Club Sale | It’s done!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Plant0x84 said:
I get all that, and you are correct of course but for me that raises two points.
Firstly a football club shouldn’t be ‘just another business’. It shouldn’t be subject to the kinds of business rules that allowed a hugely leveraged hostile takeover of our club, forcing fans to give up shares that they had held for generations.
Secondly, I would have thought it would be in any buyers interests to engage with the fan base from the very start and foster a relationship which should make life much easier for them than our current, largely absent owners have endured. Nothing to do with the technical or legal aspects of the process, but just a human response to a football club being an emotional attachment for fans. They might not be financial shareholders of a club, but for sure fans are stakeholders and have a interest in the sale and running of the club.
Click to expand...

Barca says it best, that they are “more than a club”, but ultimately United and all other clubs are for-profit businesses.

Clubs mean more to us than other brands we identify with and unlike other businesses we actually root for this business to succeed…but clubs are nonetheless for-profit businesses. Unless clubs become governmentally regulated or the EPL sets specific rules about how one (and who) can acquire a club, the owners of the business are free to sell (or not sell) to whomever they want and at whatever price they want until the business can no longer operate financially. Just like any other business.

We, as loyal fans, all (notwithstanding where you fall on wumminator’s insane hierarchy of fandom from earlier in this thread) deserve better owners than the Glazers and hopefully we’ll get that. I agree that whomever the new owner is, they should make it clear that the club is under new ownership and of the purported leading bidders have made the right noises about how they will be better owners, but talk is cheap. Unfortunately if there is one lesson the Glazer regime has proven to any subsequent owner it’s that we love the club so much that we will support the club regardless of how we’re treated.
 
Just for a bit of fun, does anyone think that a) Raine have contacted each of the prospective buyers/ investors since last week' s deadline yet? and b) does anyone think that Raine have held any serious conversations and even may know who to put through the "exclusivity " stage?
 
Yorke to Cole said:
Just for a bit of fun, does anyone think that a) Raine have contacted each of the prospective buyers/ investors since last week' s deadline yet? and b) does anyone think that Raine have held any serious conversations and even may know who to put through the "exclusivity " stage?
Click to expand...

Yes I think so, we will find out when they want us to but the wheels are in motion behind the scenes.
 
seegoblu said:
In a confidential bidding process (governed by an enforceable non-disclosure agreement), why do you think any "transparency" is owed to fans?

No bidding process is designed to get fans (or consumers in a different type of business) comfortable with the bona fides of the bidders. Only Raine, on behalf of the purported sellers, are supposed to be comfortable with the source of funding at this stage.

Eventually, that comfort will need to be shared by the EPL as they conduct their fitness tests.

Nowhere in the post-bidding process do the fans get a vote or are our concerns about ownership considered, with one exception. Those fans who hold publicly listed shares will get to vote on whether they want the winning bidder to own the club; but only if/when a squeeze out merger/tender offer is proposed by the winning bidder who wants to own 100% of the club.

We, the fans, have made it a guessing game because we love the club and have our own views on who "should" own United. But our idle speculation is irrelevant in the process and to expect otherwise is unrealistic.
Click to expand...

Indeed they don't have to disclose anything to us even after they have bought the club, as the Glazers have proven time and time again. And yes we also have absolutely no say in what the Glazers choose to do.

However while we're all on a message board discussing all things Manchester United lets go ahead and discuss the merits of each of the groups that want to buy the club and scrutinize their bids as best we can. While there is no obligation from anyone to provide the fans information on the make up of any of the bids it does not mean that we should be happily oblivious.

Just because they don't have to be transparent about the make up of the bids, whether it be debt or unknown investors, doesn't mean we shouldn't want to know and also be highly suspicious of what they may be hiding.
 
Last edited:
MF1138 said:
Indeed they don't have to disclose anything to us even after they have bought the club, as the Glazers have proven time and time again. And yes we also have absolutely no say in what the Glazers choose to do.

However while we're all on a message board discussing all things Manchester United lets go ahead and discuss the merits of each of the groups that want to buy the club and scrutinize their bids as best we can. While there is no obligation from anyone to provide the fans information on the make up of any of the bids it does not mean that we should be happily oblivious.

Just because they don't have to be transparent about the make up of the bids, whether it be debt or unknown investors, doesn't mean we shouldn't want to know and also be highly suspicious of what they may be hiding.
Click to expand...
Agreed.
 
MF1138 said:
Indeed they don't have to disclose anything to us even after they have bought the club, as the Glazers have proven time and time again. And yes we also have absolutely no say in what the Glazers choose to do.

However while we're all on a message board discussing all things Manchester United lets go ahead and discuss the merits of each of the groups that want to buy the club and scrutinize their bids as best we can. While there is no obligation from anyone to provide the fans information on the make up of any of the bids it does not mean that we should be happily oblivious.

Just because they don't have to be transparent about the make up of the bids, whether it be debt or unknown investors, doesn't mean we shouldn't want to know and also be highly suspicious of what they may be hiding.
Click to expand...

What sort of information would you want the bidders to tell you at this stage?
 
MF1138 said:
Who they actually are would be nice. :lol:

I'd also like SJR to make a definitive statement on debt.
Click to expand...

Didn't he touch on that already?

If you had 8-10 billion quid to burn, would you be telling the world that you ahve put a bid in and what your offer is all about? Or do you want Raine to release all that information to the public?
 
sglowrider said:
Didn't he touch on that already?

If you had 8-10 billion quid to burn, would you be telling the world that you ahve put a bid in and what your offer is all about? Or do you want Raine to release all that information to the public?
Click to expand...

So we should just ignore it then?

We're back to my point that just because they don't have to tell us doesn't mean that we shouldn't be interested and also suspicious.
 
MF1138 said:
So we should just ignore it then?

We're back to my point that just because they don't have to tell us doesn't mean that we shouldn't be interested and also suspicious.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can be interested. But at the end of the day, all we have are conjectures and at best circumstantial talking points. If you know that, why get suspicious?

We should get a lot more information when Raine announces the preferred bidder. I get the PR leaks will be more detailed then. But if I was the preferred bidder, I would be quite measured on what I want to get out unless I am sure I can win.

Personally, the only thing I am really interested in, is their respective business models.
 
sglowrider said:
Yes, you can be interested. But at the end of the day, all we have are conjectures and at best circumstantial talking points. If you know that, why get suspicious?

We should get a lot more information when Raine announces the preferred bidder. I get the PR leaks will be more detailed then. But if I was the preferred bidder, I would be quite measured on what I want to get out unless I am sure I can win.

Personally, the only thing I am really interested in, is their respective business models.
Click to expand...

Exactly. People agree that bidders have the right to be private, and then they get suspicious when bidders choose to be private. :lol:
 
Yorke to Cole said:
Just for a bit of fun, does anyone think that a) Raine have contacted each of the prospective buyers/ investors since last week' s deadline yet? and b) does anyone think that Raine have held any serious conversations and even may know who to put through the "exclusivity " stage?
Click to expand...
Ohhh. I love these ones.

A) yes.
B) No
 
Micky Targaryen said:
Exactly. People agree that bidders have the right to be private, and then they get suspicious when bidders choose to be private. :lol:
Click to expand...

They should be very economical with information until they are assured of confidentof the win. Why give away you selling points unless you are infected a bout of zilliacus.
 
This thread is so wild that if anyone posted a false update as an April Fool's joke, no one would get it.
 
Marcus said:
This thread is so wild that if anyone posted a false update as an April Fool's joke, no one would get it.
Click to expand...

MANCHESTER UNITED FANS URGED TO SUPPORT QATARI BID BY VOLUNTEERING TO BUILD NEW OLD TRAFFORD HOTEL.

Over the last few hours a new spectacular aspect of potential Qatari ownership of world famous Manchester United has come to light, as the country urges online Manchester United fans to help construct a new mega hotel.

As part of Sheik Jassim’s bid for the Manchester based club, he has promised to revolutionise hospitality in the Qatar region. The “New Trafford” hotel based in the city’s capital will boast a full eleven a side pitch and ample washing machines on site to help with any sports washing that is required.

There is just one problem. As of now, there is no one to build the stadium! And that is where a new idea was formed.

“We have misplaced thousands of migrant workers over the last few years”, said a man remarkably resembling the Qatari Prime Minster but we are assured has nothing to do with Qatar. “Unfortunately, we think the migrants working here on the World Cup will not return. So we are asking Manchester United fans who stick up for us online to help! We promise state of the art benefits - such as the ability to get paid.We are also promising to return the bodies of anyone who unfortunately dies, which shows how much progress we are making.”

It is thought there will be thousands of volunteers as fans clearly understand that any anti-migrant articles are just the Western media being Islamophobic. Unfortunately, many prominent backers of the takeover were unavailable for comment when asked if they’d like to move to Qatar as a migrant worker.

More on this story as it develops.
 
Wumminator said:
MANCHESTER UNITED FANS URGED TO SUPPORT QATARI BID BY VOLUNTEERING TO BUILD NEW OLD TRAFFORD HOTEL.

Over the last few hours a new spectacular aspect of potential Qatari ownership of world famous Manchester United has come to light, as the country urges online Manchester United fans to help construct a new mega hotel.

As part of Sheik Jassim’s bid for the Manchester based club, he has promised to revolutionise hospitality in the Qatar region. The “New Trafford” hotel based in the city’s capital will boast a full eleven a side pitch and ample washing machines on site to help with any sports washing that is required.

There is just one problem. As of now, there is no one to build the stadium! And that is where a new idea was formed.

“We have misplaced thousands of migrant workers over the last few years”, said a man remarkably resembling the Qatari Prime Minster but we are assured has nothing to do with Qatar. “Unfortunately, we think the migrants working here on the World Cup will not return. So we are asking Manchester United fans who stick up for us online to help! We promise state of the art benefits - such as the ability to get paid.We are also promising to return the bodies of anyone who unfortunately dies, which shows how much progress we are making.”

It is thought there will be thousands of volunteers as fans clearly understand that any anti-migrant articles are just the Western media being Islamophobic. Unfortunately, many prominent backers of the takeover were unavailable for comment when asked if they’d like to move to Qatar as a migrant worker.

More on this story as it develops.
Click to expand...

I guess that's certain admin/mods interpretation of discussing in good faith
 
Wumminator said:
MANCHESTER UNITED FANS URGED TO SUPPORT QATARI BID BY VOLUNTEERING TO BUILD NEW OLD TRAFFORD HOTEL.

Over the last few hours a new spectacular aspect of potential Qatari ownership of world famous Manchester United has come to light, as the country urges online Manchester United fans to help construct a new mega hotel.

As part of Sheik Jassim’s bid for the Manchester based club, he has promised to revolutionise hospitality in the Qatar region. The “New Trafford” hotel based in the city’s capital will boast a full eleven a side pitch and ample washing machines on site to help with any sports washing that is required.

There is just one problem. As of now, there is no one to build the stadium! And that is where a new idea was formed.

“We have misplaced thousands of migrant workers over the last few years”, said a man remarkably resembling the Qatari Prime Minster but we are assured has nothing to do with Qatar. “Unfortunately, we think the migrants working here on the World Cup will not return. So we are asking Manchester United fans who stick up for us online to help! We promise state of the art benefits - such as the ability to get paid.We are also promising to return the bodies of anyone who unfortunately dies, which shows how much progress we are making.”

It is thought there will be thousands of volunteers as fans clearly understand that any anti-migrant articles are just the Western media being Islamophobic. Unfortunately, many prominent backers of the takeover were unavailable for comment when asked if they’d like to move to Qatar as a migrant worker.

More on this story as it develops.
Click to expand...
I thought you retired from the thread, you made more comebacks from retirement than Michael Jordan.
 
I don’t think it’s new owners we need. Maybe if we put a steak through David Moyes heart it will lift his curse he put on our club.

Joking just in case he’s reading this forum :lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.