[Archived] Rovers Takeover

[Spansterkid]

OK I will let you know what happens.

There are at least six MB members and ex-members who have contacts at key points in the processes that are involved in this putative takeover. Some increase and decrease in importance as bidders become more or less active which should tell you there are people with ins to the buying camps as well as talking dogs at Brockhall....

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, Rovers getting the very best deal is of paramount importance. In fact everything else is irrelevant compared with that objective.

So everything I post goes through that filter.

Then there is the issue of reliability- somethings are red herrings, some simple misunderstandings, some are wild guesses masquerading as rumours masquerading as real events.

So I tread carefully when it comes to speculation or new sources- I use words like "I think" or "it appears" etc to signal that the story comes with a health warning.

Especially at the moment when there are flatly contradictory stories about Syed. One with the greatest authority says he must sing now or he is out after missing every beat the conductor has given him for the past six weeks. But then another very reliable source saying his people are deep in negotiation. Of course they could both be right.

Finally there are things I know journalists are also onto. I don't make a living from doing this, the journos do and unless they are producing what I consider to be untruths, I am not going to take them on and run a spoiler for the sake of a few hours before you all know. Rightly or wrongly, people trust nicko and Andy Cryer a heck of a lot more than they trust my scribblings on here... Besides, as is the case with this about to break Syed story, I know some details but certainly not all of them and my half truth might turn out to be very misleading if I post it now. I learnt that lesson when I'd misunderstood the Cathedral donation story from Friday last week as being the LT running a story against Syed. It was only on Sunday I heard it was in fact £125K for the Cathedral Choristers and I had totally misunderstood the hints coming my way. So no I am not going to say what I know just now- the LT are onto it and if I am right it is wonderful news for Blackburn.

PS look at 1083 and 1084 above and the £40,000 donation to Nightsafe is indeed absolutely real. One phone call to them out of the blue and a cheque arrived in the next but one post. Absolutely fantastic for an incredibly deserving cause.

I'm not disputing that you have a 'heads up' on items that are likely to appear in the Telegraph the following day, or even that you have some limited 'inside information' on the different takeover bids. In fact, I'm sure you have more knowledge and sources than I do. The accumulation of our knowledge (and opinions on it) is what this thread's purpose is (or should be).

However, your point about not spoiling the journos info is ridiculous. If you don't want to spoil their fun (I would) then why bother telling us that you know that a story is going to be in the Telegraph the next day (or next hour as it turned out tonight)? It can only be to flatter your own ego! It's obvious you know someone who works for that rag, so what? It is this kind of willy waving that I object to, more than anything.

Mr Ali's contributions to much neglected local causes are, as you say, fantastic for Blackburn (although I would argue that diverting capital expropriated from Asian workers towards under-resourced British charitable social projects is a bit like stealing from your baby brother, but that's another matter..) but you telling us that it was coming only serves to emphasise my previous point.

I do appreciate that you are trying to be careful and not mislead anyone but my frustration comes from what I know about the takeover leading me to believe that you are doing exactly that, misleading people into thinking the Syed Ali bid is falling down the pecking order when it is most certainly not.

[47er]

Well it shows us all one thing; and that is that he must really want it. It obviously matters a lot to him, so the only thing we the fans have to worry about is:

WHY???

Well I would guess he wants, one day, to be able to sell an asset that has appreciated considerably------- due to the money he had put into it, the vision he had realised and the business acumen with which he had managed the whole business.

Alternatively we could make a stand and watch our club decline instead.

[bazza]

If anyone is in touch with Mr Syed or his group, please tell him about the bazza poverty appeal. Up to now I have received no donations and we are about to go under.

Thanks, and here's hoping.

[philipl]

If I hadn't been careful, I would have posted on Friday night the LT are going to run a new Goldberg type story about Syed... and been 100% wrong!!!

[simcla]

Could these donations be as a result of a condition of the sale by the trust? Maybe Jack stipulated that the owner had to be a benefactor to the town as well as the club?

[Fife Rover]

Well I would guess he wants, one day, to be able to sell an asset that has appreciated considerably------- due to the money he had put into it, the vision he had realised and the business acumen with which he had managed the whole business.

Alternatively we could make a stand and watch our club decline instead.

Now why would we want to do that?

[47er]

Now why would we want to do that?

We wouldn't but you're pouring cold water on Syed's proposed takeover, not me.

[Fife Rover]

We wouldn't but you're pouring cold water on Syed's proposed takeover, not me.

What on Earth are you gibbering about??? I am most certainly NOT and never have been against Mr. Ali's bid. All I have ever said is that I want the Trust to tread very carefully and make 100% sure that whichever bid they decide to accept is accepted for all the right reasons and that they use every possible effort to ensure this. I have tended to favour the Syed bid and still do.

[Paul]

Syed appears to be trying is hardest to get the Blackburn public/Rovers fans behind his bid.

I can't say I can remember any club owner making these sort of donations let alone a jockey that has not even finished the race.

Three so called acts of charity in the last week, weird but fair play to him.

Hearts and minds .......... ???.

If this is the case, and I've no reason to doubt it, if, or when, he becomes the owner the simpler and cheaper method will be to clearly explain his intentions for the club, set some targets and achieve them. Chucking some petty cash, relative to his wealth, around Blackburn is more likely to raise questions. Give the fans a proper idea of the "Why?" and only then start spreading your money around the town.

[Glenn]

However, your point about not spoiling the journos info is ridiculous. If you don't want to spoil their fun (I would) then why bother telling us that you know that a story is going to be in the Telegraph the next day (or next hour as it turned out tonight)? It can only be to flatter your own ego! It's obvious you know someone who works for that rag, so what? It is this kind of willy waving that I object to, more than anything.

We're lucky that there is a network of news being collected and shared between several journalists and other connected parties on this (and I feel quite lucky I get to see what I assume is a considerable percentage of it), now currently everyone seems to be playing nice, nobody is scooping anyone else, nobody does anything to screw over the other's sales (which is why we quite often have news stories ready, but embargo until the originator runs it first), people are sharing small bits of the jigsaw with each other in confidence in the hope that it could help solve the bigger puzzle and most of all nobody wants to accidentally scupper a deal that could be the most important thing to happen to the club since Jack first got involved.

So, Philip *could* spill everything that comes past him, but we'd find very very quickly that the flow of information stopped and that would benefit nobody. Have a little faith that Philip, our own behind the scenes news guys and the professional journos are all doing what's best for the community, the site, the fans and the club, not playing some kind of "I know something you don't" game.

[67splitscreen]

He got slated by many last time he leaked his intentions, maybe in a way he sees his latest actions as stating his intentions.

I'm sceptical behind the reasoning as it does seem unique, if he is unsuccessful in buying the club at least some people in Blackburn will have benefited from his generosity and will long be remembered.

If the trust have a problem with him then fair enough.

[47er]

What on Earth are you gibbering about??? I am most certainly NOT and never have been against Mr. Ali's bid. All I have ever said is that I want the Trust to tread very carefully and make 100% sure that whichever bid they decide to accept is accepted for all the right reasons and that they use every possible effort to ensure this. I have tended to favour the Syed bid and still do.

Keep your kilt on Fife, I don't remember any enthusiasm for any takeover from you, only doubts, but if I missed the occasional post amongs all the negativity I apologise. You keep on asking"WHY" he's interested. I did try to supply what I thought was a reasonable answer--did you read it?

We all want the Trust to tread very carefully, the time being taken strongly suggests they are.

If this is the case, and I've no reason to doubt it, if, or when, he becomes the owner the simpler and cheaper method will be to clearly explain his intentions for the club, set some targets and achieve them. Chucking some petty cash, relative to his wealth, around Blackburn is more likely to raise questions. Give the fans a proper idea of the "Why?" and only then start spreading your money around the town.

I thought he had done all this weeks if not months ago.

[Spansterkid]

...and the professional journos are all doing what's best for the community, the site, the fans and the club, not playing some kind of "I know something you don't" game.

You are joking, right? Surely, please tell me you are.

[philipl]

Ok spanster, where do you think the professional journis get some of their stories from?

They have no choice but to play nice with the Rovers community if you want to be cynical about it.

By Rovers community I mean the club and it's fans.

With regards to Ali Syed, he has a track record of quiet philanthropy wherever he is involved if I remember a profile written about him back in August correctly.

Yes it is true the Walker Trust has a charitable arm that operates very diiscreetly and one of the few caveats publicly acknowledged over the past 20 years is a Trust clause about the people of Blackburn in relation to their involvement with Rovers.

However, I have learnt down the years that it is the basest form of cynicism to link inapproproate motives to somebody else's generosity and charity.

Only Ali Syed knows why he is doing what he is doing and his motives are only of interest to fans like me if he becomes Rovers new owner. Until the seemingly unlikely event of that happening, surely we should just be over-joywd by these gifts to our town.

So my feeling is to leave cynicism to one side and to celebrate the fantastic news for the organizations that are benefitting from game changing donations and acknowledge the great sensitivity and sensibility of how Mr Syed is going about making the donations.

[Spansterkid]

Ok spanster, where do you think the professional journis get some of their stories from?

They have no choice but to play nice with the Rovers community if you want to be cynical about it.

By Rovers community I mean the club and it's fans.

They get their stories from various contacts all over the place. I simply said that journalists generally are not motivated by what is best for the community. To say they are is a joke, at best.

With regards to Ali Syed, he has a track record of quiet philanthropy wherever he is involved if I remember a profile written about him back in August correctly.

Yes it is true the Walker Trust has a charitable arm that operates very diiscreetly and one of the few caveats publicly acknowledged over the past 20 years is a Trust clause about the people of Blackburn in relation to their involvement with Rovers.

However, I have learnt down the years that it is the basest form of cynicism to link inapproproate motives to somebody else's generosity and charity.

Only Ali Syed knows why he is doing what he is doing and his motives are only of interest to fans like me if he becomes Rovers new owner. Until the seemingly unlikely event of that happening, surely we should just be over-joywd by these gifts to our town.

So my feeling is to leave cynicism to one side and to celebrate the fantastic news for the organizations that are benefitting from game changing donations and acknowledge the great sensitivity and sensibility of how Mr Syed is going about making the donations.

I'm not being cynical about his motives. I think he is motivated by a desire to prove a very real commitment to the club and to the area and by an honest desire to 'put something back'. That philanthropy is necessary and the concentration of enormous levels of wealth in so few hands, accumulated no doubt (in this case as in every other) through the exploitation of some poor workers somewhere, are the things I have problems with. But as I said before that's another matter. I'm very happy, as you are, that the organisations are benefiting from Mr Ali's connection to the town, however that connection was made.

[PAFELL]

Ok spanster, where do you think the professional journis get some of their stories from?

They have no choice but to play nice with the Rovers community if you want to be cynical about it.

By Rovers community I mean the club and it's fans.

With regards to Ali Syed, he has a track record of quiet philanthropy wherever he is involved if I remember a profile written about him back in August correctly.

Yes it is true the Walker Trust has a charitable arm that operates very diiscreetly and one of the few caveats publicly acknowledged over the past 20 years is a Trust clause about the people of Blackburn in relation to their involvement with Rovers.

However, I have learnt down the years that it is the basest form of cynicism to link inapproproate motives to somebody else's generosity and charity.

Only Ali Syed knows why he is doing what he is doing and his motives are only of interest to fans like me if he becomes Rovers new owner. Until the seemingly unlikely event of that happening, surely we should just be over-joywd by these gifts to our town.

So my feeling is to leave cynicism to one side and to celebrate the fantastic news for the organizations that are benefitting from game changing donations and acknowledge the great sensitivity and sensibility of how Mr Syed is going about making the donations.

Would the takeover have to be announced publicly? I ask because of Syed's donation to these local charities. Why do it, BEFORE completing the takeover. Could it not have already been done, which is why he is making these donations now. Hope these donations are not conditinal on Syed being successful in buying the club. Does it matter if people outside of the club, the trustees, the prem officals etc know who owns the club. Could not the club say "this takeover has happened, but we do not want it to be made public due to whatever reason - (transfer market etc)". Could not Syed become part of the trust and donate money into the trust for the club? Therefore the trust continues, but with another member in it. I do not know how these things work, but the fact that there is a plan B. If the club is not SOLD, there will be funds for transfers (maybe Syed's imput)

[philipl]

No idea Pafell. It is quite possible there could be a small delay between the deed and the announcement of sale but that is more likely to be hours getting time zones right for both parties etc rather than days.

Imagine a sale leaking after it had been done!

Paul, my recollection of what WGA/Ali Syed have said:

- WGA SPORTS AG set up in Switzerland to acquire Rovers

- £300m going in over 15 years in 5 year tranches

- no expectation of recovering the amount committed to Rovers

- there might be additional funds.

Other things that have been reported as coming from Ali/Syed but I have not seen directly attributed to Ali Syed/WGA:

- £60m to be paid to Walker Trust for delivering a completely debt free Rovers to WGA Sports AG (no idea what is defined as being debts but assume loans from banks and the Trust will be paid off)

- £100m commitment in first year. No idea if that includes the £60m; I guess it does. Equally, I think it is reasonable to assume the £100m is part of the £300m.

- there will be a marketing and an infrastructure budget. Again no indication that those budgets are outside the £300m so I assume the £300m covers those as well.

[trueblue]

Once again Philip, many thanks for your input.. I have no 'business head' whatsoever so really appreciate your postings explaining how things work. Cheers!

[Roversider]

As usual, another relatively quiet day on the takeover news front apart from stories about Mr Ali Syed's generosity.

On the subject of his gifts can I say to those people who are full of cynicism about his motives, well it doesn't matter to me why he was motivated to do it. It is churlish to attribute base motives when the gifts will do a great deal of good for needy causes in Blackburn. If it is to improve his image with the people of Blackburn then it is a very good start.

As to whether it influences the chance of him buying Rovers you would have to talk to the Trustees. It would be nice to think that he is building a relationship up with the people of Blackburn and not just the football club.

[bluebruce]

- no expectation of recovering the amount committed to Rovers

Sorry to call you up on this one, but people seem to keep forgetting it. As I've said earlier in the takeover saga, twice, one of the first interviews with Mr Syed, with some news agency who I forget but are quite big, had him saying that he didn't expect to get his money back in the short or medium term, but in the long term, he thought he could expect profits. It isn't entirely clear how he meant this (ie, operating profits on a yearly basis, or recouping his investment with a bit on top), but he said it, and it clearly isn't as cut and dry as no expectation of recovering the amount, which I think he has never said in those words? I'd be happy to see a quote if I'm wrong.

There's something else I think people are missing here. I don't think anybody who is questioning the motives of Syed's donations is questioning the obvious intrinsic value of the donations or suggesting he's a dirty liar etc for making them. We are simply observing, as the Trust have to an even larger extent, that it shouldn't guarantee him victory. Personally I'm more encouraged by Syed's bid than the others, especially now it is becoming clear he really does have a lot of dough and a willingness to spend it (Where is tony gale's mic now?)

I do think these donations are positive signs, looking outside the OBVIOUS benefit to the town, but that doesn't mean the motives can't be questioned within the seperate matter of Syed's bid. It isn't churlish to do so, it's sensible. 40k is fantastic, but it's also El Hadji Diouf's weekly wage. Again, positive sign, but that kind of money shouldn't be considered a full house in this poker game. Our future is at stake here.

[Gav]

For what it's worth, my 'hotline' came from someone who worked at Walkersteel for twenty-odd years

My dad worked at Walkersteel for twenty-odd years also, but he's no idea who will be taking over.....

If you don't like what people are posting on this thread Spansterkid don't read it, simple as that.

[philipl]

Sorry to call you up on this one, but people seem to keep forgetting it. As I've said earlier in the takeover saga, twice, one of the first interviews with Mr Syed, with some news agency who I forget but are quite big, had him saying that he didn't expect to get his money back in the short or medium term, but in the long term, he thought he could expect profits. It isn't entirely clear how he meant this (ie, operating profits on a yearly basis, or recouping his investment with a bit on top), but he said it, and it clearly isn't as cut and dry as no expectation of recovering the amount, which I think he has never said in those words? I'd be happy to see a quote if I'm wrong.

There's something else I think people are missing here. I don't think anybody who is questioning the motives of Syed's donations is questioning the obvious intrinsic value of the donations or suggesting he's a dirty liar etc for making them. We are simply observing, as the Trust have to an even larger extent, that it shouldn't guarantee him victory. Personally I'm more encouraged by Syed's bid than the others, especially now it is becoming clear he really does have a lot of dough and a willingness to spend it (Where is tony gale's mic now?)

I remember him saying that as well bluebruce but I am sure it was more in the context that he believes he could make a return in the long term, not that he is planning to and that there was also an uncaveated statement about not expecting to recover the money put in. I might be wrong- I didn't copy it.

[bluebruce]

I remember him saying that as well bluebruce but I am sure it was more in the context that he believes he could make a return in the long term, not that he is planning to and that there was also an uncaveated statement about not expecting to recover the money put in. I might be wrong- I didn't copy it.

I remember him using a phrase something like "I believe that yes, we can expect (good?) profits in the long term"...expect seems a pretty strong word to me. Of course, with English not being his first language, it is difficult to extract precise meaning from quotes. I have a vague memory of him saying he didn't expect to recover money, but I also seem to recall something similar was said earlier in the same interview I'm talking about...his later statement in that interview seemed to contradict or clarify this. I'd love for Syed to expressly state "Unless the business produces natural profits, I will never take back any of the money I put in", and hopefully sign something to the same effect (could be what the Trust want). That'd be highly reassuring to me.

[John]

Sorry to call you up on this one, but people seem to keep forgetting it. As I've said earlier in the takeover saga, twice, one of the first interviews with Mr Syed, with some news agency who I forget but are quite big, had him saying that he didn't expect to get his money back in the short or medium term, but in the long term, he thought he could expect profits.

That is correct.

Remember Syed owns an investment company therefore you would guess he would want to make some money out of BRFC....

[tonyoz]

Would the takeover have to be announced publicly? I ask because of Syed's donation to these local charities. Why do it, BEFORE completing the takeover.

Some might call it "greasing the wheels".