Mike Ashley (former owner)

[Guest godzilla]

To the various replies about my comments on Ashley being f***ed off by their conduct my view is this;

 

(and please, you'll have to take off your 'I hate Mike Ashley' caps to fully consider it). He's a prick. We all know that already.

 

BUT...........

 

Imagine you're in his shoes......It's now relatively safe to assume he wants rid of the club. There's been Staveley, Kenyon and now the Sheikh.

 

To go that far, in all of those discussions, to absorb those legal fees, those accountant fee's, those advisor/brokers fees you simply have to agree that he wants rid.

 

Of course, it's on terms he can be comfortable with and that's another discussion but if we can agree he wants to move it along then that's the basis for my opinion.

 

He's almost certainly had discussions with a significant number of interested parties, all of whom would be in slightly different positions (pure cash deal but less than wants for it, tiny amount of cash up front but heavily weighted incentives in his favour to buy it, an excellent deal from his perspective but unable to get funds together as of now etc etc etc).

 

The news of the advanced discussions with SK break.

 

They'd been talking for up to 6 months if you believe much of the commentary around this deal. Certainly, at least, three months.

 

Let's say three months. During that period, nothing. Not one public utterance, word, rumour (other than that Dave Kitson fella and he could've just got lucky with it).

 

Now the story breaks BEFORE the deal is completed.

 

If the due diligence process is ongoing, the Sheikh could easily find an issue to reduce the price beyond what MA would agree to.

 

The Sheikh could easily try to knock £20m off on the last day before exchange for any old reason.

 

Ashley, already hated, is then massively backed into a corner.

 

He either takes the lower offer (highly unlikely) OR tells the Sheikh to f*** off and puts a statement out to confirm the deal is off.

 

Cue mass derision, hysteria from the 'geordie faithful', Rafa probably choosing not to renew, having to appoint a new manager and pray that we stay up (unlikely without Rafa imho). If we don't then his £350m asset is worth at least £150m less.

 

If the Sheikh and his people hadn't of allowed the leak then the deal falls over in private and Ashley has a far greater opportunity of managing the situation without an (even further) irate fan base wanting to kill the c***.

 

Genuinely, I'd take anybody but Ashley. At this point, I'd consider ANYONE, an improvement as they'd offer some degree of hope. However short term. I want to believe in my football club again.

 

However, this conduct is not the way to act in this situation and I find it very concerning in respect of their professionalism.

 

I understand that's your gut feel, what I am saying though is that there is nothing to back that up. We should stick to what has actually happened otherwise we are going down the line of what the journalists and twitter ITKs are doing.

 

I am sticking to what has happened. A potential buyer has made comments, on and off the record, about something they don't yet own which is very poor conduct by anyone's standard in the M&A process and 'likely' to p*ss off the existing owner. That's not a huge leap tbh.

 

I'm not asserting it as fact but it's logic from anyone who has been involved in this sort of stuff previously.

 

Until I hear an official notification sorry I'll stick to what you I know. All I know is that Ashley hasn't said a dickey bird (and in my opinion only as I don't know) judging by past outbursts he would have if he was pissed off. You can quote logic all you want, but at the end of the day you don't know for sure. Respect your opinion though.

[Guest godzilla]

The thing is, Ashley's a wild card. f***ing bought a club without due diligence. I wouldn't put it past him to sign a letter of intent with a potential buyer but say he's not going to pay the lawyers to read and negotiate a full-blown stock purchase agreement until he has confirmation that SKBZAN is likely to pass the owners' and directors' test and only then go to an SPA. Not saying it's rational or likely, but he's also not a play-it-by-the-book kind of guy. It would also explain a fairly significant time lapse until the deal gets done (if it gets done). The whole thing of it being public is also just weird. This is not the type of thing that usually comes out without some sort of joint or coordinated press releases with a clear message. It's just weird. Anyway, there's just not enough info to do anything but speculate, so . . .

 

Just stick to what you know what has happened otherwise you sound like what the journalists and twitter ITKs are doing by jumping to conclusions and speculating without knowing anything. Unless there is an official statement from the club or Ashley all we can do is assume everything is proceeding as the original statement indicated. We can all have opinions and gut feelings no harm in that, but nobody knows what is happening, so best to stick with what we know until we hear official notification.

 

It's a football forum designed for discussion and opinions ffs.

 

I agree but your putting it across like it's factual.

[Kanj]

at this point we're talking about a middle eastern businessman versus a loose cannon in MA. Couldn't be two different human beings on opposite ends of the table

[Guest godzilla]

at this point we're talking about a middle eastern businessman versus a loose cannon in MA. Couldn't be two different human beings on opposite ends of the table

 

You're right it could be 

[Minhosa]

The thing is, Ashley's a wild card. f***ing bought a club without due diligence. I wouldn't put it past him to sign a letter of intent with a potential buyer but say he's not going to pay the lawyers to read and negotiate a full-blown stock purchase agreement until he has confirmation that SKBZAN is likely to pass the owners' and directors' test and only then go to an SPA. Not saying it's rational or likely, but he's also not a play-it-by-the-book kind of guy. It would also explain a fairly significant time lapse until the deal gets done (if it gets done). The whole thing of it being public is also just weird. This is not the type of thing that usually comes out without some sort of joint or coordinated press releases with a clear message. It's just weird. Anyway, there's just not enough info to do anything but speculate, so . . .

 

Just stick to what you know what has happened otherwise you sound like what the journalists and twitter ITKs are doing by jumping to conclusions and speculating without knowing anything. Unless there is an official statement from the club or Ashley all we can do is assume everything is proceeding as the original statement indicated. We can all have opinions and gut feelings no harm in that, but nobody knows what is happening, so best to stick with what we know until we hear official notification.

 

It's a football forum designed for discussion and opinions ffs.

 

I agree but your putting it across like it's factual.

 

Hint - If someone starts a post with 'imagine' that's fairly unlikely to be someone trying to pass something off as a fact.........

 

Not sure why you think you can dictate what people discuss in this thread tbqh.

 

If you don't want discussion, views and opinions, don't go on a forum.

[Guest godzilla]

The thing is, Ashley's a wild card. f***ing bought a club without due diligence. I wouldn't put it past him to sign a letter of intent with a potential buyer but say he's not going to pay the lawyers to read and negotiate a full-blown stock purchase agreement until he has confirmation that SKBZAN is likely to pass the owners' and directors' test and only then go to an SPA. Not saying it's rational or likely, but he's also not a play-it-by-the-book kind of guy. It would also explain a fairly significant time lapse until the deal gets done (if it gets done). The whole thing of it being public is also just weird. This is not the type of thing that usually comes out without some sort of joint or coordinated press releases with a clear message. It's just weird. Anyway, there's just not enough info to do anything but speculate, so . . .

 

Just stick to what you know what has happened otherwise you sound like what the journalists and twitter ITKs are doing by jumping to conclusions and speculating without knowing anything. Unless there is an official statement from the club or Ashley all we can do is assume everything is proceeding as the original statement indicated. We can all have opinions and gut feelings no harm in that, but nobody knows what is happening, so best to stick with what we know until we hear official notification.

 

It's a football forum designed for discussion and opinions ffs.

 

I agree but your putting it across like it's factual.

 

Hint - If someone starts a post with 'imagine' that's fairly unlikely to be someone trying to pass something off as a fact.........

 

Not sure why you think you can dictate what people discuss in this thread tbqh.

 

If you don't want discussion, views and opinions, don't go on a forum.

 

ok 

[Minhosa]

at this point we're talking about a middle eastern businessman versus a loose cannon in MA. Couldn't be two different human beings on opposite ends of the table

 

With one thing in common. Wealth. And when the fat lad bought the club, he didn't leak it first  .

[Kasper]

 

Until I hear an official notification sorry I'll stick to what you I know. All I know is that Ashley hasn't said a dickey bird (and in my opinion only as I don't know) judging by past outbursts he would have if he was pissed off. You can quote logic all you want, but at the end of the day you don't know for sure. Respect your opinion though.

 

Lets just stick to facts eh?

[Guest godzilla]

 

Until I hear an official notification sorry I'll stick to what you I know. All I know is that Ashley hasn't said a dickey bird (and in my opinion only as I don't know) judging by past outbursts he would have if he was p*ssed off. You can quote logic all you want, but at the end of the day you don't know for sure. Respect your opinion though.

 

Lets just stick to facts eh?

 

Read what I put before it  ;D

[Charlies]

This place will be insane if fuck all happens tomorrow, which is highly likely.

[Kasper]

 

Until I hear an official notification sorry I'll stick to what you I know. All I know is that Ashley hasn't said a dickey bird (and in my opinion only as I don't know) judging by past outbursts he would have if he was p*ssed off. You can quote logic all you want, but at the end of the day you don't know for sure. Respect your opinion though.

 

Lets just stick to facts eh?

 

Read what I put before it  ;D

 

"ill stick to what i know thanks" and then make your own judgements about the situation just like everyone else

 

Seems a strange way to go about for someone pestering everyone about their opinions.

[Bimpy474]

This place will be insane if fuck all happens tomorrow, which is highly likely.

 

Worry balls on standby sir.

[Guest godzilla]

 

Until I hear an official notification sorry I'll stick to what you I know. All I know is that Ashley hasn't said a dickey bird (and in my opinion only as I don't know) judging by past outbursts he would have if he was p*ssed off. You can quote logic all you want, but at the end of the day you don't know for sure. Respect your opinion though.

 

Lets just stick to facts eh?

 

Read what I put before it  ;D

 

"ill stick to what i know thanks" and then make your own judgements about the situation just like everyone else

 

Seems a strange way to go about for someone pestering everyone about their opinions.

 

Not pestering anyone you balloon, quite sure Minhosa can stick up for himself as he has done

[Ikon]

:lol:

 

 

[number9shirt]

I'd love for this to happen but after reading everything possible about the takeover I just don't know. We've been burned so often during the last 12 years over everything including signings, takeovers, managers, advertising & SJP the level of trust is non existent.

[Collage]

:lol:

 

 

 

What does that say then? Can’t be arsed to Google translate.

[Ikon]

Whatever this is I have to say that it's quite the circus.

[Haz]

ill think it will happen but, how did we get into such a state that something's going to happen tomorrow. We are punishing ourselves cos we dare to dream.

[ToonArmy1892]

I don't think anyone really believes anything is happening tomorrow, it was just a bit of a laugh, to me anyhoo.

[morla84]

Not sure if I'm going crazy, but none of the pictures seem to have anything to do with what the tweets say? Theres no sign of rafa or nufc in that one?

[geordie john]

 

Has anyone else noticed how delightfully silent Gallowgate End has been recently? Thank the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BeloEmre]

Been very quiet from the local journos today.

[marki]

if it is happening and will take some time,a month or so ,it is going to have an impact on rafas preperations if he decides to stay on board,surely all parties will be well aware of this and is probably the biggest part of any discussions

[morla84]

They've all been too busy testing the floodlights at sjp

[nufcjmc]

Been very quiet from the local journos today.

 

They have the fall out good or bad articles written for days, where do we go from here, what now etc etc gotta fill column inches somehow with 2 pr 3 snippets of info