Would you welcome a takeover?

[Rich]

More instability versus current poor owners at a critical time in our history?

 

It's like Sophie's Choice.

[madras]

Not right now, no.

 

If Ashley's takeover is anything to go by then the timing would simply kill any hope we have of rebuilding and we desperately need to rebuild this summer more than any other. A takeover now would give everybody nothing but confusion and as much as I hate the fat b****** for what he's done to us, he's came out and apologised and we need to draw a line under what's happened and all pull in the same direction to clean up the mess.

so you'd say no to a northen consortium who'd promise a 50mill transfer kitty out of their own pockets ?

[Carlito]

Depends how long the takeover would be drawn out for. £50m is absolutely worthless if we can't spend it this summer isn't it.

[Guest johnson293]

Not right now, no.

 

If Ashley's takeover is anything to go by then the timing would simply kill any hope we have of rebuilding and we desperately need to rebuild this summer more than any other. A takeover now would give everybody nothing but confusion and as much as I hate the fat b****** for what he's done to us, he's came out and apologised and we need to draw a line under what's happened and all pull in the same direction to clean up the mess.

 

Ashley took over late June/July didn't he, without due dillignece - hence why he held up buying players until Mort started going through the books, and he realised what he'd bought/inherited.

 

If takeover talks are underway now, and a price could be agreed quickly, due dilligence shouldn't take long, as Ashley has allegedly balanced the books, so there should be no surprises left. And unlike last time, the consortium only has to buy Ashley out for control, not all the various parties (Halls, Shepherd, everyone else with shares) which took time.

 

Is it feasible a takeover could be completed within a 2-3 weeks, which would mean prep could start early June?

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

Depends how long the takeover would be drawn out for. £50m is absolutely worthless if we can't spend it this summer isn't it.

if a bid is made and accepted, it should be quicker than when Ashley bought the club though, surely?  Ashley was having to buy up shares, and then once he'd done so, was obliged to make a formal offer for the club.  If theres money in one big pot (the consortium) buying out Ashley, then surely it could go through in about a week?

 

How long did it take the Arabic group to buy Citeh from Shinawatra?  Can't remember it dragging on.

[Carlito]

In an ideal world, yes but it doesn't always pan out that way. Since it's only hypothetical and if we were being offered a £50m kitty and the timing worked out perfectly then I'd say yes without a doubt because in the long term I don't want Ashley here.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Depends how long the takeover would be drawn out for. £50m is absolutely worthless if we can't spend it this summer isn't it.

if a bid is made and accepted, it should be quicker than when Ashley bought the club though, surely?  Ashley was having to buy up shares, and then once he'd done so, was obliged to make a formal offer for the club.  If theres money in one big pot (the consortium) buying out Ashley, then surely it could go through in about a week?

 

How long did it take the Arabic group to buy Citeh from Shinawatra?  Can't remember it dragging on.

 

It took a while iirc but they put up a wad of cash prior to the take over being formally completed. They were buying the club whatever so they could afford to do it. A consortium/individual buying us would probably not be in this position and wouldn't release any funds until all the i's are crossed and t's dotted etc

[Zero]

Yes for this time only.  I mean I couldn't see Ashley wanna be the owner in long term and probably what he is thinking now is just to lower his loss - probably the selling the club after promotion.

As such I don't think it's really a long term stability and in addition, I doubt how much fund will be available from Ashley.

He is really stubborn enough to think like this "hmmm may be i can just inject 5-6m and after promotion the value of the club may go up by 30m...sounds like good business" FFS.

 

Another owner please.  Times up for Ashley.

[Guest Phil K]

Wonder if he's brought Orville the Duck to help during discussions....

[Oakie Doke]

ooh you are naughty... but I like you

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

where, who with, link, pictures etc?

[Guest Phil K]

On the radio apparently.

My wife shouted up "Who's Keith Harris ? They're saying he's at Newcastle today"

I said "He's either the bloke with Orville the Duck or the football banker to do with take-overs"

"Well it's not the duck one" she said....

 

Hmmm. My topic has been beamed up to another....

[Skirge]

So today its takeover talks yesterday talks with Shearer about the managers job? Big Al buying the club?

[thomas]

Got to be unsure until more information comes out.  Blind 'Yes's at this point are just tempting fate to produce someone even worse.

[wrightstuff83]

If a potential buyer is looking at us, nw is their best time to pounch ad get a good price fromAshley, he wants out asap!

 

My hope is there is a buyer, consortium etc. who have told Harris previously that they will wait and see if we go donw in order to get the best price.

 

A Randy Lerner type owner please Santa!

[Skirge]

No one can do worse than Ashley though can they and I am sure any buyer will still okk at giving Shearer the managers job..

[Shearergol]

No one can do worse than Ashley though can they and I am sure any buyer will still okk at giving Shearer the managers job..

 

Of course they can do worse than him.

[NG32]

Maybe its better to take another hit now then fumble through more seasons with A$hley.

 

I cant see things changing with him owning the club, he has shown himself up to be a one trick sports direct pony.

 

He has one business stratagem, once he is out of that bubble he is fucking clueless.

 

This club has a funny way of finding out these one trick pony gob shytes.

 

We can now add to our list

 

Dogleish

Souness

Gullit

Roeder

Allerdyce

A$hley

Llambias

Souness

 

In no particular order.

[Skirge]

What own us for a season and a half and get us relegated again? what they going to do keep JK on and bring Wise back ?

[David Icke - Son of God]

There is never a perfect time for a takeover but any opportunity to get rid of that fat twat must be grasped with both hands.

 

Things aren't going to get any better under him. His ever dwindling fortune means he is simply not going to put the money in the club needs to bounce straight back and after watching him destroy us over the past two years I don't believe he'll learn from his mistakes. It's the simple stuff like the appointments, timing of said appointments and general handling of every crisis which makes it patently obvious he's a non-football man making football decisions and poor ones at that

 

Lets be honest, his appointment of Shearer was no great coup either. I know some people have softened their stance on MA because he sought to bring in Big Al but he pretty much acknowledged that he'd have taken the job no matter what the situation in his first press conference. There is also the fact that Shearer is another roll of the dice, much like Keegan was and much like Kinnear was. It's another appointment which smacks of desperation and made by someone who isn't in the real world. I was as happy to see Shearer come back as the next bloke simply because I jizz in my kegs a little bit when I think of everything he did on the pitch but the fact of the matter is he isn't a proven manager which you could argue is what we needed. I'm not saying Shearer wont be a good manager, it's too early to tell, but it was the type of gamble you expect a man like Ashley, who gives away positions at the club on the spin of a roulette wheel (allegedly) to make.

 

I've seen enough of the Ashley regime to make my decision that he's never going to be the right man to run this club in the long term. You can talk about stability and the likes but we're never going to have any under this man.

[Taylor Swift]

Yes and no. Yes because Ashley has made a ton of mistakes and I don't know if his business model is appropriate for a football club, especially now that we're going to be losing a lot of money. No, because there's a chance that Ashley has learnt his lesson and will be willing to do more of what is needed - such as giving the manager backing and full control. We also desperately need some stability, so on the whole, I'm really not sure.

[Skirge]

A takeover thats not mid seaosn too, get it doen quick gives time before the season starts to get things in order.

[NG32]

There is never a perfect time for a takeover but any opportunity to get rid of that fat t*** must be grasped with both hands.

 

Things aren't going to get any better under him. His ever dwindling fortune means he is simply not going to put the money in the club needs to bounce straight back and after watching him destroy us over the past two years I don't believe he'll learn from his mistakes. It's the simple stuff like the appointments, timing of said appointments and general handling of every crisis which makes it patently obvious he's a non-football man making football decisions and poor ones at that

 

Lets be honest, his appointment of Shearer was no great coup either. I know some people have softened their stance on MA because he sought to bring in Big Al but he pretty much acknowledged that he'd have taken the job no matter what the situation in his first press conference. There is also the fact that Shearer is another roll of the dice, much like Keegan was and much like Kinnear was. It's another appointment which smacks of desperation and made by someone who isn't in the real world. I was as happy to see Shearer come back as the next bloke simply because I jizz in my kegs a little bit when I think of everything he did on the pitch but the fact of the matter is he isn't a proven manager which you could argue is what we needed. I'm not saying Shearer wont be a good manager, it's too early to tell, but it was the type of gamble you expect a man like Ashley, who gives away positions at the club on the spin of a roulette wheel (allegedly) to make.

 

I've seen enough of the Ashley regime to make my decision that he's never going to be the right man to run this club in the long term. You can talk about stability and the likes but we're never going to have any under this man.

 

 

 

He is well out of his fucking depth, in fact he is stuck in the deep end of the old wallsend public baths surrounded by 3 foot cockroaches who in turn are chasing blobs of shit floating in the pool.

 

[Guest dover]

Just guessing but I would think that whoever thsi consortium is has already done the due dilligence when Ashley u the club up for sale, and were just waiting to see what league we were in before making their offer. This makes business sense, so in that respect i would expect the takeover - if there is one, to be relatively quick. So if thats the case Im all for it, clear the decks and get started, this week please though because Im pig sick of our club being a laughing stock. Everytime I turn on SSN were fucking something else up.

[ianovthetoon]

If you look at Ashley's statement from last night, the final sentence about discussing how to take the club forward could relate to the takeover. It might be a bit of a conspiracy theory but I reckon this could have been the plan from the first day Shearer took over. There was a mention of it at the time, and it would make sense, given that Shearer has at times been highly critical of Ashley's regime in the past. Kinnear has kept his trap shut, probably with a confidentiality clause in any payoff he was given.

 

It would also make good sense given that a billionaire has just assumed control of our closest rivals, and whilst we are at best 12 months behind them, as a club we would want to lose as little ground as possible on them.

 

If they have a vision and plan to make the best out of a bad situation, great. The optimism created by a fresh look at the top, coupled with a reasonable transfer kitty and (hopefully) good solid performances from the outset, should ensure that crowds remain high, keeping gate receipts at a reasonable level.

 

I don't know how much we make from replica shirts, but the sponsor change and potential celebration of being promoted at the first time of asking could mean a complete new kit for the start of the 2010 campaign, so that might help bring in a few extra quid. In terms of television deals, it would be interesting if we were able to sell rights to our championship games abroad, as I'm sure there would be no shortage of takers. This would help bring in some revenue as well.

 

Although we will inevitably still be short of what we make in the premier league, I'd say in the right hands we are still an attractive investment for anyone. We'd lose money in a season in the championship, but with promotion at the first time of asking, and good levels of investment in years 1 and 2 the club would be back to it's "Premier League" value in no time at all.

 

We may not be a big club in terms of trophies and Champions League Football, but in terms of potential revenues and global fanbase we're still massive. At the end of the day it's the potential to make money that dictates a football club's value as much as winning trophies etc. How many teams in years gone by have had so much media coverage in the wake of relegation?

 

Man City were relegated a few years ago and look at them now. They may have had to go right down before they got back to where they are now, but with the right management and outlook we can hopefully avoid that, and bounce back stronger. If you'd asked their fans back then if they could foresee one of the best players in the world signing for them at a cost of £30m they'd have laughed at you.

 

So here's hoping.........