Club up for sale

[Little Shrimp]

Thought someone should get the ball rolling

http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/sport/morec ... -1-7781323

[Gone_Shrimping]

Does this suggest that the new investor plus the other 3 or 4 investors that are on the sidelines according to PMG are actually going to buy the club rather than just invest ?

[Seasider9601]

Or, does it mean they have decided NOT to invest at all and PMG has decided enough is enough and subsequently put the club up for sale??

I certainly hope it is what you suggested, Gone_Shrimping and its a complete takeover.

Fingers crossed.

[Gone_Shrimping]

I think it suggests that the new investors want control and not just be investing with no executive powers.

In the last week or so just about all the secured debt has been cleared off the books , the only remaining charges are for directors and ex directors loans and Barclays Bank.

That always made it seem like they were clearing the decks for a sale to me.

[KenH]

Probably the right thing to do. The club needs an owner who can put money into it. It's never going to be profitable enough to be able to afford the calibre of players needed to remain in the league. However busy the W&L may be and whatever rent they'll get from offices etc will never breach the current losses averaging £500k per year. The money from the sale of Christie Park which could have given the club a bright future has been spent, the surplus land on Westgate has been sold, there's nothing left to sell, so without new investment, it's all downhill from now on. Investment is needed to stop the current stagnation.

[mrpotatohead]

The club is up for sale and, as yet, has no buyer(s) or investors(s), so the ''open'' fans forum, that left people thinking nice thoughts, was a pointless sham.

[Seasider9601]

The club is up for sale and, as yet, has no buyer(s) or investors(s), so the ''open'' fans forum, that left people thinking nice thoughts, was a pointless sham.

I would imagine that the Chairman and Mr Dixon would have known at the time of the Fans Forum that it was imminently going up for sale??

[Westgate Wanderer]

Sorry to see PMG go after all he has delivered for the football club! I i magine this is the start of the sale process with the mentioned investors sniffing around. Be interesting to see how the new owners will view the current management

[Seasider9601]

Be interesting to see how the new owners will view the current management

With the respect they deserve hopefully.

[Kendalshrimp]

How much will they be looking to sell the club for tho ? This is going to be the major stumbling block in all this now. I said a few weeks ago that we had Asians interested that everyone on here was saying was lies, don't be surprised now if our next owners are from India or China ! Sad thing is now if it's not sold before the summer it's highly unlikely that the board are guna put any money in next season to the squad and could be very worrying going into next season !

[Seasider9601]

don't be surprised now if our next owners are from India or China

I'm hoping for Messrs Hodgson and Taylor, personally.

[Seasider9601]

It's made the headlines on the BBC Football site too:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35753716

[BerlinWaller]

The statement/advert makes the club sound like a pretty solid business and a good oppurtunity. The question about the value of the club is a good one. Did PMG get all his loans repaid after the sale of Christie? Is there anyone local with the kind of money needed to buy and invest in the club?

[marky No.1]

Interesting times ahead...
first it's not for sale, but everything has its price
Then we will be financially self sufficient in 3 years (now).
Meanwhile directors are coming and going like trains at a tube station.
Then the big announcement of Shanghai.
Then we have been propping ourselves up by selling off land all around us.
Then a plan of facilities behind the goal that never materialised.
Then investment is on the horizon.
Then a week later, having been using an agent and no sign of a mystery investor it is up for sale.
The key is the price tag...
If and when it does go to an outside investor, then hold on to your hats, total clearout from top to bottom, our Club will never be the same again.
IMO of course

[Seasider9601]

If and when it does go to an outside investor, then hold on to your hats, total clearout from top to bottom, our Club will never be the same again.

And that, Mark, is a big worry.

I wonder if the PMG to Altrincham snippets of info which have been banded about hold any water?

[Christies Child]

don't be surprised now if our next owners are from India or China

I'm hoping for Messrs Hodgson and Taylor, personally.

That for me would be ideal as both have proven to have the best interests of our club at heart. Graham Hodgson has considerable financial resources whilst Rod Taylor, no shortage of financial clout himself, is the face of the club and is extremely popular with fans and we'll respected amongst the wider football community.

Finally a very big thank you to Pmcg he deserves out total respect for all that he has done for our club.

Not been mentioned on here but the confirmation that 50% of the new proposed office development along the Berlin Wall has already been pre sold. Also news of a hotel complex being a strong possibility,

[asda shrimp]

office space 50% pre let.,50-60 room hotel next to the ground ?!!!

[Seasider9601]

50-60 room hotel next to the ground ?!!!

That's been talked about since we moved to the new stadium.

The Premier Inn on the old Frontierland site wasn't on the cards back then though.

[Gone_Shrimping]

It certainly looks like being an exciting period for the club and here's hoping it is a step in the right direction.

Everyone should thank PMG for what he has done for this club. Some of us remember playing in front of 300 against Matlock and Goole ! He has taken us to a new level. Thanks Peter.

[Seasider9601]

Everyone should thank PMG for what he has done for this club. Some of us remember playing in front of 300 against Matlock and Goole ! He has taken us to a new level. Thanks Peter.

Agree entirely. First match I went to there was a crowd of just over 300 on Christie Park in 1986.

I also recall a crowd of just 180 v South Liverpool around Easter 1988. The sun was blazing hot, and we were still in the running for the NPL Championship.

We have come a long, long way. With grateful thanks to PMG.

[black morse]

Is this a cause to be excited or very concerned I still can't see anyone putting big money up front either for buying or putting money in after the purchase. You've only got to look at some clubs owners (and past owners) to be worried......or is it just me?

We've been very lucky with PMG and owe him a lot of gratitude.

[P/T Indie]

How are we suddenly debt free?

Has PMG just paid it all off to make it a more attractive prospect? Does he expect to get his money back by been able to charge a higher value for the club if we are debt free or has he just cut his losses and written the debts off.

[mrpotatohead]

something else to consider, a consortium of existing shareholders may be poised to buy some of PMG's shareholding, plus a local or non local new investor buying the rest, peter may even retain a shareholding, making a deal very feasable, purely speculation.

[RedRedWine]

something else to consider, a consortium of existing shareholders may be poised to buy some of PMG's shareholding, plus a local or non local new investor buying the rest, peter may even retain a shareholding, making a deal very feasable, purely speculation.

Unlikely I'd say, given the article says that the sale will include the 'profitable leisure business' (aka all-weather pitches) which is owned by PMG - not the club.

[Gone_Shrimping]

How are we suddenly debt free?

Has PMG just paid it all off to make it a more attractive prospect? Does he expect to get his money back by been able to charge a higher value for the club if we are debt free or has he just cut his losses and written the debts off.

Any potential buyer will do "due diligence" on the club so it makes sense to clear as many of the secured charges as it can which is what happened a couple of weeks ago.