Take Over

[WestStandUpper]

Just now, jules_darby said:

But that won’t happen if Bassini buys it in the mean time will it

and If they are “serious” business types, I doubt that any feelings towards KA are taken into account at all. Why care about lining his pockets

Business isn’t about being right, it’s about winning 

Its about winning, but not at the detriment of your business and values - paying too much and over what you think its worth.

They have no desire or care for BWFC, they aren't like us, so if they lose because someone values it more than them, they will just move on.

[Traf]

10 minutes ago, nantwichwhite said:

But Howard is a snow plough, he is clearing the way

for Gary Gritter?

[bolton va va]

38 minutes ago, birch-chorley said:

What we do know sounds better on paper for Howard’s men...

Bahrain Royal family, current successful sports ownership of McLaren, worth billions 

Basini, previous failed sports ownership of Watford, made bankrupt for £40k 

I’m not saying we know a lot, but what we do seems straightforward to me 

Maybe so......but what we do know has mostly come from the PR person for one side, whilst others involved seem to have largely respected confidentiality.

[birch-chorley]

14 minutes ago, jules_darby said:

Fair enough. But folk were flocking to back “Howard’s boys” way before a lot of that tangible stuff was known

I’m going to remain on the fence until more is known

Likely you will only ever know more about 1 of the bidders, the most important one of course 

[Big E]

17 minutes ago, jules_darby said:

Fair enough. But folk were flocking to back “Howard’s boys” way before a lot of that tangible stuff was known

I’m going to remain on the fence until more is known

For the lazy amongst us what proof has he provided other than the odd comment. 

Is there real proof.

this is an open question and not directed to Jules

[Tombwfc]

28 minutes ago, Sluffy said:

Thanks for the reply but I've no idea what you mean?

The point I was making was that Doidge has hardly set Forest Green on fire with his goals since his return even though he's the focal point for their team and he's been playing the full 90 minutes in all of their matches.

As I say I wish him well, hope he does turn out to be a good one.

 

You said Parky was right not to rate him at Championship level... presumably he did rate him at Championship level as he signed him for a team in the Championship.

Anyway, Doidge remains tied on goals for us this season with the striker who's started most of our games since.

[nantwichwhite]

6 minutes ago, Big E said:

For the lazy amongst us what proof has he provided other than the odd comment. 

Is there real proof.

this is an open question and not directed to Jules

Access to some very interesting documents. FWIW I think Howard is who he says he is. Time will tell if they will be owners of our football club, but with only four working days left his representatives have a real chance to take over.

Apologies the people who he repesents

Edited April 3, 2019 by nantwichwhite
error

[Boothy]

5 minutes ago, Big E said:

For the lazy amongst us what proof has he provided other than the odd comment. 

Is there real proof.

this is an open question and not directed to Jules

A redacted agreement with a date and file name. A proof of funds document with a passport number. (Not so sure either have been verified to be real)

 

[Sluffy]

5 minutes ago, Tombwfc said:

 

You said Parky was right not to rate him at Championship level... presumably he did rate him at Championship level as he signed him for a team in the Championship.

Anyway, Doidge remains tied on goals for us this season with the striker who's started most of our games since.

I've often wondered if Parkinson actually did sign the players or was simply the 'coach' who worked with the players someone else (LA/KA?) signed.

There certainly seemed lots of strange signings over the last three years imo - several of them who never seemed to get anywhere near the first team.

No doubt it will all come out in the wash in due course.

 

[gonzo]

2 hours ago, WestStandUpper said:

I wouldn't consider myself a stay away idiot - a season ticket holder since 2000.

I personally would not consent nor sanction another penny being spent if Ken remains at the club in any capacity (which is what Big E is referring to in his message because of tweets he has just replied to) - and i'd be seriously considering the same move if Bassini came in too.

I don't want my club to continue in the same vain as the last year or so under the same or similar regime with a severely corrupt owner, so wouldn't give that owner a penny.

That's not making an excuse for not going because the 'football is crap and we aren't spending money' because I have been during them times, I just have morals and principles and buying into a corrupt owner isn't on that list unfortunately.

I'd still love my club regardless, but my support wouldn't be from the terraces as it has been for the past 19 years.

Did you run on the pitch after forest last season?

[darrener]

10 minutes ago, Big E said:

For the lazy amongst us what proof has he provided other than the odd comment. 

Is there real proof.

this is an open question and not directed to Jules

I get the impression that Howard's brief was to give out a bit of information on the deal and the potential owner getting the fans on side in the meantime. I think he / she has done a good job in doing that. There is only so much we can be privvy to, hopefully if they do get the club they will have its best interests at heart. Personally I can't see past bassini atm and I get the impression Howard might feel the same? 

[ProfessorWoland]

47 minutes ago, WestStandUpper said:

@Howardroark

Apologies if you have been asked this before but, what is the rationale and idea behind your consortium allowing you to interact and divulge information to us, and reveal important documents?

is it to merely inform us that you are in play and the deal regarding the share recall that without you, no one would have ever known?

Just curious that’s all.

You weren't the only one wondering this. 

43 minutes ago, Howardroark said:

I’m a snow plough

Pretty cryptic. 

Here's what I considered.

Assuming Howard is genuine and honest, within the limitations of his role in PR:

The PR/Comms team/agency/person working for the consortium decide to open a back channel communication to a fans site.

They do this once it becomes clear that this will be a difficult acquisition to pull off more akin to a hostile takeover than a typical transfer of ownership. They decide to go via Moonshift to put pressure on KA and so cannot conduct any PR activity in the usual fashion. A positive reception by fans would be desirable. The back channel allows them to build some credibility and a groundswell of support for a bid which by its nature is unannounced until such time as there is a greater chance of success.

The channel allows them to present a favourable impression of their bid, to alert the fans to details around the negotiations which they may otherwise be unaware of and to disseminate information which is helpful to be in the public domain without exposing the principals involved. They could even use the channel to pressure or signal to other parties who can be assumed to be reading, for instance the potential for them to walk away and forgoe the share recovery if Bassini's sweetener was increased from the £2m suggested, or to put questions around the source of Bassini's finances into the public domain without anyone getting their hands dirty directly.  

The anonymity of the account allows for deniability with little chance of negative repercussions should the acquisition fail.   

They pick a fan site rather than social media channel such as Twitter which is far higher profile and where  the account would quickly generate too much attention from the wider world. They count on fans on the site to then distribute their message onwards.

If the deal succeeds they've successfully laid the foundations for a positive response to the new ownership, with supporters taking the side of the new ownership in any questions which then arise around motivations/Bahrain human rights issues etc. If the deal fails, no direct exposure so no negative story to deal with, close the account and move on.

Of course this is the internet and  therefore should the first premise be false of course then Howard could be on a very well executed wind-up, executed with considerable elan, bordering on the pathological. He could  be Ken Anderson for all we know. Laughing away as he embroiders his tale. Hopefully not however, as I've enjoyed reading his posts and found them very informative where insolvency law etc is concerned.  

 

 

 

 

 

[onlyoneawalker]

6 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Did you run on the pitch after forest last season?

Struggling with this myself - you make a fair point but at what point does enough become enough ....... never it’s just passion not fashion end of?

[Duck Egg]

Rather than Howards company spending a fortune on some machiavellian PR campaign, wouldn't they have been better served by employing someone in the post room to send an envelope to the right place?

For all Howard's tips and innuendo it's still Nixon in front with his prediction of Bassini 

Edited April 3, 2019 by Duck Egg
Podgy fingers

[jules_darby]

37 minutes ago, WestStandUpper said:

Its about winning, but not at the detriment of your business and values - paying too much and over what you think its worth.

They have no desire or care for BWFC, they aren't like us, so if they lose because someone values it more than them, they will just move on.

Your first paragraph - Ahh but that’s my point exactly; maybe I’m not getting it across well enough

If they aren’t daft enough to pay over the odds for it, they won’t be daft enough to “invest” what the fans want - and that’s enough that they won’t likely get back. 

Otherwise it’s pretty much like KA - “invest” only what you want back (albeit seemingly relatively immediately with him)

So is that is the case, it doesn’t suggest that “Howard’s boys”, as sensible businessfolk, are the types that we’d get excited about, as it won’t translate to (for example) a Wolves type scenario 

 

[WestStandUpper]

12 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Did you run on the pitch after forest last season?

No. I don’t like pitch invasions, and I was on holiday. 

Whats your point?

[gonzo]

3 minutes ago, onlyoneawalker said:

Struggling with this myself - you make a fair point but at what point does enough become enough ....... never it’s just passion not fashion end of?

Aye my point is that nobody gave a shit about ken being bent as a 9 bob note when we were all singing sweet Caroline on the pitch after forest.

The only reason folk have stopped turning up is because it’s utter shite to watch and the players are being told they are spastics on a weekly basis by the manager.

None of us are happy, but saying your kicking it in because of some bent owner is complete horeshit.

 

[radcliffe white]

1 minute ago, gonzo said:

Aye my point is that nobody gave a shit about ken being bent as a 9 bob note when we were all singing sweet Caroline on the pitch after forest.

The only reason folk have stopped turning up is because it’s utter shite to watch and the players are being told they are spastics on a weekly basis by the manager.

None of us are happy, but saying your kicking it in because of some bent owner is complete horeshit.

 

Bang on 

some soft arses about 

[WestStandUpper]

1 minute ago, gonzo said:

Aye my point is that nobody gave a shit about ken being bent as a 9 bob note when we were all singing sweet Caroline on the pitch after forest.

The only reason folk have stopped turning up is because it’s utter shite to watch and the players are being told they are spastics on a weekly basis by the manager.

None of us are happy, but saying your kicking it in because of some bent owner is complete horeshit.

 

It’s not horseshit at all.

We were relegated by this stage of the season under Lennon, played league one football and I was there.

I am beyond frustrated with the football and the manager this year, and it has been absolutely dogshit to watch but I am still there, I’ve been begging for the manager to be sacked since October but I’m still there.

shit football isn’t enough to sever my financial ties with the club, and not renew or spend, but a corrupt owner is.. enough is enough with KA. 

 

[Big Johnny]

4 minutes ago, Duck Egg said:

Rather than Howards company spending a fortune on some machiavellian PR campaign, wouldn't they have been better served by employing someone in the post room to send an envelope to the right place?

For all Howard's tips and innuendo it's still Nixon in front with his prediction of Bassini 

Howard has given us more optimism than Nixon that will do for me

[embankment]

Well 24 hrs on. Its still as clear as a pint of dark mild.

Ken still in charge.

Ken still owes alot of money.

Howard is still putting out plenty of bait.

BWFC are still going to play behind closed doors on Saturday.

Will check back in tomorrow.

[stevieb]

7 minutes ago, WestStandUpper said:

No. I don’t like pitch invasions, and I was on holiday. 

Whats your point?

Well you are supporting the right team because we've had 2 in 20 odd years (both under ken's tenure). 

 

[SilentBob]

4 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Aye my point is that nobody gave a shit about ken being bent as a 9 bob note when we were all singing sweet Caroline on the pitch after forest.

The only reason folk have stopped turning up is because it’s utter shite to watch and the players are being told they are spastics on a weekly basis by the manager.

None of us are happy, but saying your kicking it in because of some bent owner is complete horeshit.

 

I don't think anyone would care who owns us as long as we aren't making headlines every 2 week for unpaid bills, staff, players etc. Think we all understand that not every owner is going to spend millions on players to take us back up, but any sort of progression or at least fight would be welcome. I think more are pissed off at Ken because he's clearly seen that Parky needed sacking by November and left him to ruin our season when we still had a chance of staying up.

Think his notes today even confirm that, saying how shit we were before Christmas, yet he decided it's not worth paying Parky his bonus and a bit of money to fuck him off and keep us up. He's had this shit planned for months otherwise he wouldn't risk losing the £6m+ from going down. 

[Eddie]

2 minutes ago, WestStandUpper said:

It’s not horseshit at all.

We were relegated by this stage of the season under Lennon, played league one football and I was there.

I am beyond frustrated with the football and the manager this year, and it has been absolutely dogshit to watch but I am still there, I’ve been begging for the manager to be sacked since October but I’m still there.

shit football isn’t enough to sever my financial ties with the club, and not renew or spend, but a corrupt owner is.. enough is enough with KA. 

 

Just with KA, because you seemed to insinuate that you wouldn’t be there next year if it’s Bassini either?

Just out of curiosity, if we are top of the league after 10 games next season, we’re playing football like Brazil and we’ve got Nobby Nolan leading the charge... BUT, we’ve got Bassini in charge. Would you still be holding out and not watching us because we’ve got a guy with a dodgy background in charge?

[Big Johnny]

We should start Trotters Revival all over again I used to enjoy a midweek drink when we had meetings