Llambias: sale stories are all utter nonsense

[Raconteur]

 

The stigma of the name would be an embarrassment to the Premier League.

 

But a large multinational company like SBG would pass the 'fit and proper person' test which last year waved through Manchester City owner, Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, despite allegations of human rights violations while he was Prime Minister of Thailand.

 

I think Osama himself could pass that "fit and proper person" test after Thaskin...

 

[Mick]

 

I'd love it if the Bin Laden family  bought the club.

 

mackems.gif

 

You're a masochist, do you do self harm?

[Dave]

Fucking hell, Bin Laden's brother. mackems.gif

[Parky]

I think that both the people who take these rumours as fact, and also the people who insist that Ashley couldn't possibly be in it for money are both as silly as each other.

 

Fact is we have seen no proof either way of his intentions yet and there is no point worrying about it as we have no control.

 

Apart from an private equity firm that  deals in sports (mainly broadcasting) saying they were approached, there is no proof what so ever.

 

 

 

 

 

Had you heard of said media firm before Friday?

 

Lets say they want to move into the British market.

 

What better way to get your name into the mainstream press than talks over 'buying' a football club?

 

Even if Ashley denies it (again), their aim is accomplished

 

Yep, to quote the BBC article:

 

It is not known who made the approach to InterMedia.

 

There are many other people who might approach InterMedia about this and not be a club employee. Someone perhaps who wants to buy us but needs the money.

 

Keegan buys club.

[Parky]

Fucking hell, Bin Laden's brother. mackems.gif

 

More money than Ashley.

[Dave]

Fucking hell, Bin Laden's brother. mackems.gif

 

More money than Ashley.

 

I'm not doubting it. I just find it hilarious that they're so desperate to bad-mouth us that they'll link us to one of the most hated names in the world.

[Unbelievable]

Imagine the reactions if Bin Laden himself would sit amongst the fans wearing a Toon top!  We need somebody to photoshop that image.. mackems.gif

[Tooj]

Imagine the reactions if Bin Laden himself would sit amongst the fans wearing a Toon top!  We need somebody to photoshop that image.. mackems.gif

 

Probably be as ridiculous as the suggestion in your post tbh mate.

[Mick]

Page 5 of todays Sunday Sun has Ashley down as making a £200 million loss on HBoS shares.

[madras]

Imagine the reactions if Bin Laden himself would sit amongst the fans wearing a Toon top!  We need somebody to photoshop that image.. mackems.gif

i'm picturing a scooby doo type scenario where ashleys mask is puled off to reveal osama himself. come to think of it,how many pics of ashley exist from before bin laden went to ground ?

[OzzieMandias]

Imagine the reactions if Bin Laden himself would sit amongst the fans wearing a Toon top! 

 

He's an Arsenal fan.

[Guest NIToon]

Sorry bit quick but here's Toon Laden

 

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/4702/toonladencw0.th.jpg

[Mick]

 

He's an Arsenal fan.

 

The Gunners.

[Parky]

Fucking hell, Bin Laden's brother. mackems.gif

 

More money than Ashley.

 

I'm not doubting it. I just find it hilarious that they're so desperate to bad-mouth us that they'll link us to one of the most hated names in the world.

 

His family (part of the Saudi Royal family) are frequently guests at Bush's ranch and they've disowned Osama and cut off his allowance. Opposition supporters would have a field day of course I realise that, on the other hand we might have access to the Saudi Royal family bank account which is easily bigger than Abramovitch's money. So we might have the last laugh if there is anything to this of course.

 

I for one am not worried if MA sells the club which he will do over the next 3-5 years anyway.

[midds]

It never ceases to amaze me when so many people just believe whatever they read/hear in the media. The 'it's in the paper so it must be right' brigade.

 

Why can't people just use their intelligence/common sense and decide for themselves how likely something is to happen. Has this country sunk so low that the general public rely on the Sun and the Daily Mail to tell them what to think? It annoys me.

[OzzieMandias]

 

He's an Arsenal fan.

 

The Gunners.

 

I THINK we owe it to the war against terrorism to take seriously these allegations about Osama bin Laden being an Arsenal fan. The source is Adam Robinson, in a not otherwise overtly funny or satirical new biography of bin Laden, entitled Behind the Mask of Terror, and the story is as follows: that, during the early 1990s, when he was living in London, the man who was later to become the world's most wanted terrorist attended matches at Highbury, in particular during the victorious European Cup-Winners' Cup campaign of the 1993-94 season.

 

It is further alleged that bin Laden visited the Arsenal club shop and bought a replica shirt for one of his sons. Whether, that night in the club shop, bin Laden also bought a Nigel Winterburn duvet cover and some Arsenal shower gel is not recorded. The crucial assertion is this: that Osama is a Gooner.

 

Of course, the first half of the Nineties was not a golden era for Arsenal, who were then grinding out their last days under George Graham, a period of strange, almost wilful stagnation for the club during which a significant number of fans came to feel deeply frustrated. It's the sort of situation which, obviously, gets to supporters in different ways. Some don't renew their season tickets; others, such as bin Laden, disappear off to caves and begin plotting to destroy America....

 

The estimable, supporter-run Arsenal website, Arseweb, instantly installed the al-Qa'eda leader in its on-line list of "Celebrity Gooners", where he joins Fidel Castro, Robert Maxwell, "Mad" Frankie Fraser and the Queen Mother.

 

Editorially, meanwhile, the site sought to reassure the home constituency as follows: "You may shudder at the thought of having rubbed shoulders with the man back then, but Arseweb would like to believe that this makes north London ever so slightly less likely to become a target."

 

Good point - and worth conveying to the residents of Ashburton Grove. Conversely, the news of bin Laden's allegiance is none too comforting a thought if you happen to be living in Tottenham....

 

From Arsenal, the official response was predictable: the club moved swiftly to ban bin Laden. "Clearly he wouldn't be welcome at Highbury in the future," a club spokesman said.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2001/11/16/sfngil17.xml&sSheet=/sport/2001/11/16/ixfooty.html

[ChezGiven]

Ashley has been tapped up by the NOTW's Fake Sheikh imo. He'll be caught on camera saying Michael Owen is like Miss Price out of Bedknobs and Broomsticks and he blows more on number 17 in a week than most geordies earn in a year.

 

This story isnt going to go away.

[ianovthetoon]

Page 5 of todays Sunday Sun has Ashley down as making a £200 million loss on HBoS shares.

 

Isn't that old news. i'm sure there was something in the nationals a few months ago. It's spread betting or something like that

[fredbob]

I think theres something in this to be honest - thought so when it first came out, would be hugely dissapointed if Ashley sold up, but on the plus side i dont think he'd sell up to a buyer who wouldn't be able to invest in us. In fact the price of the club would mean than only the richest would be able to purchase, getting way ahead of myself here, but my 2 major concerns would be the personnel change whihc would occur and also the possilibty that the debt of the takeover may be lumped onto us Liverpool/Man U style which could be potenitally disastorous for us.....having seen what Ashley did with the Sports Direct share floats, i cant honestly say that im 100% faithful that his heart is in the right place regarding nufc.

 

 

[Guest Ian56]

Page 5 of todays Sunday Sun has Ashley down as making a £200 million loss on HBoS shares.

 

Isn't that old news. i'm sure there was something in the nationals a few months ago. It's spread betting or something like that

 

I bet his missus went light when she found that out. As for the mysterious contact with that American lot I reckon it was her. I imagine she was sat there in bed, in her curlers, reading Jordan's latest blockbuster when Chairman Ashley slipped in next to her and lay twiddling his thumbs on his vast midrift.

 

"What's the matter petal?"

 

"Nothing pet."

 

Snuggling up. "Aw go on you can tell me."

 

"Well, that Keegan want's to buy some bugger called Sidwell from Chelsea."

 

"How much?"

 

"Er," LONG pause. "£10 million of your Queen's English pet."

 

Result - one cracked mudpack.

 

**

 

Next morning.

 

Ring ring.

 

"Hello, is that you Sheila. It's Mrs Ashley here. Does your hubby still work for that Investment thing in America. He does? Brilliant. Can you have a quiet word with him about some daft stupid thing my old man has got himself into...."

 

 

** Hang on, he is married right?! - Bit on the side if he ain't.

** Explains where that £420 million figure comes from. Women think money goes on tree's.....

 

[Dr Venkman]

"InterMedia was approached about a deal, made no offer and has no interest," a spokesman told BBC Sport.

 

Surely not! Ashley´s s*** smells of roses don´t you know..?

 

learn from NE5's mistakes, even if he wont, pouncing on a vague quote like this only reduces the well put points of your argument as you begin to sound like someone with a grudge or agenda

 

Vague? What's vague about it?

 

I don't know if this has been a;ready mentioned , can't be arsed to read through all pages on this but the beeb have updated their story to say that the US company has confirm it was approached. Well that really doesn't marry with what the club said yesterday, so someone is clearly lying here, but who ?

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7489444.stm

 

could have been approached by anyone, doesnt have to be nufc, co-investors looking for a partner, someone looking for funding, anyone./b]

 

Someone offered them Newcastle United. Whether it was Ashley or someone on his behalf. Deal with it.

 

'I believe virtually everything I read, and I think that is what makes me more of a selective human than someone who doesn't believe anything.'

 

David St Hubbins

[Dr Venkman]

I think that both the people who take these rumours as fact, and also the people who insist that Ashley couldn't possibly be in it for money are both as silly as each other.

 

Fact is we have seen no proof either way of his intentions yet and there is no point worrying about it as we have no control.

 

Apart from an private equity firm that  deals in sports (mainly broadcasting) saying they were approached, there is no proof what so ever.

 

 

 

 

 

Had you heard of said media firm before Friday?

 

Lets say they want to move into the British market.

 

What better way to get your name into the mainstream press than talks over 'buying' a football club?

 

Even if Ashley denies it (again), their aim is accomplished

 

Yep, to quote the BBC article:

 

It is not known who made the approach to InterMedia.

 

There are many other people who might approach InterMedia about this and not be a club employee. Someone perhaps who wants to buy us but needs the money.

 

Good of you to repeat the point I made about 15 posts ago (but without the patronising use of large fonts).  Thanks 

 

i made that point about 3 pages ago

[Guest Brazilianbob]

Even if it was Ashley that approached Intermedia, everyone is making the assumption that it was to sell the club.  Ashley knows Intermedia are looking to get into footy in Europe so why not offer them a piece of the action, and when I say a piece, I mean a small piece, not the whole club.  It's called inviting investment.  Businesses do this all the time without selling the family jewels.

[James]

Even if it was Ashley that approached Intermedia, everyone is making the assumption that it was to sell the club.  Ashley knows Intermedia are looking to get into footy in Europe so why not offer them a piece of the action, and when I say a piece, I mean a small piece, not the whole club.  It's called inviting investment.  Businesses do this all the time without selling the family jewels.

 

Very good point, that could be why Wise and Jimenez are in Dubai next couple of weeks.

[Dokko]

Even if it was Ashley that approached Intermedia, everyone is making the assumption that it was to sell the club.  Ashley knows Intermedia are looking to get into footy in Europe so why not offer them a piece of the action, and when I say a piece, I mean a small piece, not the whole club.  It's called inviting investment.  Businesses do this all the time without selling the family jewels.

 

Very good point, that could be why Wise and Jimenez are in Dubai next couple of weeks.

 

Which would be understandable if the club was owned by someone with limited funds (ie previous regime) and wanted it to expand, but in Ashley's circumstances it really does make me ask: why?