debts!!

Unless its another Jack I'm happy as we are.

I would however be spending a grand a week on Euro milions tickets to beef up the transfer budget. The trust are willing to sign if he has good re0sale potential, plus what we can shave of the wage bill this summer and the new TV deal, perhaps we will see a few new faces this summer.

[ewoodpo]

Nice try but QPR? Already competing with Chelsea/ Fulham for fans, and the capacity of Loftus Road I don't think is that great. Reading, hardly a hotbed of football.

Forest - pretty similar to us really.

QPR /Fulham I agree with, Forest is another sleeping giant .

[nicko]

QPR /Fulham I agree with, Forest is another sleeping giant .

Forest already have a rich backer and fortunes to spend if needed.

[47er]

As others have said, we don't need someone with mega-millions who'd enable us to put in enormous bids for the likes of Rooney and Terry. We just need someone who would say to the football world "Blackburn Rovers are not a selling club". If we could just keep the bargains we find and develop, like Bentley eg, we would be a real force in the Premiership without costing an owner billions.

[yoda]

I like to think he'd stay on at the club no matter who buys us. I doubt it though.

Why do you doubt it, any new owner would see that he has done a superb job and is one of the intangible assets of the Rovers

[Brfcrule1]

I would be extremely happy about a takeover but after Pompey and the continued problems I would be very wary of any takeover and I would expect JW and the people selling to fully investigate the buyers to make sure it doesn't go to asset strippers but extra dosh at the club would be welcome.

[Mr. E]

As others have said, we don't need someone with mega-millions who'd enable us to put in enormous bids for the likes of Rooney and Terry. We just need someone who would say to the football world "Blackburn Rovers are not a selling club". If we could just keep the bargains we find and develop, like Bentley eg, we would be a real force in the Premiership without costing an owner billions.

Exactly.

[Blueboy Downunder]

yeah yeah, believe it when i see it and we are a rock solid club challenging every season for the euro places!!

[Ewood Spark]

If I seriously wanted to invest in an English team I would go for someone like Nottingham Forrest or one of the London Championship teams like QPR or Reading. Would be much cheaper to buy than a PL team and have much bigger catchment areas for fans. Although if someone wants to buy a solid PL team which doesn't cost a lot to service each year (how much do the trust put in??) then Rovers are a good proposition.

In these days of 'globalization of the beautiful game' ... local catchment areas mean 'diddly squat'. If you can be successful (investment required), peddle a bit of history (tick), and have a distinctive shirt design (tick) ... the world's your oyster!

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Forest already have a rich backer and fortunes to spend if needed.

Hypothetically, which clubs outside the Premier League could afford to spend big if they were suddenly promoted to the top league tomorrow?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Nice try but QPR? Already competing with Chelsea/ Fulham for fans, and the capacity of Loftus Road I don't think is that great. Reading, hardly a hotbed of football.

Forest - pretty similar to us really.

Forest are a huge club with twice the potential we have in fanpower alone. QPR is in London and Reading has potential for a relatively large fan base.

[Iceman]

Its results that matter. Forget this whole ######, about having twice as many fans, having loads of money etc. Fact of the matter is, we are still an Epl team, and an established one at that for the last 15 years, except for that slip when we got relegated. Forest, Reading, West Brom, Coventry etc, have been up and down. If i wanted to sell Rovers, then it has to be somebody who loves the club, who understands the vision and maintaining the stability we find ourselves in. If we cant find that guy, then we get on with the current structures, which apart from finances, has been run like a well oiled machine.

[Kelbo]

I really think in the next 12 to 18 months we will see major changes in club ownership, debts etc, I for one wouldnt like a situation such as Glazers and Hicks etc where the clubs borrowings reach what can only be described as epidemic proportions.

What happens if Glazer or Hicks go bankrupt?

How would United or Liverpool finance the debts?

Somewhere, there has been some real forsight at Rovers, we are a well run club, maybe no money to finance big signings, but run as a business and whilst there are debts, the assets in the ground and Brockhall outweigh the debts by far, balance this with Burnley, they are supposed to be in decent shape, yet dont own the ground or its Gawthorpe training ground!!

Lots of clubs in fact do not own their own grounds and a debt to them is a far greater risk of administration as the banks have no 'collateral cover' on their borrowings.

The only time I would like to see a takeover is if we have a real Rovers fan who buys the club for the proper reasons, then it would be a realistic situation, otherwise we stay as we are, a well run club with a great and well respected chairman, and albeit a struggle but a premiership league club.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'll believe it when I see facts...we have been here before.

[philipl]

I think I know how and where this story has come from.

The facts are that Rovers are not involved.