EFL Take Charge

[Andy_Faber]

All it says, he will put a bid in.
He has got what he wants, the only asset worth buying.
Be wary.

You’ve got your Nottingham head on TTR. We’re not like that this side of the A52 we are the folk who make Aero engines, rolling stock and cars not bloody lacy knickers. He no doubt in my mind has the best interests of the club at heart

[Ramshank72]

Fingers crossed this individual is a lot more sensible than the last owner, and will run a sustainable model.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I hops so Ramshank, but I fear TTR has a point, setting cross East Midland rivalries aside. A property developer getting a piece of good real estate cheap (lets say half price, setting aside the ridiculous 80m valuation) can afford to invest a few quid in keeping a hapless club afloat until his investment rises in value enough to want to flog it.

And him being a lifelong fan? Wasn't this precisely the problem highlighted with MM, and something that virtually everyone sentient on the site - all 10 of us - didn't want to see happen? if he saves the club, great, but I'd sooner see a dispassionate owner who wasnt involved in property development as our saviour if there is a choice.

Still beggars cannot be chosers, I just hope we dont jump from a frying pan to a future fire here

[ramAnag]

Been reported on BBC’s lunchtime EMT...whole lot more reliable than the DT.

If he already has the ground, as is being reported, is there any point in any of the other bidders/interested parties continuing their interest other than as a joint venture?

[Geoff Parkstone]

there are clubs around that do not own their own ground - our neighbours in the council house for example, so that shouldnt deter those who didn't want to spend too much. It may well be that it puts Clowes in pole position to buy the club - but wouldnt preclude others entirely. Would be interesting to see what the rent might be if say Ashley bought the club.

When the ground was worth 80m the leaseback was 1m pa. So no doubt if it was bought for 20m, the rent would drop to 250k pa !. Where's that flying pig emoji gone

[Andy_Faber]

Been reported on BBC’s lunchtime EMT...whole lot more reliable than the DT.

If he already has the ground, as is being reported, is there any point in any of the other bidders/interested parties continuing their interest other than as a joint venture?

Yes. Clowes business model is about property. That’s what they’ve bought. Clowes gift to their local club may be to then lease the ground at a guaranteed low rate to a purchaser of the club, the running of a football club not being their business model, but being a skill possessed by Ashley and others currently in the running. Not saying that’ll happen, but that’s no different to buying a factory and then leasing it to an engineering company.

[Andy_Faber]

Yet again rA, the fence sitters offer a similar response, no we don’t collude on this stuff

[Geoff Parkstone]

Sooner sit on a fence and admire views in both directions than sit so deep in a trench that you cannot see anything apart from your own navel

[MadAmster]

Entering into talks to complete the purchase of the club and has, apparently, until Wednesday. I wonder if he's already having 2nd thoughts with all the jodrells online saying he's merely MM's stooge and MM is still pulling the strings.... only worth half of what MM is worth... we want Ashley cos he's got billions....

When will these 'kin eejits realise that whoever the new owner is they are almost definitely NOT going to throw hundreds of millions at the club, that's how MM got us into this mess in the first place.

[swaledale]

Sooner sit on a fence and admire views in both directions than sit so deep in a trench that you cannot see anything apart from your own navel

Interesting analogy, though surely fence sitting is about being non committal, inactive, indecisive, in short useless? Obviously if one reaches a conclusion after careful thought that's different, but fence sitters don't usually do that, they wait to see which way the wind blows then follow the consensus.

Anyway back on topic, this does show that the title of this thread is inaccurate, the EFL haven't taken charge, but at least are more closely involved.

There may be a disadvantage with heart over head decisions with a local owner who is a fan, but the way Clowes has handled things to date suggests he is a more business-like person who isn't making any rash promises to fans other than he wants to save the club.

I'd also think that the wouldn't want to damage the reputation of his development company either.