The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Ian.]

Does Chairman in waiting not mean a chairman in position until the intended is given the green light?

If not why would the Mail state that when we know Dr Xia will be the chairman eventually?

[KevinGage]

Now I'm prepared to be shot down in flames, but what would an investor gain from asset stripping the club. I doubt we have liquidatable assets of the value needed to make that a viable option. These guys may be ruthless businessmen with questionable financing, but they aren't stupid.

The only financially viable investment I can see is by getting the team back in the premier league and then maybe to look at selling the club on at a more appropriate valuation, rather than the self imposed fire sale price that Randy settled for.

Why does it have to be anything to do with asset stripping?

There are lots of other ways to cripple a club through greed.

I was saying that I don't accept the asset stripping theory (in response to I think Nick's post earlier, I should have made that clearer).

I do agree that there are many other ways to ruin a football club, but struggle to see what they would gain from doing so.

Ah, see what you mean.

For me it's not the fact that these iffy characters are involved that bothers me in terms of what they could do to the club, it's why Dr Xia needs them if he's so rich?

That's the kicker for me.

[dave.woodhall]

There's a difference between rich and Premier League (again) club owner rich. That's why he needs outside finance.

[Meanwood Villa]

Reading those articles it looks like Samuelson has a track record of getting involved in takeovers with charlatans who aren't what they seem and, ultimately, don't have the cash promised. To what end I don't know but given other doubts over Xia's business empire/finances that were raised very early on it's fair to think we might be the next victims and to be concerned. Now I am genuinely thinking we should try and extricate ourselves from this deal if we can and go with one of the other bidders there supposedly were.

[steamer]

still in the wait and see camp
you invest some money that is not yours
raise cash through loans against assets, pocket the cash and fuck off.
That was the Portsmouth story (I think)
This Samuelson should not be allowed anywhere near our club

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Now I'm prepared to be shot down in flames, but what would an investor gain from asset stripping the club. I doubt we have liquidatable assets of the value needed to make that a viable option. These guys may be ruthless businessmen with questionable financing, but they aren't stupid.

The only financially viable investment I can see is by getting the team back in the premier league and then maybe to look at selling the club on at a more appropriate valuation, rather than the self imposed fire sale price that Randy settled for.

Why does it have to be anything to do with asset stripping?

There are lots of other ways to cripple a club through greed.

I was saying that I don't accept the asset stripping theory (in response to I think Nick's post earlier, I should have made that clearer).

I do agree that there are many other ways to ruin a football club, but struggle to see what they would gain from doing so.

Ah, see what you mean.

For me it's not the fact that these iffy characters are involved that bothers me in terms of what they could do to the club, it's why Dr Xia needs them if he's so rich?

seconded

[django]

I'm not sure what you're basiing that speculation on, that he's had to borrow heavily. Indications from the good sources in this matter, such as Pat Murphy and the journo from the Mail whose spoken to him suggest nothing untoward.

I'm basing my concerns on the fact that if Tony Xia was loaded he could just wire Randy all of the money. Not have to free it up from other companies/take out loans/look down the back of the sofa or whatever he's doing at the moment. If he wasn't relying on borrowing money to fund the purchase, why does he need fixers who seem to specialise in organising just that kind of deal.

For all his subsequent fuck ups Lerner didn't need these kind of shady people involved when he bought from Doug Ellis.

Just because the deal itself might go through doesn't meant that having these kind of people involved with our club is something to celebrate. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[ChicagoLion]

We don't know if he has any future involvement in Villa though.

Other than the Mail reference to him as 'Deputy Chairman in-waiting'.

And him being a director of Recon Sports Ltd, the company set up to hold Villa.

exactly

[Malandro]

I'm not sure what you're basiing that speculation on, that he's had to borrow heavily. Indications from the good sources in this matter, such as Pat Murphy and the journo from the Mail whose spoken to him suggest nothing untoward.

I'm basing my concerns on the fact that if Tony Xia was loaded he could just wire Randy all of the money. Not have to free it up from other companies/take out loans/look down the back of the sofa or whatever he's doing at the moment. If he wasn't relying on borrowing money to fund the purchase, why does he need fixers who seem to specialise in organising just that kind of deal.

For all his subsequent fuck ups Lerner didn't need these kind of shady people involved when he bought from Doug Ellis.

Just because the deal itself might go through doesn't meant that having these kind of people involved with our club is something to celebrate. Hopefully I'm wrong.

The chap has said the full amount is in a UK bank already - unless you think he's lying, what's the point in worrying? As for looking down the sofa/scraping money - he's said he just sold one of his businesses for £400 million!

I'm concerned about the men he's relying on but I'm not losing sleep about it.

[Mister E]

Why hasn't Xia done the same due diligence that can clearly be done on a few Google searches?
I wonder whether it the dubious company he keeps that led King and Bernstein to bale out when they did?

[PaulWinch again]

I just hope whatever is going to happen happens quick and this Samuelson doesn't have any real involvement. Although him being a director on companies house at this early stage really doesn't necessarily mean anything. If he's part of facilitating the deal and setting up the limited company is part of that then he'll leave as soon as it's finalised.

[aj2k77]

Reading those articles it looks like Samuelson has a track record of getting involved in takeovers with charlatans who aren't what they seem and, ultimately, don't have the cash promised. To what end I don't know but given other doubts over Xia's business empire/finances that were raised very early on it's fair to think we might be the next victims and to be concerned. Now I am genuinely thinking we should try and extricate ourselves from this deal if we can and go with one of the other bidders there supposedly were.

We aren't going to extricate ourselves from the deal. The people who know the most about who's involved and what's supposedly involved are Lerner and Hollis and they've already made the decision that we are selling to these guys.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

lets be honest lerner isnt going to give a flying fuck who he sells to and hollis is going to do what lerner tells him

im sure tony is a nice bloke but bugger me for such a successful businessman couldnt he have picked better advisors?

[mike]

I wonder whether it the dubious company he keeps that led King and Bernstein to bale out when they did?

Beat me to it.

[old man villa fan]

I wonder whether it the dubious company he keeps that led King and Bernstein to bale out when they did?

Beat me to it.

Or Lerner led them down the garden path about wanting to carry on with the club.  The first sight of a potential buyer and Lerner flip-flopped.  People have to ask themselves why they came on board in the first place before jumping to conclusions about why they departed.