TAKEOVER *NOT* CONFIMRED

[tmesis]

As short term as it may be, I think we are mostly all on the same page - if whatever group comes in passes the low bar tests and then just keeps us ticking over and invests, wisely, in the team/club then fine. The alternative doesn't really bare thinking about.

If you speak to Wigan fans, Al Hammad started well there. Spoke about investing in youth, won promotion, appointed Maloney. Then the guy providing the money turned the tap off. Obviously he shares the blame, he agreed to front their operation and made himself chairman. But it doesn't guarantee he'll fail with us. And at least when it went tits up, they sold up quickly unlike Dai who continues to cling on.

The problem with all these private equity and hedge funds is knowing who is providing the money. I imagine the EFL checks take time compared to someone like Mike Ashley.

Then the guy providing the money turned the tap off.

^ the key point, it wasn't Talal with the money. Circumstances changed. We've spoken extensively with Wigan's Supporters' Trust who are very sympathetic about him and what happened - he also engaged them closely to try to do right by them in terms of a sale.

In himself, Talal isn't the problem. Is Genevra as an entity? perhaps, we just don't know?

Doesn't that just make him someone with big ambitions, but without the money to finance it?

[Sutekh]

If you speak to Wigan fans, Al Hammad started well there. Spoke about investing in youth, won promotion, appointed Maloney. Then the guy providing the money turned the tap off. Obviously he shares the blame, he agreed to front their operation and made himself chairman. But it doesn't guarantee he'll fail with us. And at least when it went tits up, they sold up quickly unlike Dai who continues to cling on.

The problem with all these private equity and hedge funds is knowing who is providing the money. I imagine the EFL checks take time compared to someone like Mike Ashley.

Then the guy providing the money turned the tap off.

^ the key point, it wasn't Talal with the money. Circumstances changed. We've spoken extensively with Wigan's Supporters' Trust who are very sympathetic about him and what happened - he also engaged them closely to try to do right by them in terms of a sale.

In himself, Talal isn't the problem. Is Genevra as an entity? perhaps, we just don't know?

Doesn't that just make him someone with big ambitions, but without the money to finance it?

At the end of the day he would likely be just the "front" for the owners, "employed" as a communication conduit so they can avoid all the tedious day to day minutiae and PR and media stuff (like turning up at games) that banker types wouldn't normally be seen dead at (certainly outside of the PL and cup finals anyway). Did well it seems in that role at Wigan and given what we've had to endure here for the last SIX years would seem to be a welcome change for the better.

By the way when does Reading's transfer embargo finally get lifted (is it the summer of 2025)? Heard clubs get a 3 window shutdown in these instances but also heard this has been reduced for other clubs to a 2 window ban on appeal? Also think the whole idea of embargoes becomes more questionable if a club is sold and under a completely new management regime.

[Franchise FC]

Then the guy providing the money turned the tap off.

^ the key point, it wasn't Talal with the money. Circumstances changed. We've spoken extensively with Wigan's Supporters' Trust who are very sympathetic about him and what happened - he also engaged them closely to try to do right by them in terms of a sale.

In himself, Talal isn't the problem. Is Genevra as an entity? perhaps, we just don't know?

Doesn't that just make him someone with big ambitions, but without the money to finance it?

At the end of the day he would likely be just the "front" for the owners, "employed" as a communication conduit so they can avoid all the tedious day to day minutiae and PR and media stuff (like turning up at games) that banker types wouldn't normally be seen dead at (certainly outside of the PL and cup finals anyway). Did well it seems in that role at Wigan and given what we've had to endure here for the last SIX years would seem to be a welcome change for the better.

By the way when does Reading's transfer embargo finally get lifted (is it the summer of 2025)? Heard clubs get a 3 window shutdown in these instances but also heard this has been reduced for other clubs to a 2 window ban on appeal? Also think the whole idea of embargoes becomes more questionable if a club is sold and under a completely new management regime.

I can so that it would be quite easy for a club to ‘change ownership’ to avoid such a punishment, though

[Lower West]

I hope more than anything I am wrong, but I think we’ll get to 2 April with no news. The club will go silent apart from the usual tweets from admin and in the middle of April news will slowly filter out confirming that takeover talks have collapsed. I don’t trust Dai to sell the club.

Nigel Howe recently said mid May for a takeover to be completed. That's about as comprehensive a statement as can be given, Whatever will be, will be.

[SCIAG]

Won't somebody please think of the footballers!

If you put it into context

If one of us earns more than a nurse we are likely to live a more expensive lifestyle than a nurse - have a bigger mortgage, have more kids, have a more expensive car on lease, that sort of thing.

Maybe if you expect to earn that your whole life. If you only expect to earn it for a limited number of years you will only have a more expensive lifestyle if you’re stupid and lack foresight and self control.[/quote]I imagine footballers who are sensible will match their mortgage term to the expected length of their relatively short careers or maybe even the term of their contract if they are ultra cautious, with insurance in place for loss of earnings due to injury/death, However there is no insurance for your employer being a pcunt and not paying you on time, You might have direct debits going out with no cash in the wages account, it may affect your credit score, You may have to make cut backs on other things affecting your lifestyle to ensure there is a bigger buffer, plus if they are the main earner in their family they may take on the costs of medical costs and care costs for elderly relatives, some even support charities financially, It's uncommon for footballers (or anyone) who reaches a certain level of financial income to buy their parents home and things like that, They don't all waste it on Ferrari's, bling and gambling. It's basically admin work they shouldn't have to be worrying about,

Their agents are on commission, Be interesting to hear if they are affected as a knock on of late wages. If so they might be pushing the players to move elsewhere

[Snowflake Royal]

I hope more than anything I am wrong, but I think we’ll get to 2 April with no news. The club will go silent apart from the usual tweets from admin and in the middle of April news will slowly filter out confirming that takeover talks have collapsed. I don’t trust Dai to sell the club.

Nigel Howe recently said mid May for a takeover to be completed. That's about as comprehensive a statement as can be given, Whatever will be, will be.

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

[WestYorksRoyal]

I hope more than anything I am wrong, but I think we’ll get to 2 April with no news. The club will go silent apart from the usual tweets from admin and in the middle of April news will slowly filter out confirming that takeover talks have collapsed. I don’t trust Dai to sell the club.

Nigel Howe recently said mid May for a takeover to be completed. That's about as comprehensive a statement as can be given, Whatever will be, will be.

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

I'm glad he's had a proper go at selling Bearwood now. Shown up not to be feasible, so one option off the table for him to procrastinate with. Shame he didn't do it 6 months ago.

[Sutekh]

I hope more than anything I am wrong, but I think we’ll get to 2 April with no news. The club will go silent apart from the usual tweets from admin and in the middle of April news will slowly filter out confirming that takeover talks have collapsed. I don’t trust Dai to sell the club.

Nigel Howe recently said mid May for a takeover to be completed. That's about as comprehensive a statement as can be given, Whatever will be, will be.

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

Howe's statement is obviously dependent on Dai not having another brainfart which, given his record so far, is probably 50-50 at best. Fingers crossed and "que sera sera".

[Lower West]

Nigel Howe recently said mid May for a takeover to be completed. That's about as comprehensive a statement as can be given, Whatever will be, will be.

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

Howe's statement is obviously dependent on Dai not having another brainfart which, given his record so far, is probably 50-50 at best. Fingers crossed and "que sera sera".

Fixation with Dai is understandable but barking up the wrong tree. My concern with Howe's statement is that the situation is going to get far worse before it eventually gets better. As the short term cash flow issue gets critical. Dai's assets are frozen in China. That deal for Bearwood gave Dai the cash advance to see the club through to sale. Now it's gone. What's the uptake of advanced season tickets gong to be like? While everything remains up in the air.

[Stranded]

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

Howe's statement is obviously dependent on Dai not having another brainfart which, given his record so far, is probably 50-50 at best. Fingers crossed and "que sera sera".

Fixation with Dai is understandable but barking up the wrong tree. My concern with Howe's statement is that the situation is going to get far worse before it eventually gets better. As the short term cash flow issue gets critical. Dai's assets are frozen in China. That deal for Bearwood gave Dai the cash advance to see the club through to sale. Now it's gone. What's the uptake of advanced season tickets gong to be like? While everything remains up in the air.

If the view from club that has been unofficially reported before was that March was a worry but April/May look OK then if exclusivity is given this week and the prospective owners can also start depositing money then we should be OK. The issue comes if Dai decides to oxf*rd around again, put people off and then we hit June still stuck in this cycle. If we do, then sales of any player worth more than a couple of quid will kick in - those out of contract walk away and we are left with a side of kids - if the club continues at all.

Again, you feel this is a big week as if nothing happens on the exclusivity front before Thursday, then we hit Easter and things will just likely ground to a halt for a few days.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Eddie Wallbank was reporting that one party walked away because Dai was asking them for a loan to cover the intervening period with no security. Given the clubs state, this is basically gifting money if the deal falls through.

If we have found other ways to meet the shortfall and are looking okay for April and May, this is potentially another issue out of the way for now, along with the discovery he can't sell Bearwood separately.

How many other ways can he find to fcuk it up? I think we're going to find out.

[paultheroyal]

Is that like the statement from Bowen that the sale should be complete by early New Year.

Or when we should have exclusivity within about a week, three/four weeks ago. And the next thing we heard was Bearwood was being sold to Wycombe and Dai had changed his mind again?

Howe's statement is obviously dependent on Dai not having another brainfart which, given his record so far, is probably 50-50 at best. Fingers crossed and "que sera sera".

Fixation with Dai is understandable but barking up the wrong tree. My concern with Howe's statement is that the situation is going to get far worse before it eventually gets better. As the short term cash flow issue gets critical. Dai's assets are frozen in China. That deal for Bearwood gave Dai the cash advance to see the club through to sale. Now it's gone. What's the uptake of advanced season tickets gong to be like? While everything remains up in the air.

I refuse to believe Dai does not have access to cash whilst living and based in the uk.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Howe's statement is obviously dependent on Dai not having another brainfart which, given his record so far, is probably 50-50 at best. Fingers crossed and "que sera sera".

Fixation with Dai is understandable but barking up the wrong tree. My concern with Howe's statement is that the situation is going to get far worse before it eventually gets better. As the short term cash flow issue gets critical. Dai's assets are frozen in China. That deal for Bearwood gave Dai the cash advance to see the club through to sale. Now it's gone. What's the uptake of advanced season tickets gong to be like? While everything remains up in the air.

I refuse to believe Dai does not have access to cash whilst living and based in the uk.

I also don't buy the conspiracy theories that it's not in his interests to sell the club as the Chinese government will take the proceeds. If he owes them debts, they can easily force him to sell the club. There have been multiple articles detailing possible buyers, so a police state will be watching closely enough to know there's a market for it. I have no idea the ins and outs, but the idea they'd repossess his cash but not force him to sell assets is ridiculous.

[East Grinstead Royal]

I would tend to agree with paultheroyal, especially if he’s still on a dark blue square on the Monopoly board. If he’s in a squat on the Old Kent Road, he might have run out of cash.

[Forbury Lion]

Won't somebody please think of the footballers!

If you put it into context

If one of us earns more than a nurse we are likely to live a more expensive lifestyle than a nurse - have a bigger mortgage, have more kids, have a more expensive car on lease, that sort of thing.

Maybe if you expect to earn that your whole life. If you only expect to earn it for a limited number of years you will only have a more expensive lifestyle if you’re stupid and lack foresight and self control.

I imagine footballers who are sensible will match their mortgage term to the expected length of their relatively short careers or maybe even the term of their contract if they are ultra cautious, with insurance in place for loss of earnings due to injury/death, However there is no insurance for your employer being a pcunt and not paying you on time, You might have direct debits going out with no cash in the wages account, it may affect your credit score, You may have to make cut backs on other things affecting your lifestyle to ensure there is a bigger buffer, plus if they are the main earner in their family they may take on the costs of medical costs and care costs for elderly relatives, some even support charities financially, It's uncommon for footballers (or anyone) who reaches a certain level of financial income to buy their parents home and things like that, They don't all waste it on Ferrari's, bling and gambling. It's basically admin work they shouldn't have to be worrying about,

Their agents are on commission, Be interesting to hear if they are affected as a knock on of late wages. If so they might be pushing the players to move elsewhere

[East Grinstead Royal]

Forbes, do you mean, “It’s not uncommon…”

[Greatwesternline]

Thing i dont understand about the failed Bearwood sale takes on here is, the planning permission said it was for the personal use of RFC.

Ok, so all you have to do if you want to buy the training ground is ask the owner of the training ground to apply for a variation of that planning permission to say:

For the uses of RFC and Wycombe Wanderers.

Then crack on with the sale.

Varying the planning permission isn't going to be a massive hurdle, the Reading Chronicle article on it literally quotes a WBC councillor saying, we would have approved it, we wouldn't have a reason for planning purposes to reject it.

I think the sale fell through more because of the wider reaction to the move personally.

[Stranded]

Thing i dont understand about the failed Bearwood sale takes on here is, the planning permission said it was for the personal use of RFC.

Ok, so all you have to do if you want to buy the training ground is ask the owner of the training ground to apply for a variation of that planning permission to say:

For the uses of RFC and Wycombe Wanderers.

Then crack on with the sale.

Varying the planning permission isn't going to be a massive hurdle, the Reading Chronicle article on it literally quotes a WBC councillor saying, we would have approved it, we wouldn't have a reason for planning purposes to reject it.

I think the sale fell through more because of the wider reaction to the move personally.

Which if true, also doesn't say much for the parties involved as the reaction was the obvious one.

I think the truth is likely, the deal had been moving forward "in private" since November - it is very likely one of the reasons, if not the sole reason, the deal with Generva fell through then - Dai removed BW from the sale as he realised he could get more for it.

The plan was then to complete the deal and the first anyone would hear about it was either when it was done or it came before the planning committee - knowing that any backlash would be too late as the deal was complete. Then someone either involved in the deal or close enough to know it was happened, leaked the details to the Athletic. This caught both parties off guard, hence the rushed statements from the clubs etc

At which point, if the planning issues were not considered clear cut then the WW owners got cold feet about throwing money at the club for a training ground their club may not be able to use for weeks/months (poss not for pre-season at least) and backed away.

The plan was definitely for no-one to know about it until it was done.

[From Despair To Where?]

Isn't the Georgian bloke who was supposedly funding the purchase the prospective new owner of Wycombe? His purchase of them has been dragging on.

Wouldn't surprise me if there are complications with him passing the director's test.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Isn't the Georgian bloke who was supposedly funding the purchase the prospective new owner of Wycombe? His purchase of them has been dragging on.

Wouldn't surprise me if there are complications with him passing the director's test.

Not relevant for acquiring a training ground.

I agree the Athletic article caught everyone off guard and the fan reaction had an impact. The planning issues could have been overcome, especially if we shared the facility.