Smurthwaite Rumour

[SwalePie]

It's truly mindblowing to read on here the progress of the 2+2=5 posts on Smurthwaite being our new owner taking on a life of their own so fast. Fascinating :D

[Chicken Balti Pie]

It's absolutely mind boggling. No one has heard anything so obviously Smurfwaite is taking over... Absolute madness of some people's thinking

[countygump]

It's truly mindblowing to read on here the progress of the 2+2=5 posts on Smurthwaite being our new owner taking on a life of their own so fast. Fascinating :D

Not being funny or owt, Swaley, but you are well known for your rather 'optimistic' nature. You were still saying at 4.50 on May the 4th that there was a chance of us staying up. >;)

[bridpie78]

It's truly mindblowing to read on here the progress of the 2+2=5 posts on Smurthwaite being our new owner taking on a life of their own so fast. Fascinating :D

agreed, way too much speculation and guesswork, people are so impatient

i know a lot of people want to see plans starting to fall into place for next season and are getting worried about the lack of news but really.... its only been a few days, the season hasn't ended yet and every other season the players and staff would all be on their holidays right now.

can we just stop guessing and just let whatever happens happen, as much as anyone wants to influence the decisions that are about to be made in reality nothing we say on here and no amount of fist pumping and feet stamping is going to sway anything.

[SwalePie]

Not being funny or owt, Swaley, but you are well known for your rather 'optimistic' nature. You were still saying at 4.50 on May the 4th that there was a chance of us staying up. >;)

Hardly the same...that was mathematical fact. The Smurf stuff is total speculation.

EDIT: Just for clarity, I absolutely hope the Smurf stuff is all bull but, to the best of my knowledge, none of it is built on real information anyway.

[slack_pie]

Hardly the same...that was mathematical fact. The Smurf stuff is total speculation.

EDIT: Just for clarity, I absolutely hope the Smurf stuff is all bull but, to the best of my knowledge, none of it is built on real information anyway.

It's not just that there's no info, it's that he has literally ruled himself out. It was in the news a few weeks ago, straight from the horse's mouth.

[upthemaggies]

The simple reason why people are talking about Smurf is because our local newspaper has run the headline "Norman Smurthwaite, the man linked with a Notts County takeover, has sold Port Vale" in the last 24 hours and back on 23rd April they said "Port Vale chairman and property developer also interested in the club".
It hasn't come out of nowhere.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

The simple reason why people are talking about Smurf is because our local newspaper has run the headline "Norman Smurthwaite, the man linked with a Notts County takeover, has sold Port Vale" in the last 24 hours and back on 23rd April they said "Port Vale chairman and property developer also interested in the club".
It hasn't come out of nowhere.

It's come from click bait, why are we saying it's fact?

[sidders]

It's not just that there's no info, it's that he has literally ruled himself out. It was in the news a few weeks ago, straight from the horse's mouth.

Black Horse horse knows nowt, Slacky.

[upthemaggies]

A few here do seem to be convinced that Smurf will be the new owner. I think you've got to take it seriously when he's been seen at the ground and then sells his own club a few weeks later. This is the problem when everything is shrouded in secrecy, supporters feel that the club belongs to them and yet the whole future of the club is being decided behind their backs. If Smurf was closing in you'd want to know and you'd want to know if there was any alternative.

[legs77]

It's come from click bait, why are we saying it's fact?

You are correct it isn't a fact and you could say the same about the Bolton admin topic it was pure guess work.

I am one of those who is starting to think Smurf is the man, Am I wrong ? Who knows...Do I want to be wrong ? Yes I do.

I'm certainly not buying the he came to watch Notts as he can't attend Port Vale and just wants to watch a game of football as a one off maybe but he has been spotted at quite a few of our games.

My gut feeling is if "someone" wants Hardy to remain it would be Smurf and he couldn't buy us until he sold Vale.

[countygump]

A few here do seem to be convinced that Smurf will be the new owner. I think you've got to take it seriously when he's been seen at the ground and then sells his own club a few weeks later. This is the problem when everything is shrouded in secrecy, supporters feel that the club belongs to them and yet the whole future of the club is being decided behind their backs. If Smurf was closing in you'd want to know and you'd want to know if there was any alternative.

I think Hardacre's promise to 'Protect the future integrity of the club, by selecting an owner who will take the club forward', or whatever claptrap he spouted has long since gone out the window. It's now, 'Get as much of my money back as poss and 4k em'.

[upthemaggies]

I think Hardacre's promise to 'Protect the future integrity of the club, by selecting an owner who will take the club forward', or whatever claptrap he spouted has long since gone out the window. It's now, 'Get as much of my money back as poss and 4k em'.

It stands to reason that, the longer this drags on, the more desperate he'll become. I think it's right and proper that supporters begin to ask questions and raise a bit of a stink across the forums, twitter, facebook etc. Otherwise they're basically sending a message to Hardy, "Do what you like, we have 100% faith in you that you're going to do the right thing by the club". Can we really trust him to do that now?

[TSANHO]

Why in God’s name would he come to watch the worst team in the football league on his day off?

I know he has history in Nottingham, but still, you’d go watch Forest....or even Mansfield! I hope I’m wrong but I just can’t help but feel theres something in the Smurthwaite speculation, it would just be typical Notts.

Can you imagine the pairing of him and Mr Hardy running the club together, unfortunately yes, I can!

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Why in God’s name would he come to watch the worst team in the football league on his day off?

I know he has history in Nottingham, but still, you’d go watch Forest....or even Mansfield! I hope I’m wrong but I just can’t help but feel theres something in the Smurthwaite speculation, it would just be typical Notts.

Can you imagine the pairing of him and Mr Hardy running the club together, unfortunately yes, I can!

He's often watched Notts games according to Aileen Trew. Apparently he's local to the area, if Notts are at home, he can't watch Forest and Mansfield although quite close are a bit of a trek, especially if you live to the south of the county

[LilCrazyKim]

I think one of the issues is that as far as Notts County takeovers go, this one's being handled in a far more private manner than normal. Every single other one I remember, there was a public face to it from the start (even Munto, who obviously weren't who they said they were, were at least pretending right from that friendly against Arnold Town the night the news broke and some weeks before they had control of the club). I think it's actually quite normal in football takeovers, but we're used to drama and find the lack of it (at least from the potential owners) concerning.

[marky]

Yeah we knew about Trembling and that other bloke (not Russell King) about 3 weeks before it was confirmed.

[bridpie78]

I don't understand how anyone thinks its any of their business who takes over, or why they have a right to know all the ins and outs of any dealings. mr hardy bought a business and got himself in a load of debt running it badly and now he's selling it on to whoever makes him the best offer

i know everyone cares about their club but at the end of the day its a business

whoever he sells to as fans we'll either suck it up and get behind the team or move on and do something else on saturdays

[countygump]

Ooops.


https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/business/concern-notts-county-now-month-2844686

[slack_pie]

Why in God’s name would he come to watch the worst team in the football league on his day off?

I know he has history in Nottingham, but still, you’d go watch Forest....or even Mansfield! I hope I’m wrong but I just can’t help but feel theres something in the Smurthwaite speculation, it would just be typical Notts.

Can you imagine the pairing of him and Mr Hardy running the club together, unfortunately yes, I can!

By all accounts he did go and watch one of Mansfield's recent home games.

[countygump]

Ooops.


https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/business/concern-notts-county-now-month-2844686

[upthemaggies]

I don't understand how anyone thinks its any of their business who takes over, or why they have a right to know all the ins and outs of any dealings. mr hardy bought a business and got himself in a load of debt running it badly and now he's selling it on to whoever makes him the best offer

i know everyone cares about their club but at the end of the day its a business

whoever he sells to as fans we'll either suck it up and get behind the team or move on and do something else on saturdays

With that attitude we would have ended up with Mr Brealey circa 1999, although there may be a case to be made that he couldn't have caused any more damage than Scardino did.

[slack_pie]

Also, didn't we hear at the weekend that the takeover was all but finalised, and we'd hear something official in 7-10 days?

[upthemaggies]

Ooops.


https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/business/concern-notts-county-now-month-2844686


Supporters' Club chairman expressing concern at the lack of info and yet another mention for Smurf in the above article.....

"A number of names remain in the frame to take over at County, with businessman Norman Smurthwaite, who was linked with the club, recently completing the sale of Port Vale."

[bridpie78]

With that attitude we would have ended up with Mr Brealey circa 1999, although there may be a case to be made that he couldn't have caused any more damage than Scardino did.

its not an attitude its the reality of the situation, do you honestly think your opinion(or mine) on who takes over comes into consideration at all in a financial transaction that you have no stake in?
we'll get who we get and we'll have to like it or lump it

fans can protest after the event but nothing is going to change it and tbf in our situation we're lucky anyone wants to own us, we've consistently run at a loss for at least two decades

[slack_pie]

Supporters' Club chairman expressing concern at the lack of info and yet another mention for Smurf in the above article.....

"A number of names remain in the frame to take over at County, with businessman Norman Smurthwaite, who was linked with the club, recently completing the sale of Port Vale."

It's not the lack of info that's bothering me, but the mixed messages. The noise coming from Slater and Scoop is that the South Africans are close to finalising the deal. Hardy says the deal is all but done and we just have to wait a week. Then there's all this 'a number of names remain in the frame' stuff, suggesting nobody is near finalising, and the whole thing is still dragging along slowly.

So what's the truth? Hardy or the club need to keep us updated. I don't need names, if that's not possible, but at least tell us what to expect and when.

[Valefan16]

Bear in mind Smurf and Synectics agreed the Vale deal in March after our protests and pressue (and the fact they offered about 3 times what he paid for us to get the deal done and save the club).

The reasons its gone through now is down to waiting EFL clearance and the purchase back of Vale Park to the club (he split them).

This was always the case that this week was the likely day. Essentially as far as we are aware he's been away from the club for five or six weeks now.

[queenslandpie]

Bear in mind Smurf and Synectics agreed the Vale deal in March after our protests and pressue (and the fact they offered about 3 times what he paid for us to get the deal done and save the club).

The reasons its gone through now is down to waiting EFL clearance and the purchase back of Vale Park to the club (he split them).

This was always the case that this week was the likely day. Essentially as far as we are aware he's been away from the club for five or six weeks now.

Thanks Vale fan appreciated. Hopefully he is well away.

[countygump]

Thanks Vale fan appreciated. Hopefully he is well away.

Another nice, semi regurgitated story. In the vain hopes no doubt of keeping the fick ed supporters happy.



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/south-african-consortium-undeterred-pursuit-2849394

[countygump]

More:

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/who-end-up-ruling-notts-2850911