It's happening. 

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17405193.bolton-wanderers-close-to-takeover-from-uk-based-consortium/

Thank fuck

At least we might win a few more games and can turn up to games thinking we might actually have a go and a chance of winning - in a lower league.

Dare I say - a bit of excitement ??

Last few years we are always thinking going 1-0 down and thinking we might as well pack up and go home and turning up expecting two tenths of sod all !!

18 minutes ago, Sluffy said:

I know what I'm about to say next probably belongs in the world of fantasy but maybe they have already seen the books!

Would it be feasible that Team Basran was somehow a stalking horse all along and tied in with the mystery purchaser, because they've seen the books!

I've always thought it was odd that Basran courted Anderson for so long, and the involvement of James must have given them credibility in Ken's eyes as to really wanting a deal to be done with him.

Howard also belonging to operation to make public the reasoning as to why Basran/James had no choice other to deal with KA direct - even being dismissive of them for effect!

I almost posted this a few days back but thought people would think it too far fetched, most probably is.

Makes a good story though!

You wouldn't be the first to suggest I had run a deliberate campaign against the Basran bid.

2 minutes ago, marple whites said:

At least we might win a few more games and can turn up to games thinking we might actually have a go and a chance of winning - in a lower league.

Dare I say - a bit of excitement ??

Last few years we are always thinking going 1-0 down and thinking we might as well pack up and go home and turning up expecting two tenths of sod all !!

we got promoted 2 seasons ago.

Winning helps but getting a feel good factor back to the club would help, although Deano did that with the legends game and that never panned out well.

Just get bought about by the yanks with StuSA and Campo involved and pre season v Real Mallorca (away) and we are away.

 

Although https://valleyofthesuns.com/2018/12/05/robert-sarver-does-not-understand-that-the-phoenix-suns-are-not-his-alone/ maybe not....

7 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

I started in 92 and I can't remember the football being as shit. 

Winning footy is exciting footy. Big hoof up to centre forward, laid off to the midfield and goal. Might not be Barca tiki-taka but it's plenty satisfying 

Completely agree that winning footy is good footy. I wasn't complaining when we were lumping it to Davies towards the end of the Allardyce years. At the moment were just lumping it to the other team. 

I think if we get a refreshed (still alive at least) club with renewed optimism then we can expect another season of big followings everywhere especially if you have such a good mix of teams never played/not played for donkeys such as Wycombe, Plymouth, possibly Mansfield or Lincoln thrown in with the potential of Bury, Tranmere, Accrington, Blackpool, Fleetwood etc. 

In fact have a look at a potential dream 24 teams in league 1 next year based on who's there or thereabouts in L1, L2, in and around play offs to come up and it's mouthwatering.

Home attendances though, it's going to be difficult unless we're winning and even then what we can attract clearly isn't enough to help running costs. Them top tiers need turning into a Normid for a start.

And we need to still exist, first.

21 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

I started in 92 and I can't remember the football being as shit. 

Winning footy is exciting footy. Big hoof up to centre forward, laid off to the midfield and goal. Might not be Barca tiki-taka but it's plenty satisfying 

Totally agree.

For the record , compared to free flowing football there’s as much entrainment in a backs to wall solid unit that nicks a 1-0 every week and ruffles fuckers feathers for me.

We are lightyears from being anything like that. 

Ask a neutral to sit through one of our matches, they wouldn’t last 20 mins.

mysterious new foreign owner

 

unknown wealth- but deep pockets

 

questionable arms...

15 hours ago, MickyD said:

Swiss Tony is buying our club? 

Bolton Wanderers is like a beautiful woman 😁

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

10 minutes ago, Smiley said:

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

Does he feel good ?

10 minutes ago, Smiley said:

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

Dunno but whatever it is, I feel good

18 minutes ago, Smiley said:

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

Seen a tweet from him. "Bolton fans you can relax".

Crikey, that's that sorted then.

He has said the following after being mithered for more info and how he knows:

"Sometimes you are told things on promise of not telling others but the least I could do was pass on an element of good news if not the detail. Would you prefer me to just laugh at your misery like other fans?"

"I think you will be about to be in good hands"

"What do you want to know? I promised my mate I wouldn’t reveal what he had told me, he didn’t know I’d just joined @442. So there was a moment when it went quiet & I said “you have to let me publish this it’s amazing” and begged me not to for a reason I understood & agreed to"

Edited March 21, 20197 yr by jimmyjoojar

4 minutes ago, jimmyjoojar said:

He has said the following after being mithered for more info and how he knows:

"Sometimes you are told things on promise of not telling others but the least I could do was pass on an element of good news if not the detail. Would you prefer me to just laugh at your misery like other fans?"

"I think you will be about to be in good hands"

"What do you want to know? I promised my mate I wouldn’t reveal what he had told me, he didn’t know I’d just joined @442. So there was a moment when it went quiet & I said “you have to let me publish this it’s amazing” and begged me not to for a reason I understood & agreed to"

Well it sounds promising but it would have to be someone close to the deal.  I will take it with a pinch of salt.  

18 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Well it sounds promising but it would have to be someone close to the deal.  I will take it with a pinch of Turkish delight, plastic pellets or basket ball.  Delete as appropriate.

 

Hi all, first post here.

Been lurking for a while now. Howard, first of all, cheers for your input. It's been more interesting having an alternative source of info, to that of the media, social and local. I've been reading from when you first entered the thread and you started off with very barebones facts that were answering some questions that no one else had answers to. As the thread's gone on, you've gone more into your own opinion, which is fine; this is a forum after all.

I have one point I'd like to raise with you.

About Basran you said:

I told you there was noexclusivity on Friday, never has been, you can’t giveexclusivity when insolvent.

About the mystery bidder you said:

Nope, KA’s price and terms met, exclusivity agreed. 

 

Sounds like a direct contradiction...

Not trying to call you out or anything but that has been one bit of direct contradiction I've found. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The rest of the things you have said have been very convincing, at times depressing, at times comforting.

You said part of your reason for posting all this information was to comfort. May I ask, why do it on a forum when you could've comforted people with greater reach on something like facebook or twitter?

 

Also, as we stretch ever-further into opinion, you also said "No." when asked if you know who the mystery bidder is.

Yet, you seem very confident that they've proven they've got 30 million quid up front. Is that because the judge was happy to adjourn thus there must be some truth behind it?

I don't get why you're so certain that the mystery buyer turned up the day before the court hearing? Surely your history in M&A doesn't give you direct insight into the interested party's dealings and when they do them.

 

Forgive me if this is a silly question but who is John Galt? he said: "This new 'mystery' bidder is known to us, though we did not expect anything to come of it, he/they have very deep pockets."

You said to him "Don't ever leave me again" which makes me think you agree with him? Do you have some insight into the deal that you're not sharing?

And just to confirm, you think the deal will be concluded on the 2nd April, and if Ken doesn't, mystery buyer can buy ICI's shares from Moonshift and out Ken that way. But you expect a sale. (How do you know they've agreed this by the way?)

I shall also ask you a football related question for once. Assuming we are taken over by this mystery person who is going to pay off all our debt and put some money in to try and get us promoted....... What do you think we should do in terms of the manager and the squad? Start again? Keep some core members? Parky out? Let's have some proper opinions!

Anyway, apologies for the long first post, all. Just some questions I was having while lurking.

There are a lot of clubs with billionaire owners in the Championship! Wow! 

1 hour ago, Smiley said:

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

Is he the Leeds fan who uses to be on talksport?

4 hours ago, Howardroark said:

For the umpteenth time, BWFC made books available to a number of Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds, Family Offices & HNW's during their attempt to sell the club.

Moonshift were also able to have full insight in to the books at the point that the debt went in to default. 

 

Are you saying that Ken made available all relevant information to 'Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds, Family Offices & HNWs' to such an extent that none of them would much need to carry out due diligence to firm up on any proposal?

If that were the case, does it not suggest that KA was being exceedingly helpful to potentially interested parties and not quite the close-to-the-chest poker player keeping all cards to himself until the very last minute?

What it suggests more to me is that the mystery bidder, if genuinely willing to pay off all creditors, isn't quite as bothered about the detail as other interested parties who seemed worryingly reliant on ordinary  creditors taking a hit to make any offer worthwhile to them.

1 hour ago, Smiley said:

What does James Brown at 442 know? Seems very confident.

Is he the Leeds fan who used to be on talksport?

13 minutes ago, Mantra said:

Hi all, first post here.

Been lurking for a while now. Howard, first of all, cheers for your input. It's been more interesting having an alternative source of info, to that of the media, social and local. I've been reading from when you first entered the thread and you started off with very barebones facts that were answering some questions that no one else had answers to. As the thread's gone on, you've gone more into your own opinion, which is fine; this is a forum after all.

I have one point I'd like to raise with you.

About Basran you said:

I told you there was noexclusivity on Friday, never has been, you can’t giveexclusivity when insolvent.

About the mystery bidder you said:

Nope, KA’s price and terms met, exclusivity agreed. 

 

Sounds like a direct contradiction...

Not trying to call you out or anything but that has been one bit of direct contradiction I've found. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The rest of the things you have said have been very convincing, at times depressing, at times comforting.

You said part of your reason for posting all this information was to comfort. May I ask, why do it on a forum when you could've comforted people with greater reach on something like facebook or twitter?

 

Also, as we stretch ever-further into opinion, you also said "No." when asked if you know who the mystery bidder is.

Yet, you seem very confident that they've proven they've got 30 million quid up front. Is that because the judge was happy to adjourn thus there must be some truth behind it?

I don't get why you're so certain that the mystery buyer turned up the day before the court hearing? Surely your history in M&A doesn't give you direct insight into the interested party's dealings and when they do them.

 

Forgive me if this is a silly question but who is John Galt? he said: "This new 'mystery' bidder is known to us, though we did not expect anything to come of it, he/they have very deep pockets."

You said to him "Don't ever leave me again" which makes me think you agree with him? Do you have some insight into the deal that you're not sharing?

And just to confirm, you think the deal will be concluded on the 2nd April, and if Ken doesn't, mystery buyer can buy ICI's shares from Moonshift and out Ken that way. But you expect a sale. (How do you know they've agreed this by the way?)

I shall also ask you a football related question for once. Assuming we are taken over by this mystery person who is going to pay off all our debt and put some money in to try and get us promoted....... What do you think we should do in terms of the manager and the squad? Start again? Keep some core members? Parky out? Let's have some proper opinions!

Anyway, apologies for the long first post, all. Just some questions I was having while lurking.

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to come on here to question my assertions.

Exclusivity couldn’t be given by KA, it could however be given by Moonshift in respect of the sale of the debt. That now puts the buyer in a very strong position given that they could actually put the club in to administration if they so wished. 

£30M would be the amount that EFL would need to see to address the debt. It’s also fairly common knowledge that this was the entry point that the owner was looking for when he pitched the club across the City. 

I don’t consider social media to be the right platform given its broad coverage of interested parties. 

Timing wise, anybody of serious wealth/interest does not court publicity until the moment it is necessary, that was always going to be Tuesday. 

Yes I expect a sale as opposed to the taking of the shares, I don’t however think that means the buyer has any additional costs, and they would probably rather avoid a last minute purchase ‘on the steps’. 

John Galt is a character from a book called ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Ayn Rand. Howard Roark is a character from a book called ‘The Fountainhead’ also by Ayn Rand. 

The person behind the account came here to directly question my statements from 2 weeks ago. 

The comment regarding ‘don’t ever leave me again’ was an attempt at humour and related directly to the previous correspondence with him/her. 

In terms of the squad and manager I think the club requires youth, vigour and fresh ideas. I also believe in Sabremetrics so it’ll be acquisitions based on this.

6 minutes ago, Chris Custodiet said:

Are you saying that Ken made available all relevant information to 'Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds, Family Offices & HNWs' to such an extent that none of them would much need to carry out due diligence to firm up on any proposal?

If that were the case, does it not suggest that KA was being exceedingly helpful to potentially interested parties and not quite the close-to-the-chest poker player keeping all cards to himself until the very last minute?

What it suggests more to me is that the mystery bidder, if genuinely willing to pay off all creditors, isn't quite as bothered about the detail as other interested parties who seemed worryingly reliant on ordinary  creditors taking a hit to make any offer worthwhile to them.

Possible, but there exists some readily available due diligence within city circles.

3 hours ago, gonzo said:

Totally agree.

For the record , compared to free flowing football there’s as much entrainment in a backs to wall solid unit that nicks a 1-0 every week and ruffles fuckers feathers for me.

We are lightyears from being anything like that. 

Ask a neutral to sit through one of our matches, they wouldn’t last 20 mins.

I still love John Terry's injury time own goal to win it 2-1

A lot of voyeurs around these days 

perverts 

31 minutes ago, Howardroark said:

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to come on here to question my assertions.

Exclusivity couldn’t be given by KA, it could however be given by Moonshift in respect of the sale of the debt. That now puts the buyer in a very strong position given that they could actually put the club in to administration if they so wished. 

£30M would be the amount that EFL would need to see to address the debt. It’s also fairly common knowledge that this was the entry point that the owner was looking for when he pitched the club across the City. 

I don’t consider social media to be the right platform given its broad coverage of interested parties. 

Timing wise, anybody of serious wealth/interest does not court publicity until the moment it is necessary, that was always going to be Tuesday. 

Yes I expect a sale as opposed to the taking of the shares, I don’t however think that means the buyer has any additional costs, and they would probably rather avoid a last minute purchase ‘on the steps’. 

John Galt is a character from a book called ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Ayn Rand. Howard Roark is a character from a book called ‘The Fountainhead’ also by Ayn Rand. 

The person behind the account came here to directly question my statements from 2 weeks ago. 

The comment regarding ‘don’t ever leave me again’ was an attempt at humour and related directly to the previous correspondence with him/her. 

In terms of the squad and manager I think the club requires youth, vigour and fresh ideas. I also believe in Sabremetrics so it’ll be acquisitions based on this.

With apologies if I have missed something earlier in the day while at work, Howard ..... this reference to Sabremetrics is very interesting. Is it the first time you have used that word on here?You clearly think this translates from baseball to football. What makes you think the bidders will base their strategy on this?