[Archived] Takeover / Part Takeover ?

[West Yorks Rover]

Absolutely no way Carlos Hank Rhon would pass a fit and proper test.

Oh I don't know, he might have friends in high places.

[tomphil]

Alan Nixon? Ha! His only interest is having some sentences to write - paragraphs being too complex.

History shows this public dealing is out of character for those supposed to be involved.

+100

The mere fact it's allegedly come from Pune sends the bulldust alarms ringing.

Get those ST's bought folks there 'might' be a takeover !!!

[Norbert Rassragr]

I think it is the Veky's that contacted Seneca so it might be a goer

He would walk it

Absolutely no way Carlos Hank Rhon would pass a fit and proper test.

Carlos sounds immensely dodgy. So he'd pass easily, especially since he looks like Roy Walker.

http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/56cbb356e4b062f6b59a433c/320x486.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

[islander200]

+100

The mere fact it's allegedly come from Pune sends the bulldust alarms ringing.

Get those ST's bought folks there 'might' be a takeover !!!

Kamy said the initial link came from Pune.The two Ian's approached Nixon to run the story.

[AggyBlue]

Get those ST's bought folks there 'might' be a takeover !!!

Exactly

[RevidgeBlue]

I actually made my last post before Kamy posted so apologies.

I was actually hoping it was going to be someone with extremely deep pockets we 've not heard about before. A resounding "no" from me to the idea of the two Ian's taking over. They haven't got the money to fund the running of the Club themselves and any money borrowed off their investors for that purpose is likely to attract a colossal rate of interest.

[Mercer]

Kamy said it was leaked from Pune

Something like this is very difficult to keep under wraps.

When you work on potential acquisitions etc in industry and commerce, you are often required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

This is at least a few days old - I first picked up on the speculation about this, and another Rovers' story, in Manchester on Thursday.

[the original david brent]

Hope I am wrong but just starting to have my doubts about whether this is true or not. Nixon seems to have gone a little coy on twitter judging by his last couple of comments. There is also a regular poster on here who is a longstanding pal of one of the Ian's and he hasn't posted anything yet in relation to this story.

Ps that isn't meant as a dig at Kamy

[Ben-2000]

What other Rovers story?!

[islander200]

My understanding is from what Kamy has written,is that the initial leak came from Pune,the two Ian's then made contact with Alan Nixon as they wanted it out in the public domain.If that is the case then don't understand the we don't believe anything Nixon Says in this instance as his source is the two guy's who have made the offer to venkys!

[Craigman]

Should this all be conveyed to Venkys shareholders. Showing there is a way out for the Venkys. This could surely put pressure on them to agree a deal.

[tomphil]

Where has this Carlos Kickaballs name come from all of a sudden then and why one wonders ?

[RibbleValleyRover]

I don't think this type of deal is realistic and the potential is there to become way too messy for my liking.

Seneca might have history of turning around businesses but football clubs are a different kettle of fish. It's not just a case of throwing money at it, it has to be spent wisely and there has to be the structure in place. Getting out of this league isn't easy at all, it's pretty competitive so what happens if after a couple of years Rovers fail to get promoted? Will Venky's want to pull out of the deal, will the two Ian's major financial backers want to pull out?

Honestly the deal doesn't sound that great.

[glen9mullan]

Credit to the two Ian's for sticking with it when many would run a mile.

Although this seems a long shot, its certainly a shot.

Venkys have to date ignored all advances to sell club with a number of interested parties past and present being flatly ignored.

Surely its in Venkys best interest to cut their losses?

How a relationship of joint owners with them works im unsure with so many adament they wont return under venkys.

Whatever happens if Venkys wont fund a promotion push, then they need to step aside if other parties are willing to put the funds up for us to compete for promotion.

My only fear with joint ownership is if it fails after 12 months, will funds be available year 2 year 3 year 4 and so on?

I favour a complete sale with a long term strategy and funds which are available for the right players

[yoda]

I don't think this type of deal is realistic and the potential is there to become way too messy for my liking.

Seneca might have history of turning around businesses but football clubs are a different kettle of fish. It's not just a case of throwing money at it, it has to be spent wisely and there has to be the structure in place. Getting out of this league isn't easy at all, it's pretty competitive so what happens if after a couple of years Rovers fail to get promoted? Will Venky's want to pull out of the deal, will the two Ian's major financial backers want to pull out?

Honestly the deal doesn't sound that great.

I would say it is way better than the current situation

[47er]

I actually made my last post before Kamy posted so apologies.

I was actually hoping it was going to be someone with extremely deep pockets we 've not heard about before. A resounding "no" from me to the idea of the two Ian's taking over. They haven't got the money to fund the running of the Club themselves and any money borrowed off their investors for that purpose is likely to attract a colossal rate of interest.

Bloody hell Rev! Do you see yourself as the resident contrarian now?

"A resounding NO"to the 2 Ian's?!!!!

Lifelong supporters and with access to finance you or I wouldn't know the details of. Its not about their personal finances, its about their contacts, their business know-how and, above all else, their lifelong committment to Rovers.

There's not much else going for us is there. Billionaires are not bashing down the doors of Ewood to get in!

Do you want to carry on as we are? It seems so...

Very odd. What's your alternative by the way?

[Neal]

Anyone who would rather say "no" to having fans as shareholders and let Venkys carry on should hand themselves over to the authorities for sectioning. Absolute head the balls.

[RevidgeBlue]

Firstly, whatever I think about this won't make the slightest bit of difference. I can only give my opinion.If a proposal has indeed been put to Venky's and they like it, it may well go through. If they don't they'll chuck it in the bin. Nothing much we can do about it just as there wasn't when the Walker Trust sold to Venky's.

My opinion though for what it's worth is that the proposed deal is far too problematic to be taken seriously. I shouldn't really have to state the obvious but here goes anyway:

Why don't they want to buy the Club outright?

Who are their backers?

What do their backers expect out of any deal?

Who pays the bills?

How much is available for investment in the team? Is that a one off or available in seasons 2,3, 4 and 5 as well?

What if we don't go up in years 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5? Will their backers pull the plug?

Do they expect Venky's to sit on a 100m plus debt owing to them interest free whilst their backers demand a rate of return?

It all sounds completely pie in the sky to me. It's not long since one of the two Ian's said the Club was completely unsellable in its present form so I don't know what's changed. Well I do, there's a lot more money available in the Premiership now so they're once again trying to steam into the Club on the cheap and are hoping to hitch a ride on the Premiership gravy train using borrowed money.

Anyone who would rather say "no" to having fans as shareholders and let Venkys carry on should hand themselves over to the authorities for sectioning. Absolute head the balls.

Wouldn't you actually say that about fans wanting to swap owners who can afford to pay the bills (regardless of how badly they've run us in the past) for owners who can't?

[Neal]

Wouldn't you actually say that about fans wanting to swap owners who can afford to pay the bills (regardless of how badly they've run us in the past) for owners who can't?

Not sure what world you're living in there Rev. If 6 years of mismanagement and blatant ignorance towards running the club isn't enough to make you want rid of these people then i'm not sure what its going to take. Just look at what the Oystons are doing, it's one thing to have money but if you're bat-s h i t crazy then its bloody worthless and in many ways more dangerous than owners with less money. Correct management has gotten Burnley where they are now, thats what we need... Correct management and structure and how you haven't figured out that Venkys aren't going to provide that by now is beyond me. As time has proven, things will only get worse under this lot and if things are to get worse then I'd rather it be in the hands of fellow supporters when it does. This club can only move forward once these people are gone.

[RibbleValleyRover]

We don't know anything about the finances they have available or what sort of time frame they would have in mind in terms of funding the club that's what Rev is quite rightly pointing out.

The whole thing about the two Ian's being 'fans' should be a moot point, I know plenty of Rovers fans that if they suddenly became billionaires somehow and wanted to buy the club I wouldn't want them near it. Being a fan doesn't guarantee they would be a success.

Honestly we can debate it all we want but it's the Venky's that will decide, but I would be stunned if they went ahead with this type of deal.

[AggyBlue]

I would say it is way better than the current situation

Sign 51% of your business over to me, if I make a go of it and make plenty money I'll tip a bit back your way

[Steve Moss]

Sign 51% of your business over to me, if I make a go of it and make plenty money I'll tip a bit back your way

The answer to that would be "No". But if there were guaranteed significant funds the two Ians would put into the club, then if I were Venkys I'd consider it. Another 30 million (at a wild guess) invested might save Venkys 100 million. Do nothing would seem to ensure that their monies to date are largely lost.

I don't know the particulars of the deal (only the generalities posted by Kamy), but depending on terms, it might be viable.

[Paul]

I don't think this story fits and while I may have missed it there doesn't appear to be anything in the media.

It's my view the serious deals, at this level, are more likely to be done quietly than in the blaze of publicity seen in the PL. While I don't doubt Kamy the "leaks from Pune" don't fit the little we know of the Raos. I feel any leaks must come from an inner circle and everything we know of the Raos indicates leaks would not be tolerated and would not be difficult to track down.

The experience at Rovers, John Williams, Tom Finn and several other senior figures, suggests those who don't toe the party line don't last long. Given the 5-6 year wall of silence from Pune and the family's love of privacy I don't imagine leaks are commonplace or tolerated at all.

While we are at it lets not forget his own paper's strap line:

"Alan Nixon is the king of football transfer gossip for the Daily Mirror."

The operative word being gossip.

[Stuart]

Some people seem to forget that we are dealing with Venkys. They don't do anything the conventional way and I certainly don't expect them to sell the club in a conventional way.

I'm really struggling also with those people who would rather stick with Venkys - or hope for some mythical money man to step forward - than give two lifelong Rovers fans (with a plan) the opportunity to right this sinking ship.

The fact that Rovers fans are trying to pick holes and look for problems with a potential deal BEFORE they know the full details is actually quite depressing. Seneca will have backers, this is what they do. But most importantly, they are people with Rovers at heart.

Keep an open mind people! Venkys means continuing on the current downward trajectory, Seneca may not succeed, it's possible, but they will damned well do their best for Rovers. Even if it's League Two with a proper owner and club structure all pulling in the same direction, that's better than the Championship with Venkys IMHO. Why would they offer to completely buy out Venkys and take on the debt? However, by making an offer now, there is a chance that the recovery starts early without having to go through the heartache of administration.

Seems, once again, there are personal agendas coming into play, when we need to unite.

[perthblue02]

It is in today's S** newspaper with not much meat on the bones , but Seneca will put 60 million into the club and Venky's will not have to fund it any further. Venky's will keep 49% with Seneca making arrangements for the running of the club. Seneca confident that they can turn the club around therefore making Venky's 49% worth a hell of a lot more then their 99.9% is currently worth .

Will venky's accept a controlled exit? who knows, but questions need to be asked if they don't,

What are they afraid of an outside investor finding ?

Why are they happy to let this historic football club rot rather than face up to their destruction?

Why were they happy to go along with an advisor and associated scumbags if like they have said they had no contract with them and yet keep at bay anybody with a genuine interest in helping the club?