Takeover rumours

[PeterWithe]

But if you bought a house at the top of the property boom and then spent a load of money on stone cladding it you might well find yourself looking at loss when getting rid.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I read somewhere that the £63m was for a stake and the actual deal was more like £100m is that correct? I can't understand why he wants so much? Surely it's better to get £100-£150m, get your money back then you don't have to put any more in. Who's got £200m? Then have to invest?

He has put in the initial 60 plus million, then propped the club to the tune of another 150 million plus since. Why would he not want that much. I may be coming across as terribly pro Lerner, I am not at all, I think he is right to sell if he has not got the money or will any more, but if you bought a house and then spent significant money on it, you would want that back in the sale. Even at that he might well make a heavy loss.

Isn't that business? You don't always get back what you put in

[onje_villa]

I very much like Randy Lerner and I don't think it is lost on most of us that he is a man of integrity, far removed from some of the other shambolic owners doing the rounds. He has been good for the club in many ways.

But that said, something needs to change, the ambition has to come back to this club. We have the fanbase, the city, the stadium, the facilities and the history. We have to get back to aiming far higher than at present.

[OzVilla]

I don't think Randy would sell us down the river either.

Just a hunch but he's not like Pornodwarf or Tumnus.

[HK Villan]

I very much like Randy Lerner and I don't think it is lost on most of us that he is a man of integrity, far removed from some of the other shambolic owners doing the rounds. He has been good for the club in many ways.

But that said, something needs to change, the ambition has to come back to this club. We have the fanbase, the city, the stadium, the facilities and the history. We have to get back to aiming far higher than at present.

This.... but I hope Lerner makes sure if he does sell it must be to genuine, sensible, professional owners, unlike so many other clubs.  He must do proper due diligence.

Much though I criticise Doug he did leave us in safe hands. 

[Mazrim]

I very much doubt we're spending anything like what our income is at present and the wage to turnover is probably quite low. One of the lowest. So there is money going somewhere, but I'm not throwing blame or accusations around and even if there is money going to Randy, it's nothing to what he's put in. He's entitled to take some back of course. But that all means we can't be competitive any more. So what's the point? Why merely tread water? Where's the fun for him now?

This is why I think a sale is coming soon. All the financial fat is being trimmed off. It's very risky as it means we're courting the disaster of relegation every season now. A new start can't come soon enough because 4 seasons of struggling is not worthy of this great club, which should be a powerhouse in this division.

It's not just about money. We need a team on and off the pitch that knows what it's doing. We need a long term plan, a philosophy, an identity. There is so much potential that is being squandered.

Randy isn't dumb, therefore I reckon he came to the conclusion he would move the club on a while ago. Now we just need the right package.

[richard moore]

I would be really worried if Randy sells us.

I dred the possibility of an owner like Cardiff, Hull or Blackburn.

I'm prepared to roll the dice because we'll soon end up like those three unless things change pretty damn urgently...

[Chris Harte]

I can see no other logical reason for the hugely risky cost cutting that we've seen over the last few years other than RL preparing the club for sale

How about because we were spending more than we were earning?

Are we spending more than we're earning though? The TV money has now become more ridiculous than the ridiculous levels we'd seen previously.

The club appears to be being run on a small budget. I'd go with the theory that Lerner wants to recoup his initial outlay if the new TV deal hadn't come along. Now that it has, surely he could sit back and just watch the money roll in?

Out of interest, does anyone know how many games Lerner has attended in the last twelve months?

[Ad@m]

I very much doubt we're spending anything like what our income is at present and the wage to turnover is probably quite low. One of the lowest.

What's this based on? Other than guesswork.

The last accounts published were the ones for the TSM season and they showed our wages at almost 90% of turnover. We also posted a massive operating loss (ie before player trading and amortisation). So at that stage we were still spending way more than our income and our wage to turnover ratio was massive and probably higher than a good chunk of the league.

What's happened since then to mean our 'wage to turnover is one of the lowest' and we're not spending anything like our income?

And for those pointing to the new TV deal, that money is distributed through the end of season prize money, so we've seen none of that yet. Asking 'where it has gone' is pretty nonsensical. 

[Chris Harte]

I very much doubt we're spending anything like what our income is at present and the wage to turnover is probably quite low. One of the lowest.

What's this based on? Other than guesswork.

The last accounts published were the ones for the TSM season and they showed our wages at almost 90% of turnover. 

And since then we've off-loaded or are loaning out high-earners such as Darren Bent, Stephen Ireland, Richard Dunne and Shay Given. There are probably others as well that I've forgotten about. There is no way on this planet that the accounts for the current period will show wages accounting for anywhere near 90% of turnover.

As for the point about TV money being distributed at the end of the season, the clubs all know its coming, and many are spending with that knowledge.

[Mazrim]

Exactly.

[dr.chekov]

Pat Murphy has been told the Sun's story is untrue.

[David_Nab]

Randy was recently divorced so I would imagine his now ex wife is entitled to a % of his assets so perhaps if he were to sell he would have to sell at a market rate or be accused of losing her money?

[Malandro]

with hindsight, Randy had made his decision before O'Neill first looked like leaving.

We really had the full hollywood bullshit from these guys. Champions league trophy...how gullible.

[johnny from donny]

Pat Murphy has been told the Sun's story is untrue.

Howard Hodgson, who has recently been told he is no longer welcome in the director's box for comments made about Randy' s  attendance ( or lack thereof), has stated that it IS true.
Believe what you will people, as is your right in a free and democratic country