Leeds United
Leeds takeover - all gone quiet? No chance!
By Andy Baggott
June 18 2012
So it’s STILL all quiet on the takeover front at Leeds United. As the fans scour message boards, facebook and Twitter, desperate for an update, not one word has leaked. In the world of all the social media we have now, it’s almost a miracle that nothing has come out. Don’t get me wrong, every man and his dog claims to be in the know. Everyone has a mate with a story, a link to someone involved or friends in high places.
. How many times have we heard ‘something’s happening tomorrow’ or ‘this week’s the week’ – all complete rubbish. We’ve been told by those that know that it’s a full takeover, a stadium renaming, an investment, Bates is leaving, Bates is staying, Bates is ill, next minute Warnock’s quitting – a Kuwaiti is buying us – no he’s buying Forest and taking Warnock with him.. it goes on..
My take? The longer it goes on (whatever ‘it’ is), the better – not for my nerves of course, but it means that things are ongoing. Talks are progressing – about what is anyone’s guess. When it comes to takeover/investment Bates has always been clear – show me the money…the fact that we are 3 or 4 weeks down the line would indicate that indeed the money has been shown – whoever is in talks is a serious player, not a fly by night bloke desperate to have his 5 minutes of fame (Sebastian Sainsbury anybody?). The next point will be valuation. Whilst an exact figure might not be agreed, both sides must be on the same page – otherwise the deal would be dead. If buyer/investor offers a million and Bates wants £200 million, the gap is too large, and they walk away.. After a month of talks, they must have a ballpark figure…
So what next? The finer details..Unfortunately I’m a customer service manager, not a high powered solicitor, so my knowledge won’t be too hot – due diligence (have you got what you say you’ve got) is something that will have to happen – players contracts looked at, the ownership of Elland Road and Thorpe Arch as well. With Leeds employing hundreds of staff, this is a massive piece of work.
With all this (potentially) going on, I’m still amazed that nothings come out – talk about cards close to the chest!! See – it’s got to be a good thing – surely after all the work (and money) that must have been spent so far, they wouldn’t just walk away…would they?
So that’s my take – I know nothing, but wait with baited breath (send me an email if you’re in the know though!!!) – until something official comes out, it’s back to the message boards and twitter – my dad’s brothers friend works at a pub, and this bloke, who wouldn’t lie said…..
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18/06/2012 17:16
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We do support Leeds you know... nothing is ever simple!!
Marching on...
