The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Jimbo]

Boardroom footage has emerged of our Tony in action. He's clearly an astute, hard-nosed businessman, who's no stranger to straight-talking and won't stand for any bullshit.

https://youtu.be/OeV7MRyyZl8

[JD]

Ask me again in a years time. Until then I'll wait to see what Tony does at the Villa. Benefit of doubt and all that.

Trouble is we could be in a complete hole by then. Time to get worried is now while the deal has to be ratified. Hopefully that will prompt the football authorities to do a bit more investigation before the deal is signed off.

well not really, in 12 months we could just as easily have walked the championship with over 100 points and be thinking of all the big name we'll be looking at to go with squad.  No one knows anything like enough to be making any significant judgements either way.  What protesting about him now over nothing would do is stop us from having the chance to find out.  How would it feel for him to then buy, for example, West Brom and make them the biggest club in the country?

 If the premier league or whoever decide he's legit then i can live with that. But personally taking Hollis' or Lerner's word when they just want rid of us however they do it seems daft.

It's the best info we have, an auditor who had high up roles in the middle east and far east operations of a global auditing company says he's a good guy with the money and backing to make us a big club again.  Conversely some people on the internet said he seems a bit a dodgy because they don't like his shoes and can't find him with a google search.

I don't know either way, none of us do, but whenever you research anything the key is determining which source is the most credible and from our point of view Hollis is it.  The FT article did add a little worry but when the core headline is provable as wrong the credibility of that drops so I'm back to thinking he's legit for the time being.

THat's about where I am.

I don't know anything about Chinese or Far Eastern business and how they structure things, at all, as I've never had any dealings out there personally, but on Dr T and the general takeover:

- He will HAVE to have demonstrated that he can afford to buy the club, before even getting past first base with Merrill Lynch (or the new lot) and entering discussions
- Assuming that the £75m day one, and £40m deferred payment for getting straight back up is about right, he will then have to have demonstrated clearly that he can afford that.
- And again, assuming that Hollis isn't lying and there's an element of having several buyers and picking the 'best one', he'll have been asked to prove how he was going to fund expansion and future growth.

Hollis is an experienced accountant, and won't have had his pants pulled town by a delusional time waster, so while I agree that there's been a few concerning comments, I'm prepapred to wait and see.  The alternative appears to be another year of being owned by Lerner, and I'm absolutely certain that would lead to an immediate demotion to League 1, so I'm prepared to give Xia a chance.

Good post Martin and exactly how I feel about it at the moment. Rather take the chance with Tony then endure another year of Lerner.

[aj2k77]

So in, what has it been? 4 or so days, things are becoming clearer, he's communicating and after being given the chance to offer proof is doing so.

I know we've all been conditioned now over 6 years to immediately expect the worst with Aston Villa but I honestly can't see what is wrong with this guy. I'll give him the chance to completely fuck up/con me but I'm calling him out as the real deal. Some of the plans sound a bit crazy to me, theme parks and top 3 in the world but at least we are aiming for something, if unrealistically, than just aiming to not cause anyone any trouble and drift along.

Let's see some appointments now, get the ball rolling in the transfer market and we can really start dreaming then. I'm excited.

[supertom]

So in, what has it been? 4 or so days, things are becoming clearer, he's communicating and after being given the chance to offer proof is doing so.

I know we've all been conditioned now over 6 years to immediately expect the worst with Aston Villa but I honestly can't see what is wrong with this guy. I'll give him the chance to completely fuck up/con me but I'm calling him out as the real deal. Some of the plans sound a bit crazy to me, theme parks and top 3 in the world but at least we are aiming for something, if unrealistically, than just aiming to not cause anyone any trouble and drift along.

Let's see some appointments now, get the ball rolling in the transfer market and we can really start dreaming then. I'm excited.

It certainly beats waiting 6 months to hear something from him, and then be sat scratching your head wondering what on McGrath's green Earth he's rambling on about.

[eddiemunster]

Not to put a dampener on things, but what happens if the Premier League or the Football League don't approve the takeover?

Soz, but I've just got back from Spain and didn't have access to a computer, so this question may have already been asked.

[supertom]

Not to put a dampener on things, but what happens if the Premier League or the Football League don't approve the takeover?

Soz, but I've just got back from Spain and didn't have access to a computer, so this question may have already been asked.

Then we bolt the doors and don't let Randy back in, or Eric Black. We'll bring in the nearest Hobo to Villa Park and put him in charge. We'd have more chance going back up than if Randy is still in charge.

[Proposition Joe]

The FL and PL only refuse owners for a certain small set of reasons, such as fraud or bankruptcy. No one has accused Tony Xia of criminal activities AFAIK.

BTW those worried about Samuelson - I presume his involvement was just as part of his company along with Banfill. I presume also that Tony used one or more of the following services:

CLUBS & TEAMS
Debt and equity financing and restructuring ♣ Sale and purchase of clubs, primarily football/soccer in Europe and the Americas ♣ Due diligence on clubs on behalf of buyers ♣ Stadium and academy naming rights, shirt & kit sponsorship ♣   Sourcing players with particular emphasis on Latin America, Africa and continental and Eastern Europe.

[aj2k77]

Not to put a dampener on things, but what happens if the Premier League or the Football League don't approve the takeover?

Soz, but I've just got back from Spain and didn't have access to a computer, so this question may have already been asked.

Then we've dodged a bullet because the only way they'd not approve the deal is if he were a crook.

[Villafirst]

Not shy is he. This must be his third or fourth interview in the last week.

More than Lerner has done in 10 years!

[Des Little]

Anyone who can make a theme park in Aston work is a genius that's all I know.

[Jimbo]

The comments about the football museum and theme park, coupled with Randy's talk about redevelopment, are interesting.

When the first direct flights from Birmingham to China were launched, Midlands Today had a feature about Chinese tourists in the city. They were particularly interested in the old buildings, saying that they have plenty of new ones just like ours in China.

History is important, and few clubs can match Villa in that respect. But the area around Villa Park boasts Aston Hall and the church. It may seem a bit silly to us, but there is great potential in this area, which the addition of a football museum and some kind of themed attraction would bolster.

Of course, Villa need lifting out of the doldrums first, but if that can happen the club has a unique history and story for fans in China to attach themselves to.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Anyone who can make a theme park in Aston work is a genius that's all I know.

It would be returning Villa Park to what it was originally

[Jimbo]

Anyone who can make a theme park in Aston work is a genius that's all I know.

I think we take it for granted, but when you walk up to Villa Park, with the church on the right, the Jacobean splendour of Aston Hall on the left, and The Holte pub straight ahead, there isn't another stadium in the world like it.

30 years ago, people would have thought the idea of tourism in Harlem or Brooklyn was crazy, but not now.

[Walmley_Villa]

Anyone who can make a theme park in Aston work is a genius that's all I know.

I think we take it for granted, but when you walk up to Villa Park, with the church on the right, the Jacobean splendour of Aston Hall on the left, and The Holte pub straight ahead, there isn't another stadium in the world like it.

30 years ago, people would have thought the idea of tourism in Harlem or Brooklyn was crazy, but not now.

I'm still waiting for the players to repaint the Witton Station railway bridge!

[oldhill_avfc]

oldhill, you've managed to form some very strong opinions on the basis of nothing but paranoia and missing info, accusing him of bribery now is getting beyond a farce and has no basis in fact or evidence.

I just say what I see.   Close links between urban developers and politicians reminds of Poulson. 

Id argue that you've formed strong opinions on what you haven't seen (hard facts).