[Archived] Rovers Takeover

[bboy]

Any chance of a new swingometer, to clear up where we are?

[John]

I know this link has been posted, but good to see WGA are working on it....

The spokesman confirmed that the shareholder is Mr Syed. She admitted that the accounts are "confusing", but said: "It is something we are working on."

[BigNuts]

The club have not revealed anything, though. Other than "bidding is ongoing". If any frustration needs to be vented it should be directed at Syed and his PR team for being all mouth and no substance, rather than the club - who have sensibly not revealed anything to glorify the situation, or get our hopes up.

I agree the club have acted impeccably. Though, have the LET and BRFCS news desk not held back information up to now, only revealing it when they get the "nod"?

[Glenn]

I thought News Bunny was going to be anonymous?

It kinda is. There are several of us with access to the account, so you can never be sure which individual is making which posts (however if the post has poor spelling and grammar with an overuse of ellipsis and smilies, it's probably me ). Also, it allows us to post news from those unable or unwilling to post it themselves, either with or without a byline (as we've done with Kamy's last couple of articles).

The fact it's a News Bunny post, means it's been checked, edited and authorised, and shouldn't necessarily be attributed to whoever actually copied it onto the forums.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Simply in comparison with other clubs, I know there are good and bad examples but Jack is long gone, sad to say, and when he left the Trust had to look for alternative owners for Rovers. Is it reasonable that we should always rely on their largesse for Rovers to survive and flourish?

What we need from them is good stewardship and time taken to make certain any new owners are as good as we could possibly get.

The board and the Trust have managed to keep us up in the Premiership and have authorised spending levels which other clubs of a similar stature would have baulked at. The amount spent on transfers and wages is still at the top limit Rovers can manage. They have also sanctioned low ticket prices for us.

As for the quote attributed to John Williams about going bust if we go down, I seem to remember that it would be almost impossible for us to return to the Premier if we went down. Then again I'm an old fart and my memory isn't what it was.

My desire is that my team that I have followed for many years continues in existence without insanity throwing the future away.

Fair enough. What irks me is that the trustees surely would not be in their current positions would it not be for Jack Walker. Nobody should pretend to know what he would want all these years since his passing but I think it's safe to assume that he wouldn't want us to slip back to where we were in the dark days of the 70's when I first followed the club. It seems that as Jack is no longer around it's ok to treat the club like an unwanted family heirloom that is something of a pain in the arse. Somebody should remind the Trustees about Jack Walker and that if an underperforming, regional airline is worth a billion pound investment then they have a duty of care over his real passion.

[Ozz]

[BPF]

Everyone needs to keep in mind that this is a race.

We are very close to the finish line now....

[broadsword]

It kinda is. There are several of us with access to the account, so you can never be sure which individual is making which posts (however if the post has poor spelling and grammar with an overuse of ellipsis and smilies, it's probably me ). Also, it allows us to post news from those unable or unwilling to post it themselves, either with or without a byline (as we've done with Kamy's last couple of articles).

The fact it's a News Bunny post, means it's been checked, edited and authorised, and shouldn't necessarily be attributed to whoever actually copied it onto the forums.

But at the end, it's attributed to Kamy.

[Fife Rover]

It's easy to understand why we are upset with the transfer situation, you are, I am , we all are. But to be balanced the Trust have been clear for some time that they won't be putting money into the club and that they have been trying for a sale for a few years. That's obviously bad for the playing side of the club and if that's all there was to it then we should all be up in arms, but it's not all there is to it so we have to be more balanced.

The moment the Trust put the 'for sale' sign up then there was nothing else for me to moan at, assuming of course that the sale price was reasonable. They don't want a football club, they have no money for it but they are willing to sell to someone else who wants to make the investment. That's all they can do, let's be fair.

Exemplary is I think a good word to describe them now because if it was just a case of getting the asking price then the club would have been sold three times over already. That clearly isn't what they want, it's not just about the money, it's about keeping to the spirit of Jack's Will and the traditions and history of a great club. They aren't just going to take the cash and run. Simply by putting themselves through these seemingly never ending cycles of pain shows that they will not p!ss the club away to any chancer who happens along with a fist full of cash. They want to be sure that they are passing the baton to a safe pair of hands. I think it's fair to call that exemplary.

Selling the club was never a challenge, that's the easy bit, the Trust and the Board are concerned with far more important matters and I think we should be too. Probably best to be patient and stay positive.

In the meantime nothing changes and that's painful too because we are left in a stable but fragile position. If we stay with the Trust then it is clear that we will have no transfer funds yet we will not be in the hands of some cowboy who wants to do a Leeds, Southampton, Portsmouth, Liverpool on us.

For me the Trust/Board are doing the best for us. I still think matters will be concluded by the end of October, and by concluded I mean sold.

Well said TJ. I wonder why you and I and many others can see the really important matters in any takeover and a number of others obviously can't? Could it be a case of they don't want to see it in case they don't get their wished-for players in quick enough?

[Jackson]

Everyone needs to keep in mind that this is a race.

We are very close to the finish line now....

Well to me, two horses look lame and the other was shot.

[BPF]

Well to me, two horses look lame and the other was shot.

It's a good job we don't share your eyes in that case.

These deals don't live in Football Manager world...

This is a very complicated deal. It isn't often that a football club OWNED BY A TRUST WHO DOESN'T NEED TO SELL are bought out.

You need to listen carefully to people on here. There is no need for any panic yet.

[Fife Rover]

Because they might be looking at a better offer?

Yes Den that could well be a reason, but also there just might be another reason. They might also be very conscientious and well aware of the responsibilities that were passed on to them through the Deed Of Trust. I personally prefer to think is the latter. Others may make their own minds up; it's a free World.

EDIT: This is not in any way meant as a critiscism of your post Den, nor of any other posts either. I am simply putting my own viewpoint, and it is the one that I hope and trust does actually apply.

[Jackson]

These deals don't live in Football Manager world...

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought they did.

This is a very complicated deal. It isn't often that a football club OWNED BY A TRUST WHO DOESN'T NEED TO SELL are bought out.

When the current owners are reluctant to even pay for net repairs, I beg to differ. The trust need to sell. PS - And the time-of-the-month shouting is for?

You need to listen carefully to people on here.

With completely unfounded guesswork of the ilk "we're nearly there" and "I can't say why, but this could be done in 2-3 days", I'd rather not, but thanks anyway fella.

[imy9]

Well the mouthpiece of the club cryer at the let thinks the odds are that we will have new owners shortly so that coupled with what others are implying seems to suggest it may happen.patience is a virtue.

[philipl]

I stress this is my understanding but three bidders have made offers to buy the shares from the Trust which the Trust would find acceptable.

The competition and hence the source of delay is the Trust ensuring the safest hands and very best deal for the Rovers going forwards from whichever bidder emerges as the new owner of BRFC. The Trust's job is to fulfil the wishes and dreams of Jack Walker.

[BPF]

Well the mouthpiece of the club cryer at the let thinks the odds are that we will have new owners shortly so that coupled with what others are implying seems to suggest it may happen.patience is a virtue.

There does seem to be some information floating around suggesting that.

Where has Cryer said that?

[philipl]

Andy Cryer on the Ali Syed bid today.

Andy Cryer blog on Saturday.

[BPF]

Andy Cryer on the Ali Syed bid today.

Andy Cryer blog on Saturday.

Thank you

[Torgeir]

I stress this is my understanding but three bidders have made offers to buy the shares from the Trust which the Trust would find acceptable.

The competition and hence the source of delay is the Trust ensuring the safest hands and very best deal for the Rovers going forwards from whichever bidder emerges as the new owner of BRFC. The Trust's job is to fulfil the wishes and dreams of Jack Walker.

Will the Trust be left with the same amount no matter which offer is successful, or are they more concerned whether or not the potential new owner(s) fulfil Jacks wishes? If it's a three horse race then they could easily make it a bidding war, but if you're saying that's not the case then I'll take your word for it

I'm just eager for something fresh, it's been one frustrating transfer window after another the past couple of seasons now.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

I think I can see the Trust/board plan now is following along the lines of the transfer one:

1) Spread the word that Benjani is on a free / Saurin Shah is interested but we'd be scraping the barrel.

2) Syed will invest a fortune but we want special terms/ Our top target is Lewandowski but we are only prepared to pay x amount

3) There is a mystery striker/ There is a mystery bidder

4) We cannot agree terms our targets club/ There are terms we cannot agree on with Syed

5) We have made an offer on a mystery striker / The mystery buyer has made an offer

6) We cannot agree a deal for the mystery striker/ We cannot agree a deal with the mystery bidder.

7) We sign Benjani which improves nothing / We sell to Shah and are no better off.

De ja vu

[Glenn]

But at the end, it's attributed to Kamy.

Indeed, he was happy to put his name to the article (as he wrote it), but he didn't post it. He handed it to us yesterday afternoon with instructions not to run it until this morning (incase WGA came back to him). The article was his, but it was edited an posted by somebody else.

[47er]

Because they might be looking at a better offer?

That's my fear too Den. Suppose the Mahindra group have simply offered more?

[47er]

Your opinion of course, in my opinion the Trust have been outstanding. Where possible funds are made available, we don't have (neither do the Trust) access to the funds other owners have.

The key thing is that they are not determined to sell at all costs and are willing to line up a number of appropriate suitors.

Also, can we avoid the degeneration of this thread in the same way as previous ones.

I certainly wouldn't want the thread to degenerate like the last one but if I don't think the trust have been outstanding owners I'm going to say so. Otherwise what is the point of the thread (or indeed the notice-board)?

Well said TJ. I wonder why you and I and many others can see the really important matters in any takeover and a number of others obviously can't? Could it be a case of they don't want to see it in case they don't get their wished-for players in quick enough?

Lets not see this thread degenerate like the old one Fife.

[47er]

edit

[MikeB]

Have been on a short city break in the sun and met a couple of interesting characters. One name that came up in conversation was a Bharti Mittal (wealthy Indian) who's supposed to be a bit of a football nut and thought to be looking out for European options.

Hope this helps - someome might want to do a bit of research.