Might Be Rubbish...possible Takeover

[ciderup]

I'm suprised it's taken this long TBH. It's been glaringly obvious for some time that we were one of the last untapped investment opportunities, mainly due to our catchment area. Not sure I want it though.

Sir C-T, you have read my mind. I have thought about clubs around the country and their potential for investment. Apart from Forest and maybe dirty Leeds, we are IMHO prime for a buyout with the large catchment area, tidy ground and CCC status.

Like most fans I would not dismiss the idea and I am sure SL would not sell the club unless he thought it right for the club.

Remember last season when SL quoted £30M to buy City, wonder if this deal was in the offing then?

Another issue would be the ownership of AG. My understanding is that Bristol City holdings own AG, which is essentially SL and Keith Dawe. Would any potential investor buy the football club and allow SL to hold on to the stadium? I think not.

Finally, could anyone explain to me why all these investors are ploughing millions if not billions (in Man U's case) in to football clubs as to me it can only cost them money. I can see no benefit in buying a football club. So, why would they buy us?

U REDS

[badger22]

Well I'm fairly certain its been discussed on here already, but this talk in the papers this morning about a £40m take over, what do we think? good or bad thing?

Plus side is look at what investment has done for teams like Wigan, Fulham, Reading etc. It could be the investment this club, and this City needs to get a team in the Premiership.

Downsides are, look at teams like Leeds, Bradford etc. Team that have been there, invested and then bombed out......two clubs which are, lets be fair, in ruins at the bit

I'm happy with the way our club is progressing, how its being run. For the first time in a few years we have a real sense of stability around the club, and not sure if I would want this take over just yet, as could unsettle a lot of people, whether it be players or management

What do we all think?

Sorry, have l missed something??? l'vew just got up....

[East End Lad]

Sir C-T, you have read my mind. I have thought about clubs around the country and their potential for investment. Apart from Forest and maybe dirty Leeds, we are IMHO prime for a buyout with the large catchment area, tidy ground and CCC status.

Like most fans I would not dismiss the idea and I am sure SL would not sell the club unless he thought it right for the club.

Remember last season when SL quoted £30M to buy City, wonder if this deal was in the offing then?

Another issue would be the ownership of AG. My understanding is that Bristol City holdings own AG, which is essentially SL and Keith Dawe. Would any potential investor buy the football club and allow SL to hold on to the stadium? I think not.

Finally, could anyone explain to me why all these investors are ploughing millions if not billions (in Man U's case) in to football clubs as to me it can only cost them money. I can see no benefit in buying a football club. So, why would they buy us?

U REDS

Because the rewards are massive. 50,000,000 the last deal with Sky was worth I think for the premierships BOTTOM club. If that is for the bottom imagine the rewards for the top.

I don't know what I think about this possible takeover. I suppose the benifets would be huge but at the moment we have a approachable chairmen who is prepared to listen to the fans. After this, I doubt these people would really care at all about what the fans think or have to say. To them we would just be even bigger customers then we are at the moment. I suppose I would love premiership, but at this cost I would have to think about it.

[ciderup]

Read the 'might be rubbish..but' thread mate.

U REDS

[East End Lad]

Think you should read some of the other posts mate, or go to the Daily Mirrors website where the article is.

[Flaxbourton Red]

they are oil magnets

they are from central europe

they want to spend £30 million

all for their love of bristol city

[AtyeoRed]

Just read about this in The Bristol Independant.

All sounds Great on or in paper. ONE is a Fulham season ticket holder, another holds a Chelsea Ticket.

Not so long ago there was talk of Prem Chairmen wanting to play there reserves in the Lower leagues (To the Prem,anything below them is lower league).

There Money May Be Good, BUT ARE THERE INTENTIONS.

[Red Robin]

The point is, he hasn't taken it as far as he can. Following the HL flotation, he has the choice to move up to another level of investment, should he so wish.

Most of us would probably prefer that to a jump into the unknown with Eastern European oil tycoons. Do we really want an Abramovich (maybe) or a Romanov (no) .... and we wouldn't know which we were getting.

Finally somebody has realised the huge potential here in Bristol,have been shouting for years of the massive potential of BCFC,

Certainly would not dismiss a takeover,infact others may wish to show their hands in taking city on again.

SL has the major funds to take us there,however from what has been said and done it seems he does not want to spend the millions to take us there.

I'm sure he will do the right things for BCFC including if the deal is good he will not hold us back from the promised land.

Exciting times long overdue.

[badger22]

Just read about this in The Bristol Independant.

All sounds Great on or in paper. ONE is a Fulham season ticket holder, another holds a Chelsea Ticket.

Not so long ago there was talk of Prem Chairmen wanting to play there reserves in the Lower leagues (To the Prem,anything below them is lower league).

There Money May Be Good, BUT ARE THERE INTENTIONS.

Ahhh, lm hungover and easily confused when lm hungover... ok, lm reading this thread as someone is interested in taking over the club... or am l reading this wrong?

Have you got a link?

Sorry about this but l am hanging

[Sir Colby-Tit]

There are some tools on here.

£30-£40M investment to get us into the Premiership. Can't be dismissed out of hand surely? :noexpression:

Some people on here remind me of that Wigan fan on Sky Sports News who moaned about them getting into the Prem and how he preferred it when they were in the lower leagues

I can appreciate what that Wigan fan means. Doesn't make him or anyone that is unsure of this proposed takeover a tool.

[Proper Job]

Its definately interesting. Lansdown has done well for us and tried to run the club in the right way which is so important nowadays when you look at clubs like Leeds and Forest and the amount of debt they have. He's a Bristolian and ultimately a fan as well.

But we have seen what investment can do. Look at Reading, Fulham and Wigan. And isnt the ultimate ain for all suporters to see the club play as high as they possibly can?

[Rocky]

I can appreciate what that Wigan fan means. Doesn't make him or anyone that is unsure of this proposed takeover a tool.

Lets ask the rent boys up the road if they fancy £30-40M investment?

We'll just hang around the lower leagues forever.

I am not saying anymore until something more concrete is announced

[Tom Fleuriot]

Is it me, or is everyone having a big yellow taxi moment for Steve Lansdown?

I'd love to see us in the Prem. But I want us to do it the hard way.

[howey_ducky]

CZECHS & THE CITY

EXCLUSIVE: £40m BID FOR ROBINS Robins could strike it rich with oil barons

By Alistair Grant 01/07/2007

More Football

Have your say: Football forum

BRISTOL CITY have been targeted by Czech and Serbian oil tycoons in a £40m takeover designed to take them to the Premiership.

The trio of oil barons have been preparing the approach since February and are to meet chairman Steve Lansdown for talks over buying a majority shareholding.

The Robins are the latest in a string of English clubs eyed by foreign billionaires.

The moguls believe City's fanbase, catchment area and ownership of Ashton Gate offer enormous growth potential.

Gary Johnson's side have just been promoted from League One to the Championship but the oil men want to plough in millions and take the club into the top flight in three years.

The bid hinges on the response of club chairman and financial services millionaire Lansdown.

The three mystery investors are partners in an oil company and made fortunes in oil refining. They are described as "big players" in their industry. Two of the investors are Czech and one is a Serb.

One of the Czechs is a Fulham season-ticket holder and lives in London with his family, while the Serb has a Chelsea season ticket.

They are all in their late 40s or early 50s.

The Bristol City deal is being pieced together by Monaco-based agent and former oil trader and broker Craig Hutchinson, 51.

Hutchinson said: "I can't name the investors yet but we would like to have an informal chat with the Bristol City chairman to find out if he's interested in attracting a shareholding from outside.

"My colleagues have £30m to £40m to invest as a controlling interest and have asked me to find a club and do the legwork and due diligence. They would not want a minority shareholding.

"We need to sit down with a business plan and know if Bristol City wants £20m or £50m for a controlling interest. We wouldn't get round to talking turkey until the season starts. The club's got so much potential. City have a big stadium which they fill and they do not lease Ashton Gate from the council or anyone else - they own it completely, and that's attractive from the start.

"Bristol has a big catchment area and City are the principal club. It's a good-sized club and should offer value for money. Now we need to see figures."

Hutchinson, a close friend of one of the moguls for 30 years, vowed the investors had done their homework and planned to take City into the elite.

"They are very ambitious. These guys want to get into the Premiership. If they did invest in Bristol, they would start in the Championship with realistically a three to five-year investment for the Premiership," he added.

"We were trying to get involved before they went up, as now they're in the Championship they'll be more expensive.

"We started looking at them in February and also looked at Southampton, but that area is saturated and there's not much growth potential."

Hutchinson urged Lansdown to allow the new investors to help the club rather than fight them off.

Hasn't Lansdown always said he'd welcome a decent investment from outside the club?

Although, this story stinks of a slow week for the journos.

[Ian M]

Because the rewards are massive. 50,000,000 the last deal with Sky was worth I think for the premierships BOTTOM club. If that is for the bottom imagine the rewards for the top.

I don't know what I think about this possible takeover. I suppose the benifets would be huge but at the moment we have a approachable chairmen who is prepared to listen to the fans. After this, I doubt these people would really care at all about what the fans think or have to say. To them we would just be even bigger customers then we are at the moment. I suppose I would love premiership, but at this cost I would have to think about it.

I'm not totally dismissive of the idea either (actually for once my views pretty much entirely mirror SimplyRed's.......and that may be reason in itself for him to break his Summer hiatus a second time!).

However, it won't all be sugar and roses. Should the takeover go ahead and everything go well (we reach the Premiership, stay there, then eventually challenge for Europe with a new stadium etc etc) we'll all have to accept the negative side that goes with it. Higher ticket prices once the media led fad of lowering ticket prices in the Prem dies down, being joined by many many bandwagoners & forever having a long term support questioned when revealing who we support to non-City fans.

Let's go into this with open eyes.

[bristolcitysweden]

First, if you wan't to take over a club you don't go the press. Why full control? You have to qualify. Bristol City FC is a big part of our lives and not a toy for foreign investors. Good men and women are humble persons who can only be judged after several years. Your wallet meens nothing. Making a fortune in eastern Europe suggest you have been eating instead of having been eaten. 10 % each at the most and cash on table. Besides, you don't make money in football. How many Premier League teams are actually making a profit?

[Flaxbourton Red]

But we have seen what investment can do. Look at Reading, Fulham and Wigan. And isnt the ultimate ain for all suporters to see the club play as high as they possibly can?

Success has to be earned from operating within our means. Unless we are going to be gifted funds like wigan, or we are able to rapidly increase our revenue; what will happen to the club?

investment suggests they want a return, what happens if we don't provide an adequate return?

Everbody wants to copy Reading, but thats not going to happen, the premier league isn't big enough.

[PhatWill]

As long as it puts us yet further ahead of the gas then I'm all for it.

No doubt the EP will run the story tomorrow and it will be interesting to see Lansdown's comments...he may come out and say it's all rubbish.

[redsontour]

...Not wishing to pour on the bonfire here, but I would be very suspicious of this for the following quotes attributed to the agent....

My colleagues have £30m to £40m to invest as a controlling interest and have asked me to find a club and do the legwork and due diligence. They would not want a minority shareholding.

"We need to sit down with a business plan and know if Bristol City wants £20m or £50m for a controlling interest. We wouldn't get round to talking turkey until the season starts. The club's got so much potential. City have a big stadium which they fill and they do not lease Ashton Gate from the council or anyone else - they own it completely, and that's attractive from the start.

Now... Mr Hutchinsons leg work hasn't actually stretched to the fact that Bristol City Football Club do not in fact own their own stadium, either completely or fractionally...it is owned by a seperate company..

So..either he is crap at legwork, crap at business...or the story is crap...pick one..

[Dolman Block B]

Scared and confused.....

don't be Tim.

I reckon its the way forward.

Look at all the other clubs its happened to, all doing well.

Go for it i say........

[redcityman]

Make me wonder if this is what the club were trying to tell us with the Man Utd of the West headline not long back.

Also if this were to be true does anyone think that Lansdowne would be willing to go into partnership with these guys,as he knows how to run a club, afterall being an oil baron does,nt come with automatic ability to run a football club.

[Rob_BCFC]

I don't think we should get carried away with this. Remember the last time someone supposedly wanted to take over City?

[Dolman Block B]

I don't think we should get carried away with this. Remember the last time someone supposedly wanted to take over City?

Fair play Rob, but one guy says he,s been working on this deal since Feb, and wants to meet with Steve next week.

Lets all get one thing straight!!!

STEVE LANSDOWN WILL ONLY SELL IF ITS GOOD FOR THE CLUB.

He will lose his majority share holding if it happens, and may think after the years of hard work and finance he has put in, he wont want to go.

Problem is for Steve, if the deal is rejected, and City struggle with little or no more investment from himself or KD, he will get hammered for letting this deal slip away.

The good thing is SL is a clever @@@@@@, and these businessmen wont be able to get one over on him for sure!

Interesting times for the Reds.......Arn

[ben91tucker]

Not sure if its in here but here's the link from skysports

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...ed+for+takeover

[badger22]

[Barrs Court Red]

I hope to god this is true!

Premiership football, the thought of european away games - It ticks all the right boxes.

[redcityman]

[robins72]

What was the name of the chap that wanted to take over the club a couple of seasons ago? Didnt he have millions to invest as well?

[headhunter]

The news of an alleged approach by overseas investors to buy Bristol City does not come as a total surprise.

The fanbase, the ground, the catchment area all make us a viable target. But at what price?

I was talking to a Wolves fan the other day and we discussed how much Hayward had been paid for his controlling interest which was taken on by Steve Morgan the owner of Redrow Homes and a fan of Liverpool whose attempts of ownership there had seen him lose out to the Americans.

The price was £10 - yes £10!!! Why ? Because Morgan was taken on assets of £x million and liabilities of a similar amount. In addition, however, it was conditional on the deal that £30m was made available for a transfer fund.

Now if you look at City's balance sheet for year to March 06 there is a situation not unlike Wolves.The shareholder funds are stated as £3.8m. In a nutshell this has the ground and other assets at around £12m less liabilities [director loans, share capital] of £8.2m.

In my opinion, a price to take control of the club is more like £10m. Anything above this and Lansdown is making a profit on his shareholding [which is the objective of his business for their clients every day of the week !!].

Lansdown can show how much he loves this club by fending off this takeover but at the same time putting in the sort of investment that Madjeski has put in at Reading [Lansdown is worth more than him ; I hate being seen as a feeder club for them!! - Murray, Lita, Skuse?] and not constantly going on about how the club must stand on its own feet financially. NO CLUB DOES.

On paper Lansdown is worth £300m after the float of his business. According to reports he had £80m in cash !!

What a statement of commitment by him to say to Johnson here's £6m to make us into a decent Championship side. He didn't and I fear he won't.

So where does us leave us the fans ? If he sells out then the future looks very interesting and he will have made a nice little [£20m] turn on his shares. If he rejects the approach yet doesn't open his wallet I for one will be frustrated beyond belief.

Come on Lansdown - show us what you are made of !!

[Rob_BCFC]

Jon Maguire?