[Archived] Venky's willing to sell?

[PAFELL]

The only experience I have of Wayne is that up until three or four years ago he used to make a few extra quid running poker tournaments in the Knowles Arms at Pleckgate once a month.

I had no idea he was the Director of a big Company until his concerns appeared in the LT earlier in the season. On face value he appears to be a successful businessman and spends a substantial amount with the Club on sponsorship so well done to him on that. However in my view if he had concerns those should have been kept private between him and the Club or owners rather than running off to the LT.

As a person he seemed to be a very pleasant and outgoing chap who loves his ale and nights out and dare I say it rather likes to hear the sound of his own voice. The latest thing I heard in relation to him was a rumour (which may or may not be completely incorrect) he'd bought The Roisins Pub with the intention of demolishing it to build a helicopter pad!

I may be doing Wayne a complete disservice and I have nothing whatsoever against him personally, as I say he seems a great guy, but I do struggle to take his name seriously whenever it is mentioned in relation to a proposed takeover.

I think Wayne Wild did contact the owners and the club privately first, as have others. But when he got no reply he wrote and open letter to them. Which considering the owners attitude and their silence it is not surprising he wrote an open letter, having been blanked by venkys.

[OscarRaven]

Well if he is happy for the club to be relegated. He can sod off to burnley.

I think thats jumping to conclusions. It's clear the guy can't afford to buy the club if it has PL income, he is simply positioning for what happens if the club is relegated. That is a very different thing to WANTING the club relegated.

My stance is not personal it is based on observation. Alarm bells started ringing for me when the protesters started talking about discussions with potential investors. That then moved the protest from being objective with a clear goal (eventually) to having an interest in aquiring the club. This loss of objectivity completely undermines the message. I have no doubt the intentions were good and clearly there is no evil mastermind behind what has happened but takeovers and protests need to be kept seperate.

Venkys Out, Cause we want in - not good is it?

OK now I've clarified my stance, perhaps something more controversial. In the event we are not relegated (clearly plans are already afoot if we are!);

Proposal: Venky's retain majority ownership in the club 75%, a fans co-operative obtains 25% in exchange for day to day control of the club and UK based operation. The proviso, the club musty be run sustainably (i.e. self funding with no prospect of liabilty to Venky's).

The club promotes Venky's products in exchange for reasonably generous sponsorship deal (£3M p.a.), the 'India project' gets back on track and the club is run in a traditional way. Venky's keep the prestigious title of and remain the owners of a premier league football club, the bad publicity goes away. Everybody is happy.

Except Steve Kean. He will be asked to leave the organisation as part of the neccessary restructuring. The ironry is the fans cooperative will effectively be paying his severance.

[PAFELL]

Does that mean you jumped in a bit quick with your previous remarks?

I posted in reply to cmbc211087 post about relegation and Wayne Wilds plan. I did say IF that was the plan.

As he tweeted me, I decided to ask him. Which is why I have said he does not want the club relegated. Because that was the answer he gave me.

[RevidgeBlue]

I think Wayne Wild did contact the owners and the club privately first, as have others. But when he got no reply he wrote and open letter to them. Which considering the owners attitude and their silence it is not surprising he wrote an open letter, having been blanked by venkys.

Fair comment. If it had been me in that position I would have pressed and pressed for a face to face meeting with the owners and not stopped until I got one as it appears "the two Ians" did. That's just my own personal preference though.

[PAFELL]

I think thats jumping to conclusions. It's clear the guy can't afford to buy the club if it has PL income, he is simply positioning for what happens if the club is relegated. That is a very different thing to WANTING the club relegated.

YOUR POST BEAT ME TO IT. HE HAS CLARIFIED THE RELEGATION PART

My stance is not personal it is based on observation. Alarm bells started ringing for me when the protesters started talking about discussions with potential investors. That then moved the protest from being objective with a clear goal (eventually) to having an interest in aquiring the club. This loss of objectivity completely undermines the message. I have no doubt the intentions were good and clearly there is no evil mastermind behind what has happened but takeovers and protests need to be kept seperate.

Venkys Out, Cause we want in - not good is it?

OK now I've clarified my stance, perhaps something more controversial. In the event we are not relegated (clearly plans are already afoot if we are!);

Proposal: Venky's retain majority ownership in the club 75%, a fans co-operative obtains 25% in exchange for day to day control of the club and UK based operation. The proviso, the club musty be run sustainably (i.e. self funding with no prospect of liabilty to Venky's).

The club promotes Venky's products in exchange for reasonably generous sponsorship deal (£3M p.a.), the 'India project' gets back on track and the club is run in a traditional way. Venky's keep the prestigious title of and remain the owners of a premier league football club, the bad publicity goes away. Everybody is happy.

Except Steve Kean. He will be asked to leave the organisation as part of the neccessary restructuring. The ironry is the fans cooperative will effectively be paying his severance.

Interesting idea.

[perthblue02]

Fair comment. If it had been me in that position I would have pressed and pressed for a face to face meeting with the owners and not stopped until I got one as it appears "the two Ians" did. That's just my own personal preference though.

The face to face meeting between the two Ian's and Desai was organised by Jerome Anderson, so the two Ian's did not in fact press and press they used one of their business acquaintances to get the meeting. One of the two Ian's actually stated this on a thread on this board when questioned about Anderson's attendance at that meeting, but did not mention it on the podcast of how the meeting came about.

[Tom]

I think some clarity is certainly needed here, someone needs to clear things up before it gets ugly and people get the wrong end of the stick

You can just imagine the reaction if wild and co took over and then a comittee from BRAG became an official fans comittee or 2 of them became the clubs 'fans liaison officers'

[RevidgeBlue]

The face to face meeting between the two Ian's and Desai was organised by Jerome Anderson, so the two Ian's did not in fact press and press they used one of their business acquaintances to get the meeting. One of the two Ian's actually stated this on a thread on this board when questioned about Anderson's attendance at that meeting, but did not mention it on the podcast of how the meeting came about.

Ok, I think we're descending into semantics here and getting away from what is important and what's not. Without wishing to labour or prolong the point the two Ians would still have had to have a desire to hold the meeting and request it though.

[Stuart]

I think some clarity is certainly needed here, someone needs to clear things up before it gets ugly and people get the wrong end of the stick

You can just imagine the reaction if wild and co took over and then a comittee from BRAG became an official fans comittee or 2 of them became the clubs 'fans liaison officers'

That's a proper old carrot right there, Tom.

[Puffsan]

who/what is BRAG?

[Tom]

That's a proper old carrot right there, Tom.

Unfortunately until there is clarity though people will question how far deep things run

This potential announcement tomorrow whatever it is may clear things up

The last thing we need is this us v them nonsense strengthening between our own fans

[RevidgeBlue]

So to try to cut to the chase, is Wayne's proposal that if we go down he will offer to take the Club off the owners / administrators hands for a nominal pound with the intention of raising 10m for investment purposes by selling stakes to supporters?

That notion is far fetched at best imho.

[TBTF]

The face to face meeting between the two Ian's and Desai was organised by Jerome Anderson, so the two Ian's did not in fact press and press they used one of their business acquaintances to get the meeting. One of the two Ian's actually stated this on a thread on this board when questioned about Anderson's attendance at that meeting, but did not mention it on the podcast of how the meeting came about.

I saw that too but it was answered ie they used JA to get where they wanted to be ie in front of the Witch in her house!!(not alot wrong with that in my book) but he then went on to say that there is no connection with JA/SEM and the Ians and nothing thats come out ever since would suggest there is a link.

Looks to me like when these lads want something theyll go and get it. Gets my vote over a bunch of squabbling fans that to be honest look like theyve been in the pub too long

[Daniel Louis Grabko (Dan)]

Wow...just wow...without trying to disrespect anyone, it seems as though most of you don't want to make things better, you just want it to be handed to you. What a bunch of hypocrisy if that is the case. You can all just stop calling it, "your" or "our" club then. The supporters should be the caretakers of the club and its history, full stop. If you all don't want that then what's the point? Is this just a place for you all to come and let out your life frustrations by complaining and whining and spouting cynicism and negativity?

I am probably going to get slated/flamed for this, but the lack of any sense of emotional ownership of the club you love and support is appalling. That BRAG would support this is only positive. You all have been slating them for just protesting and it not achieving anything. Now if indeed they are supporting this, and they do put up their own money to start the initiative, you are going to go on and say that they are making some cloak and dagger power play to take over the club??? Are you kidding me? The plan calls for 10,000 supporters worldwide to purchase shares, BRAG or Wayne could never do it alone, and they don't want to - they want a club owned by all the supporters.

One stipulation of the plan is that Rovers are relegated - for the simple reason that the initiative could not otherwise afford what Venkys would be asking, AND that Venkys more than likely would not sell if Rovers are still in the Premiership come the end of May. To then translate that into Wayne or BRAG actually wanting Rovers relegated is the most ridiculous and misguided leap of logic I have heard in a while. You guys make Riversiders seem like a bunch of utopian optimists!

This is a back-up plan to save the club in the event of relegation, so it doesn't do a Leeds or Charlton, or Portsmouth. If people have your attitudes, it of course won't get off the ground. Thankfully there are many many people out there that actually DO love the club.

And who is to say that this initiative could not join up with whatever the Ian's may or may not have cooking? What if, for example (pure conjecture by the way) They said they would match whatever funding can be raised by the supporters on a 48% basis? Win win....but maybe you all don't want to hear that. Maybe you are all happier just keeping your heads down and extolling your miseries and crying out for a savior....

[perthblue02]

So to try to cut to the chase, is Wayne's proposal that if we go down he will offer to take the Club off the owners / administrators hands for a nominal pound with the intention of raising 10m for investment purposes by selling stakes to supporters?

That notion is far fetched at best imho.

That's the way I'm reading, though might not be as far fetched as it sounds. The other 'bid' two Ian's from what I can gather is a consortium being put together , one of the Ian's has previous experience of doing this when he was a director at Bolton he put together a consortium to buy Leeds. Not sure if this bid is based on now or wherever we are in the future

[alexanders]

what and from who is this possible announcement tomorrow?

[Rover_Shaun]

Once again we seem to have a lot of 'experts' on here. How did the club get into such a mess with so much knowledge within it's supporter base?

[Ste B]

So you want us to go down to buy the club.. I can't say anything polite in response to that.

[hesfromburn]

Sorry but this whole wayne wild and Brag plan to buy the club is just insane, I dont see this as a more trusted and effective alternative to Venkys, I really dont.

It just seems to be the plan of a mad man.

[Tom]

Daniel

It isn't hypicrisy or whatever it just doesn't seem logically possible that's all.

How many season ticket holders do we have is it around 16000? Which would mean over half out season ticket holders would need to be able to stump up a large amount of cash.

I love this club but I certainly couldn't or wouldn't do it I have a family to look after and I'm sure most people will feel the same.

If there is something in the works where maybe someone came up with half and then the rest is bought by fans it may be possible but I just can't see this working, ever.

[hesfromburn]

Wow...just wow...without trying to disrespect anyone, it seems as though most of you don't want to make things better, you just want it to be handed to you. What a bunch of hypocrisy if that is the case. You can all just stop calling it, "your" or "our" club then. The supporters should be the caretakers of the club and its history, full stop. If you all don't want that then what's the point? Is this just a place for you all to come and let out your life frustrations by complaining and whining and spouting cynicism and negativity?

I am probably going to get slated/flamed for this, but the lack of any sense of emotional ownership of the club you love and support is appalling. That BRAG would support this is only positive. You all have been slating them for just protesting and it not achieving anything. Now if indeed they are supporting this, and they do put up their own money to start the initiative, you are going to go on and say that they are making some cloak and dagger power play to take over the club??? Are you kidding me? The plan calls for 10,000 supporters worldwide to purchase shares, BRAG or Wayne could never do it alone, and they don't want to - they want a club owned by all the supporters.

One stipulation of the plan is that Rovers are relegated - for the simple reason that the initiative could not otherwise afford what Venkys would be asking, AND that Venkys more than likely would not sell if Rovers are still in the Premiership come the end of May. To then translate that into Wayne or BRAG actually wanting Rovers relegated is the most ridiculous and misguided leap of logic I have heard in a while. You guys make Riversiders seem like a bunch of utopian optimists!

This is a back-up plan to save the club in the event of relegation, so it doesn't do a Leeds or Charlton, or Portsmouth. If people have your attitudes, it of course won't get off the ground. Thankfully there are many many people out there that actually DO love the club.

And who is to say that this initiative could not join up with whatever the Ian's may or may not have cooking? What if, for example (pure conjecture by the way) They said they would match whatever funding can be raised by the supporters on a 48% basis? Win win....but maybe you all don't want to hear that. Maybe you are all happier just keeping your heads down and extolling your miseries and crying out for a savior....

Oh sorry forgot only the members of 'BRAG' really have whats best for rovers at heart...... ABSOLUTE BALLS! The scriptures from a lunatic asylum.

[Tom]

Only just noticed it is all reliant on us going down, that's just off to me and i hope this is something BRAG haven't been involved in.

[PAFELL]

So you want us to go down to buy the club.. I can't say anything polite in response to that.

I contacted Wayne Wild on twitter. First he has no desire for the club to go down. But in the event it happens, we need to be ready.

Though how he or others think they are going to get 15,000 fans to stump up the £1000 each is a mystery. Possible if in a better financial climate. But now. Good in principle, but the practice is different.

15,000 supporters wanting proof of where their money has gone.

[yoda]

Once again we seem to have a lot of 'experts' on here. How did the club get into such a mess with so much knowledge within it's supporter base?

Read Tom M's post

in the mean time it looks like some people are trying to do something positive, which will be allien to a few on here

[Roost]

Wow...just wow...without trying to disrespect anyone, it seems as though most of you don't want to make things better, you just want it to be handed to you. What a bunch of hypocrisy if that is the case. You can all just stop calling it, "your" or "our" club then. The supporters should be the caretakers of the club and its history, full stop. If you all don't want that then what's the point? Is this just a place for you all to come and let out your life frustrations by complaining and whining and spouting cynicism and negativity?

I am probably going to get slated/flamed for this, but the lack of any sense of emotional ownership of the club you love and support is appalling. That BRAG would support this is only positive. You all have been slating them for just protesting and it not achieving anything. Now if indeed they are supporting this, and they do put up their own money to start the initiative, you are going to go on and say that they are making some cloak and dagger power play to take over the club??? Are you kidding me? The plan calls for 10,000 supporters worldwide to purchase shares, BRAG or Wayne could never do it alone, and they don't want to - they want a club owned by all the supporters.

One stipulation of the plan is that Rovers are relegated - for the simple reason that the initiative could not otherwise afford what Venkys would be asking, AND that Venkys more than likely would not sell if Rovers are still in the Premiership come the end of May. To then translate that into Wayne or BRAG actually wanting Rovers relegated is the most ridiculous and misguided leap of logic I have heard in a while. You guys make Riversiders seem like a bunch of utopian optimists!

This is a back-up plan to save the club in the event of relegation, so it doesn't do a Leeds or Charlton, or Portsmouth. If people have your attitudes, it of course won't get off the ground. Thankfully there are many many people out there that actually DO love the club.

And who is to say that this initiative could not join up with whatever the Ian's may or may not have cooking? What if, for example (pure conjecture by the way) They said they would match whatever funding can be raised by the supporters on a 48% basis? Win win....but maybe you all don't want to hear that. Maybe you are all happier just keeping your heads down and extolling your miseries and crying out for a savior....

Bloody 'ell Dan have you been on the Lingonberry Juice? Calm down lad.

Has anyone had confirmation that Venkys would be willing to sell in the event of relegation? Even if they have, they will want hard cash for the club and will surely reject any sale (for £1) that involves the very people who protested against them being our owners.

The kind of posts that have appeared today are a direct result of finding out this information from Facebook, no statement has appeared anywhere for what would seem a massive announcement. Amateurish at best.