The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Pat McMahon]

I'm sure Pat McMahon told me that all the United and Chelsea shirts he saw when he lived in Beijing were fakes. Pat?

I reckon 90% of the shirts I saw in China were fake. Then again, same for the designer handbags. And iphones.

Most of the designer stuff that isn't fake is still made in China

Very true john e. And I am pretty certain that a fair amount of the fake stuff is made in the factories producing the genuine article (staff sneaking out "defects" or doing an extra production run on a Sunday when nobody is looking). I was told this by various sources in China but obviously I have no proof.

[conman]

Name a single far eastern owner/s who have done well in English football

Delia Smith

[LeeB]

Name a single far eastern owner/s who have done well in English football

Delia Smith

It's a cracker.

[Monty]

As people have said above, it is the owners / consortium which counts, not their nationality. There are good , bad, corrupt, honest business people all over China,  same as here in Europe.

If we have investors like the Evergrande group (property development) that could be good. They took over Guangzhou's football team 5 ish years ago, appointed Marcelo Lippi, invested in the squad and went from also rans to three times league winners and became the first Chinese team to win the Asian Champs League. If we get another Carson Yeung - who is from HK not mainland China, quite a difference - then it may be a cause for concern.

The one general comment I would allow myself about a country of 1.3bn  and Chinese business specifically is that there is no sentiment. Money is all that matters. I wouldn't envisage investment in non-core areas such as the Holte pub or the McGregor statue for example. Also, if things were to go badly I would expect the taps to be completely switched off, well below the low levels Randy has spent since putting the club up for sale.

#fightlikepandas

Yeung is worse than just HK - he's HK AND Macau, where he made his obviously-100%-legit fortune in penny stocks and casinos. He's unusually bad.

[not3bad]

Is it worth having a quick look at TBAR?  They must be going into meltdown about now?  I guess they were first with the news?

[joe_c]

#fightlikepandas

#timsherwoodsterracottaarmy

[silhillvilla]

Chips and curry sauce with a pair of chopsticks could get messy

[Holte L2]

Does anyone know he will have appointed as lawyers?  I have a very good friend who will be able to give us some gossip if we can find out which company.

Randy uses Squire Patton Boggs

Cheers. Will post if my friend comes back with anything worth noting.

[Brend'Watkins]

Is it worth having a quick look at TBAR?  They must be going into meltdown about now?  I guess they were first with the news?

Pity those unfortunate upmarket restaurants in  Birmingham having to decipher phone calls from TBAR Chingrish..."I have table with with Fox and Rerner paty...please tell me time vely important meeting"

[Richard E]

Does anyone know he will have appointed as lawyers?  I have a very good friend who will be able to give us some gossip if we can find out which company.

Randy uses Squire Patton Boggs

Cheers. Will post if my friend comes back with anything worth noting.

If he needs representation before the SDT when the SRA haul him over the coals for breach of client confidentiality I'll be pleased to assist...

[mr underhill]

is Squire Patton Boggs real? thought it was a name out of Dickens or Trollope?

[cdward]

Does anyone know he will have appointed as lawyers?  I have a very good friend who will be able to give us some gossip if we can find out which company.

Randy uses Squire Patton Boggs

Really, i use Armitage Shanks bogs!

[conman]

Does anyone know he will have appointed as lawyers?  I have a very good friend who will be able to give us some gossip if we can find out which company.

Randy uses Squire Patton Boggs

Really, i use Armitage Shanks bogs!

always been a twyfords adamant bloke myself

[john e]

Does anyone know he will have appointed as lawyers?  I have a very good friend who will be able to give us some gossip if we can find out which company.

Randy uses Squire Patton Boggs

Really, i use Armitage Shanks bogs!

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy for me

[Axl Rose]

If the new owners are good for Villa, I don't care where they're from.

I myself have a bit of a soft spot for China, have taught a lot of really good business people who love their football and English culture(or whatever's left of it)