Lai

[baggieal]

If Lai is like every other Chinese person I’ve ever met there’s only one thing that interests him and that’s the money!

You can forget all about “loss of face”, as long as the cash is right he’ll suck up that aspect of the situation!

They are the greediest, nastiest little people I’ve even come across, they’ll trample over their own granny if it helps them gain an extra penny.

I did some figures on fan ownership.

Let’s say we use our core support of 20,000 as a tool for the purposes of this exercise.

If 20,000 people each owned one share at £5000 a share that would give Lai £100m.

To get to £200m each share would cost £10,000.

I think a substantial number of people would put £5000 into this, I think £10,000 is way too much for most people.

I’m lucky and would probably be able to risk £100k but would we really want any shareholder having more shares than another?

I’m not an expert in these matters so is anybody on here from a legal background and able to advise?

I would be very interested!

Lai though is a c unt and not only will he be pocketing everything from Pereira money to parachute payments the deluded p rick will want almost every penny of his purchase price back. I can see the wheels falling off once there are injuries/suspensions etc and Val will be hung out to dry and it will all be his fault whilst that f ucker called Ken ( Ken Dodd most like ) is protected!

Just shows how f uckin horrendous these Chinese are when they are cosying up to the Taliban and keeping their embassy in Kabul. These f uckers would not be laughing if there was a ban on China imports which will never happen because they still pay their workers pittance in sweat shops! Fair Trade? Is it bollox as all a complete show!!!!!

[Prando]

I am a supporter for 60 + years…I go to the matches (1st one 1961) so I therefore consider myself to be more than a WBA ‘well wisher’. The apparent absence of investment from Lai is very frustrating and disappointing.

However, this guy owns the business and accordingly will choose his own strategy to generate a yield, potential on-sale profit and self esteem/ kudos in being a Chinese owner of a now, potential Premier League club. Given last season, there will be some damage mitigation considerations alongside the unlimited raft of player investment opportunities.

He will be relying on his new executive in this regard, but I’m not surprised he is exceptionally cautious given some of the player acquisition calamities to date.

I’m hoping we make top 6 and en route have an enjoyable season. Promotion may indeed create the opportunity for Lai to exit without too much loss.

[DaveP67 is back!]

What I don’t get tho Prando is that as a businessman he surely understands that to grow you have to invest? It’s plain as the nose on us supporters faces that we need strength in depth adding to the squad, this wouldn’t cost tens of millions and us supporters are a realistic lot but to spend none of the significant parachute and net sales money doing this is sheer negligence. Not that he cares but should performances drop off he will bear the brunt of protests which will by nature probably turn nasty..

[Prando]

What I don’t get tho Prando is that as a businessman he surely understands that to grow you have to invest? It’s plain as the nose on us supporters faces that we need strength in depth adding to the squad, this wouldn’t cost tens of millions and us supporters are a realistic lot but to spend none of the significant parachute and net sales money doing this is sheer negligence. Not that he cares but should performances drop off he will bear the brunt of protests which will by nature probably turn nasty..

Absolutely DP buddy. But, to date, the Executive haven’t performed with their player acquisitions. I would therefore expect him to be extremely cautious on investing ‘new money’.

[WBA123]

If Lai is like every other Chinese person I’ve ever met there’s only one thing that interests him and that’s the money!

You can forget all about “loss of face”, as long as the cash is right he’ll suck up that aspect of the situation!

They are the greediest, nastiest little people I’ve even come across, they’ll trample over their own granny if it helps them gain an extra penny.

I did some figures on fan ownership.

Let’s say we use our core support of 20,000 as a tool for the purposes of this exercise.

If 20,000 people each owned one share at £5000 a share that would give Lai £100m.

To get to £200m each share would cost £10,000.

I think a substantial number of people would put £5000 into this, I think £10,000 is way too much for most people.

I’m lucky and would probably be able to risk £100k but would we really want any shareholder having more shares than another?

I’m not an expert in these matters so is anybody on here from a legal background and able to advise?

I think you would have to have some shareholders having more shares than others, I think £5k is a good amount per share but it is probably beyond a lot of our fanbase, so to get 20k separate people investing 5k would be hard. What would be better is if people wanted to invest for example 100k, you could offer them 20 shares, and you could have a limit of how many shares one person could own, perhaps 50 or 100.

Then large decisions, such as who to choose as the next manager, could be put to a vote between the 20k shares. And if you had 5 shares, you would obviously have 5 votes.

[Barrera]

I think as well you could have some people putting in more to get more votes ...... don’t think we would have to all put in exactly the same amount ..... this is not communism .....

Maybe a minimum investment of £5k and a maximum of £100k ..... are there any clubs who operate on this model? I think Germany operates on a 50+1 model whereby 51% is owned by fans and the rest owned by major investors. Seems like there are a lot of pros and cons for this model .... not all plain sailing by any stretch .....

[mickd1961]

I think you would have to have some shareholders having more shares than others, I think £5k is a good amount per share but it is probably beyond a lot of our fanbase, so to get 20k separate people investing 5k would be hard. What would be better is if people wanted to invest for example 100k, you could offer them 20 shares, and you could have a limit of how many shares one person could own, perhaps 50 or 100.

Then large decisions, such as who to choose as the next manager, could be put to a vote between the 20k shares. And if you had 5 shares, you would obviously have 5 votes.

I get your logic with this 123.

2000 people each putting in £100k would create £200m.

4000 people each investing £50k also brings in £200m.

I could see a substantial number of people willing to take out a long term loan to own one of either 2000 or 4000 shares.

Especially if the share gave you free access to each match for example ( if you wanted to take that freebie? )

Let’s say the average season ticket cost is going to work out at £750 over the next 25 years then that alone comes to almost £19k year of your initial investment.

If you averaged season ticket cost out at £1000 per season over the next 40 years then you’re at £40k of value.

If you decided to go for a lower cost share and then sell to a wider fan base you could still offer discounted season tickets infinitum to shareholders.

Surely there’s a way to make a workable model and put the idea forward to the Chinky f u c k wit?

[baggieal]

I am a supporter for 60 + years…I go to the matches (1st one 1961) so I therefore consider myself to be more than a WBA ‘well wisher’. The apparent absence of investment from Lai is very frustrating and disappointing.

However, this guy owns the business and accordingly will choose his own strategy to generate a yield, potential on-sale profit and self esteem/ kudos in being a Chinese owner of a now, potential Premier League club. Given last season, there will be some damage mitigation considerations alongside the unlimited raft of player investment opportunities.

He will be relying on his new executive in this regard, but I’m not surprised he is exceptionally cautious given some of the player acquisition calamities to date.

I’m hoping we make top 6 and en route have an enjoyable season. Promotion may indeed create the opportunity for Lai to exit without too much loss.

You are indeed like me Prando a very loyal supporter but that said Lai will continue to screw the club blind due to low expectations from many of the fan base and no vicious attacks seen at other clubs.

Anything less than promotion/play off for me would be a huge failure. I would bet our wages are in the top 3 and we have a huge advantage over every club ( except 2 ) with parachute payments. We have spent almost 30 million on two players alone. A manager came running to us after guiding a club last year into the play offs.

I hope we get promoted which should in my eyes be a given and the least of my expectations even with the squad/manager and resources we have then pray Lai f ucks off or drops dead! Who are our serious contenders? I would say Fulham and perhaps Bournemouth who we should have beaten!

Any other club the supporters would be Lai’s back apart from lovely old West Brom!

Villa almost went bankrupt and we were better than them before we employed an inexperienced novice who parked the bus at Vile Park. Look at Villa now!! It’s called ambition and it’s not just in football but with
any business !

[baggieal]

You are indeed like me Prando a very loyal supporter but that said Lai will continue to screw the club blind due to low expectations from many of the fan base and no vicious attacks seen at other clubs.

Anything less than promotion/play off for me would be a huge failure. I would bet our wages are in the top 3 and we have a huge advantage over every club ( except 2 ) with parachute payments. We have spent almost 30 million on two players alone. A manager came running to us after guiding a club last year into the play offs.

I hope we get promoted which should in my eyes be a given and the least of my expectations even with the squad/manager and resources we have then pray Lai f ucks off or drops dead! Who are our serious contenders? I would say Fulham and perhaps Bournemouth who we should have beaten!

Any other club the supporters would be Lai’s back apart from lovely old West Brom!

Villa almost went bankrupt and we were better than them before we employed an inexperienced novice who parked the bus at Vile Park. Look at Villa now!! It’s called ambition and it’s not just in football but with an business!

Sadly West Brom have zero ambition and many of the ban base have low expectations and would accept anything! Let’s just pray for a turnaround like what happened at Villa!

[DaveP67 is back!]

I get your logic with this 123.

2000 people each putting in £100k would create £200m.

4000 people each investing £50k also brings in £200m.

I could see a substantial number of people willing to take out a long term loan to own one of either 2000 or 4000 shares.

Especially if the share gave you free access to each match for example ( if you wanted to take that freebie? )

Let’s say the average season ticket cost is going to work out at £750 over the next 25 years then that alone comes to almost £19k year of your initial investment.

If you averaged season ticket cost out at £1000 per season over the next 40 years then you’re at £40k of value.

If you decided to go for a lower cost share and then sell to a wider fan base you could still offer discounted season tickets infinitum to shareholders.

Surely there’s a way to make a workable model and put the idea forward to the Chinky f u c k wit?

I wouldn’t necessarily limit the number of shares an individual can own so long as any individual can’t own more than say 25%, backed up by a club constitution that prohibits money being taken out of the club or debt being accrued would I feel ensure the future of the club.