[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[ultrablue]

The Arab approach has been made over the past few weeks.

Rothschilds are pushing this particular potential investor - and seem to be concentrating on him just now.

Incidentally, they have also been trying to sell another club to this chap and his pals.

At the moment he seems reluctant to commit. Without wanting to be stereotypical, that is normal for some of these Middle East types.

The strongest thing I get from the whole story is that Rothschilds - on behalf of the club - are frantic to sell.

Interested to hear there may have been another recent interested party. I presumre they did not measure up, which is why the Arab line is being pursued.

My personal feeling is that this will drag on for a bit and fizzle out. Some people talk a big game but then go cold.

I know what the price is [which is relatively small] and I know who the Arab gent is too. But until he gets serious I won't go into his details. My fear is he will go somewhere else...a place where he can make a few bob which is his main motivation.

You would have to be a fan to take on Rovers. It's steady and stable but there is no real money to be made.

So it goes.

If he wants to make a few bob and that's his motivation for looking at Rovers then our fear should be that he won't

[nicko]

If he wants to make a few bob and that's his motivation for looking at Rovers then our fear should be that he won't

There's no shame in making a profit. The trouble comes when an idiot comes in who doesn't know how to...and you start making big losses.

[jim mk2]

The strongest thing I get from the whole story is that Rothschilds - on behalf of the club - are frantic to sell.

This is the most frightening line.

If the Trust are "frantic" to sell, after so long looking for a buyer presumably they are getting to the stage where they will sell almost at any price.

We are now in the situation of Rovers being hawked around the Middle East for anyone with a bit of cash.

[ABBEY]

Like those calling for Sam's head (quiet now aren't we), be careful what you wish for...

just not been online

[T4E]

There's no shame in making a profit. The trouble comes when an idiot comes in who doesn't know how to...and you start making big losses.

Virtually impossible at Rovers. If it wasn't, the group of relatively successfull businessmen that already own the club wouldn't be so 'frantic' to shift us.

[Iceman]

Nicko, was i right that the Trustees are pushing Rotschilds, to a point where they are ready to jump into a rash decision?

[nicko]

Nicko, was i right that the Trustees are pushing Rotschilds, to a point where they are ready to jump into a rash decision?

I don't know what the dynamics are between the Trustees and Rothschilds, but it sounds like the Trustees want rid even more than before...either that or Tothschilds are under pressure to do a deal for their own financial reasons.

I don't think 'rash' comes into it. Nobody buys a club without a good reason, so if someone does come up with the money we have to ait to see what those are.

All I can say about the Arab interest is that they are not publicity seekers, but pretty hard-headed when it comes to money. They have been looking at ways of this being a profitable exercise.

I think you can make a Premier League club work for you and make money if you do it right, but it involved long-term planning and short-term success.

The selling price - which I will keep to myself right now - should really be attractive for the right people. But it is still a matter of finding them.

[duffbear]

Nicko - Money wise what will he potentially bring to the table I persume we are not talking Man City/Chelsea levels but maybe along the lines of Villa/Birmingham?

[Iceman]

I don't know what the dynamics are between the Trustees and Rothschilds, but it sounds like the Trustees want rid even more than before...either that or Tothschilds are under pressure to do a deal for their own financial reasons.

I don't think 'rash' comes into it. Nobody buys a club without a good reason, so if someone does come up with the money we have to ait to see what those are.

All I can say about the Arab interest is that they are not publicity seekers, but pretty hard-headed when it comes to money. They have been looking at ways of this being a profitable exercise.

I think you can make a Premier League club work for you and make money if you do it right, but it involved long-term planning and short-term success.

The selling price - which I will keep to myself right now - should really be attractive for the right people. But it is still a matter of finding them.

Nicko, without revealing the guys name, is he worth trying to sell the club to?

[Stuart]

Nicko - Money wise what will he potentially bring to the table I persume we are not talking Man City/Chelsea levels but maybe along the lines of Villa/Birmingham?

By the sounds of it, along the lines of Ali Al Faraj.

There is not the turnover at Rovers to make us a worthwhile investment. We need to be extremely wary of simply being asset stripped for short term gain by an 'investor'.

Worrying that the Walkers / Rothschild are 'frantic' to get the club sold. I know that they aren't in it for the long term but what is the sudden urgency? And if we are to believe that the Trust is set out to avoid us selling to the wrong kind of owner, then this will still be a pre-requisite preventing a quick sale.

Or is Rothschild's portfolio petering out and they are now getting around to "little old" Rovers?

[Gav]

Like those calling for Sam's head (quiet now aren't we), be careful what you wish for...

Not point calling for the managers head when we’ve not played, in fact rather stupid bringing the subject up at all on a takeover thread

[brian_gallagher85]

I'd imagine Rothchilds are feeling the pinch like everyone else and are looking for a nice big commission.

[PAFELL]

The Arab approach has been made over the past few weeks.

Rothschilds are pushing this particular potential investor - and seem to be concentrating on him just now.

Incidentally, they have also been trying to sell another club to this chap and his pals.

At the moment he seems reluctant to commit. Without wanting to be stereotypical, that is normal for some of these Middle East types.

The strongest thing I get from the whole story is that Rothschilds - on behalf of the club - are frantic to sell.

Interested to hear there may have been another recent interested party. I presumre they did not measure up, which is why the Arab line is being pursued.

My personal feeling is that this will drag on for a bit and fizzle out. Some people talk a big game but then go cold.

I know what the price is [which is relatively small] and I know who the Arab gent is too. But until he gets serious I won't go into his details. My fear is he will go somewhere else...a place where he can make a few bob which is his main motivation.

You would have to be a fan to take on Rovers. It's steady and stable but there is no real money to be made.

So it goes.

To be fair I think that Rovers could be a proffitable business. After all the situation at Rovers now is by far better than it was before Jack Walker came. When Jack came in Rovers were, for want of a better description, a tired club, skint and with an old fashion football ground and training facilities. Now Rovers have a decent ground - which still has potential for further development (riverside) good training facilities, and in the premiership. So no investor new owner has to payout for these things. The team needs a few new players. When Kenny was the manager he bought players who were not star names, but were made into star names. I do believe that could be done again. If any new investor came in with that attitude and not pay silly transfer fees and wages - then a profit could be made.

Success on the field brings in the people - often glory hunter supporters. It also brings in the money from league and cup success. Anyway with man U and liverpool with their major money problems - which could cost them places in Europe etc - this could be a good time for a new investor to come in. There is rebelion with the supporters at man U and if that is not sorted out, they could switch clubs.

I think Rovers should have a green and yellow half shirt for next season, to use at OT.

I'd imagine Rothchilds are feeling the pinch like everyone else and are looking for a nice big commission.

Another angle could be that Rovers have said to Rothschilds, "find us a buyer or we will ask somebody else to do it." Which would mean Rothschild would lose money for not selling Rovers - which they would not want. Maybe Rovers have been approached by somebody else offering to sell the club for them.

[nicko]

Nicko - Money wise what will he potentially bring to the table I persume we are not talking Man City/Chelsea levels but maybe along the lines of Villa/Birmingham?

Difficult to compare. I don't think these guys are looking at throwing big money about.

Nicko, without revealing the guys name, is he worth trying to sell the club to?

The people involved are legit, but just not massively wealthy - sensible money, sensible investors.

The problem - from what I understand - is that they do not see any way of improving Rovers from where they are just now without massive spending. So the club probably does not fit the profile for them.

If they thought about it - and played the long game of investing in youth and young players - it could work.

But that particular penny has not dropped yet.

I would stress again, the most revealing thing about all of this is that Rothschilds [and I presume the Trustees] seem more keen than ever to sell.

[John]

Not point calling for the managers head when weve not played, in fact rather stupid bringing the subject up at all on a takeover thread

Still hate him do you?

[RibbleValleyRover]

The Marple Leaf blog talks a bit about this interest:

The Marple Leaf

[iamarover]

Difficult to compare. I don't think these guys are looking at throwing big money about.

The people involved are legit, but just not massively wealthy - sensible money, sensible investors.

The problem - from what I understand - is that they do not see any way of improving Rovers from where they are just now without massive spending. So the club probably does not fit the profile for them.

If they thought about it - and played the long game of investing in youth and young players - it could work.

But that particular penny has not dropped yet.

I would stress again, the most revealing thing about all of this is that Rothschilds [and I presume the Trustees] seem more keen than ever to sell.

These are dangerous times.

Economic imperatives will be pushing the Trustees to raise cash for the rest of the (mainly profitable, or at least potentially so) Walker business empire. And that hint of weakness is akin to blood seeping into the ocean from a slowing beast. No surprise then that sharks are circling. And make no mistake. They can be only sharks. There is no philanthropic sheikh out there. If reflected charitable glory is their aim then there are a host of charities from UNICEF to Haiti, to any number of Arab charitable causes, that make better community headlines than sinking money into bloated sporting millionaires in a small part of a faraway land.

No. They smell only fame and money. The presence of both ensures why these people look at football rather than more rational businesses for healthy returns. For slavish adulation is what they crave on a large scale, and combine that with a way of salting more millions and you have bait for the dead black eye of the Great Sand Shark.

Rovers can't make money. Yes they can turn a profit on transfers, but that 'profit' isnt really there to be taken out. It is a surplus generated by selling on young players for good money to make good the shortfall of a small fan base. That small fan base just will not grow despite the best marketing efforts of an imaginative board. And don't give me the global thang...spend some time out here in Asia. The 'massive' expenditure Nicko is talking about is about creating the success that makes a Jacksonville into a Miami Dophin or New York Giant. Global team names that can become the stuff that Gary Cooke bangs his meat over as he fixes his debased stare on the balance sheet line that reads..'Global merchandising'. And that kind of porno largesse just isnt going to happen.

So even with a small price tag of say $50m. How does Sheikh Shark get that money back? And he will want it in 3 - 5 years at least.

The answer has to be in the Brockhall and ground assets that underpin the club.

And this is where bathing off the beach marked 'Rothschilds Football Trade Fair' is a decidedly risky one for a Rovers swimmer bearing only a pair of ragged Speedos. If the Trustee lifeguards pick up their red life rafts and head for the bars of Miami, then death is a certainty. Only the length of the kill is for debate.

This board has now to fill up with people waving at JW and the unfairly malingned Trustees and swearing them to hold dear to Jack's wishes. The only reason Rovers havent been sold to the twopenny bookmen* queueing up in past years has been the iron clauses of Jack's will that clearly has bound his legacy holders to finding a fan who at best will run the club at break even despite huge initial investment. As the Trustees have done to date, but, terrifyingly, now show signs of faith decline. If some bright young thing has found a legal way of breaking those shackles, the shark net that protects the Ewood Beach will be broken.

The horror, the horror

Fear but do not lose faith. This is a special club with small but fiercely loyal and stubbornly resistant fans. All those qualities may be needed in the weeks ahead.

Arte et Labore.

*ref. thecomebackid txt 070310 passim

[broadsword]

the trust are trying to give us away - I wonder what Jack Walker would've thought about it all? I'm pretty much certain that if Jack was still with us, we woiuldn't be hawked around the Middle East.

The Trust might resent having to carry us with them like a troublesome millstone, but those were the wishes of Mr Walker, and if it wasn't for him, there wouldn't be a trust in the first place.

Looking after us was part of jack walker's legacy, and I'm really put out that the club is being treated like some irksome piece of junk that is put in a fire sale.

[jim mk2]

This is the most frightening line.

If the Trust are "frantic" to sell, after so long looking for a buyer presumably they are getting to the stage where they will sell almost at any price.

We are now in the situation of Rovers being hawked around the Middle East for anyone with a bit of cash.

If the sale price is as low as £25m as suggested I wonder if senior officials at the club have considered some sort of buy-out ?

After all, they are multimillionaires and presumably have the business contacts to raise the cash.

[philipl]

Players and Manager are but not the officials.

As posted earlier, Glasgow Rangers are going for £30m- the same as Portsmouth.

[Fife Rover]

The Arab approach has been made over the past few weeks.

Rothschilds are pushing this particular potential investor - and seem to be concentrating on him just now.

Incidentally, they have also been trying to sell another club to this chap and his pals.

At the moment he seems reluctant to commit. Without wanting to be stereotypical, that is normal for some of these Middle East types.

The strongest thing I get from the whole story is that Rothschilds - on behalf of the club - are frantic to sell.

Interested to hear there may have been another recent interested party. I presumre they did not measure up, which is why the Arab line is being pursued.

My personal feeling is that this will drag on for a bit and fizzle out. Some people talk a big game but then go cold.

I know what the price is [which is relatively small] and I know who the Arab gent is too. But until he gets serious I won't go into his details. My fear is he will go somewhere else...a place where he can make a few bob which is his main motivation.

You would have to be a fan to take on Rovers. It's steady and stable but there is no real money to be made.

So it goes.

GOOD!!

Long may it last! The last thing Rovers need is a new owner looking for a quick buck.

What we DO need is stability, and the protection afforded us by the Walker Trust. That way at least we wont finish up like Pompey.

[sparky12]

GOOD!!

Long may it last! The last thing Rovers need is a new owner looking for a quick buck.

What we DO need is stability, and the protection afforded us by the Walker Trust. That way at least we wont finish up like Pompey.

The trustees dont want us anymore though!! i dont think it will be too long before they give up totally and hardly give us a pennie

[iamarover]

The trustees dont want us anymore though!! i dont think it will be too long before they give up totally and hardly give us a pennie

Just out of interest. Why would they give us a penny? No seriously? Why should they? If you were a trustee of a major fund would you give money to Haiti, the Red Cross, tsunami victims, UK homeless, the Samaritans, or... er... Rovers with a $50m wage bill (?)

I presume what you are saying is they should give us a penny or a million or a billion pennies as this mythical Investment. Which, by the way, has precisely NO chance of ever returning without an asset strip. So who would Donate (er..none unless you are a bonkers millionaire rover) and who would Invest (er..none unless you are a ..oh.. I see).

[Iceman]

Just out of interest. Why would they give us a penny? No seriously? Why should they? If you were a trustee of a major fund would you give money to Haiti, the Red Cross, tsunami victims, UK homeless, the Samaritans, or... er... Rovers with a $50m wage bill (?)

I presume what you are saying is they should give us a penny or a million or a billion pennies as this mythical Investment. Which, by the way, has precisely NO chance of ever returning without an asset strip. So who would Donate (er..none unless you are a bonkers millionaire rover) and who would Invest (er..none unless you are a ..oh.. I see).

Well, in that case the Trustees should come forward and say they no longer interested. Whatever Nicko says, about it fizzling out, imo its going to happen at some stage. 25mill, if thats the asking price is a bargain for any potential buyer. If the Trustees want out, and Rotschilds are frantically wanting to sell then this will happen. Why dont the trustees sell a percentage of the club to a potential buyer? Is it Ushmanov(sp) at Arsenal, that bought into the club bit by bit? I think that would be less risky, as the club wont be fully in his possesion.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Incidentally, they have also been trying to sell another club to this chap and his pals.

At the moment he seems reluctant to commit. Without wanting to be stereotypical, that is normal for some of these Middle East types.

The strongest thing I get from the whole story is that Rothschilds - on behalf of the club - are frantic to sell.

Horrible news tbh,prostituting our club around like some cheap western whore to Arabs.

This news fills me with dread,these are NOT Rovers supporters just Business men looking for a cheap ego fix.

I'm sorry but NOBODY on this board can convince me this is the way Jack Walker,god rest his soul,wanted the club to progress.

There but for the grace of God go we.