Belgravia end interest in Newcastle United

[indigo 0]

With all this takeover talk out of the way now though, perhaps we'll actually spend a little bit money before the end of the month.

 

 

Where's it going to come from though?

 

Financially we're in the shit, we needed this takeover to bail us out of the position our haphazard spending policies have gotten us into.

[Ketsbaia 0]

We really need this rumour about Shearer and a local group of investors to come true now.

[Invicta_Toon 0]

Basically, Belgravia never intended to make a serious bid.

 

Looks like Macbeth was right about there being some goings on last week however.

 

aye there just messing around for a laugh, of course they made an offer

Edited January 19, 2007 by Invicta_Toon

[Invicta_Toon 0]

We really need this rumour about Shearer and a local group of investors to come true now.

 

like all the other football rumours?

[Guest alex]

We really need this rumour about Shearer and a local group of investors to come true now.

 

like all the other football rumours?

No, like some football rumours.

[Fop 1]

With all this takeover talk out of the way now though, perhaps we'll actually spend a little bit money before the end of the month.

 

Feckless Hall's winter holiday to finance first. Get your priorities right.

[Invicta_Toon 0]

We really need this rumour about Shearer and a local group of investors to come true now.

 

like all the other football rumours?

No, like some football rumours.

 

such as

[Matt 0]

Our next set of financial results should make interesting reading. It should now be fairly obvious that we don't have a pot to piss in, not that we'd ever come out and state such a fact. I can't see there being a huge amount in the summer either.

[billytray 0]

Hope this George Gillet comes back in now.If rich overseas people are buying clubs with smaller fan base than us,and therefore less potential with stadium quailty,ie Villa ,West Ham and Pompey,it can't be long before somebody with potfulls of wedge buys us.The sooner the better though.

[Invicta_Toon 0]

Hope this George Gillet comes back in now.If rich overseas people are buying clubs with smaller fan base than us,and therefore less potential with stadium quailty,ie Villa ,West Ham and Pompey,it can't be long before somebody with potfulls of wedge buys us.The sooner the better though.

 

or perhaps it really means fan capacity means fuck all wrt the roi potential of a club

[Matt 0]

Fanbase is certainly less important now that this new TV deal is kicking in- it's all about results on the pitch and viewing figures.

[billytray 0]

Hope this George Gillet comes back in now.If rich overseas people are buying clubs with smaller fan base than us,and therefore less potential with stadium quailty,ie Villa ,West Ham and Pompey,it can't be long before somebody with potfulls of wedge buys us.The sooner the better though.

 

or perhaps it really means fan capacity means fuck all wrt the roi potential of a club

 

I think the commercial aspect is probably the major selling point,i mean we all buy 2-3 Newcastle jerseys every season don't we?

[Invicta_Toon 0]

Hope this George Gillet comes back in now.If rich overseas people are buying clubs with smaller fan base than us,and therefore less potential with stadium quailty,ie Villa ,West Ham and Pompey,it can't be long before somebody with potfulls of wedge buys us.The sooner the better though.

 

or perhaps it really means fan capacity means fuck all wrt the roi potential of a club

 

I think the commercial aspect is probably the major selling point,i mean we all buy 2-3 Newcastle jerseys every season don't we?

 

what's a 'jersey'?

[billytray 0]

Hope this George Gillet comes back in now.If rich overseas people are buying clubs with smaller fan base than us,and therefore less potential with stadium quailty,ie Villa ,West Ham and Pompey,it can't be long before somebody with potfulls of wedge buys us.The sooner the better though.

 

or perhaps it really means fan capacity means fuck all wrt the roi potential of a club

 

I think the commercial aspect is probably the major selling point,i mean we all buy 2-3 Newcastle jerseys every season don't we?

 

what's a 'jersey'?

 

You know,what you tuck into your pantaloons.

[Baggio 0]

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/pr...icle2169203.ece

 

Belgravia Group pull out of Newcastle takeover bid

 

By Damian Spellman

 

Published: 20 January 2007

 

The Newcastle chairman, Freddy Shepherd, finally got his way yesterday when the Belgravia Group pulled out of their move to mount a takeover of the club.

 

Shepherd and the club's manager, Glenn Roeder, worked to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window after his challenge to potential buyers to "put up or shut up" saw the remaining contender end their pursuit.

 

The Jersey-based Belgravia's announcement to the Stock Exchange came weeks after the Polygon-backed St James' Park Group dropped out of the race following months of talks. The Magpies later revealed the development had come after they asked the takeover panel to step in to end the uncertainty.

 

Belgravia said they had the finances in place - understood to amount to around £150m - but could not reach agreement on a price.

 

Their statement read: "Belgravia has been unable to agree a price and transaction structure, which it feels would have been in the best interests of those involved, as well as being in the best interests of the football club and its supporters.

 

"Belgravia reserves the right to announce an offer or possible offer or make or participate in an offer or possible offer for Newcastle and/or take any other action in the event that an agreement or recommendation from the board of Newcastle is forthcoming, or there is an announcement by a third party of an offer for Newcastle or there is a material change in circumstances."

 

The news was greeted with little surprise on Tyneside where it has become apparent that the willingness of former chairman Sir John Hall and his son Douglas, who control in excess of 40 per cent of the shares, to sell was not matched by that of Shepherd.

 

Rumours that a takeover could be imminent - there were reports that the Polygon consortium had clinched a £227m deal - have proved unfounded, and Belgravia's withdrawal has brought an end to the formal takeover period.

 

Newcastle's share price fell yesterday morning and by lunchtime, was down 6.5p to 64p. That valued the club at a little more than £85m, almost £15m less than at the height of the speculation.

[Baggio 0]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/...=rss&feed=5

 

Shepherd claims victory as Belgravia pulls out of takeover discussions with Newcastle

 

 

Michael Walker

Saturday January 20, 2007

The Guardian

 

 

A difficult few days for Newcastle United, featuring allegations of racism and an FA Cup embarrassment, took a further twist yesterday when Belgravia, the company in discussions with the club regarding a takeover, withdrew from negotiations. Newcastle's intention to invoke the Put Up Or Shut Up legal clause prompted Belgravia's exit, while within St James' Park the development was seen as a victory for the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, over Belgravia and the club's other major shareholder, Sir John Hall.

 

 

The club's share price dropped around 10% on the news, leaving it with a paper value of approximately £85m. The figure discussed with Belgravia is believed to have varied between £130m and £150m.

Hall has been keen to sell his stake - whereas Shepherd has been willing to listen to offers - and Hall's response yesterday was: "I do not know what I will do now. I will need to have a think before I can make any further comment."

 

Belgravia has reserved the right, starting six months yesterday, to re-enter talks and also has a "whitewash" agreement. It means that should Hall decide to sell his shareholding to Shepherd, Belgravia would be allowed to intervene.

 

Newcastle remain hugely sceptical that Belgravia will revisit the club and in their statement yesterday questioned Belgravia's finances: "The board of Newcastle United wishes to make clear that at no time was any formal offer put to the board for it and its advisers to consider, nor was the company satisfied that Belgravia had secured the necessary funding for such an offer to be put forward."

 

Belgravia expressed surprise at that tone given that Newcastle admitted to several meetings and that Belgravia had completed due diligence. The scale of Newcastle's debt was cited as one explanation for the lack of agreement. Other issues will remain unknown until confidentiality clauses expire in six months.

 

Belgravia's statement said: "Despite lengthy and protracted negotiations, Belgravia has been unable to agree a price and transaction structure, which it feels would have been in the best interests of those involved, as well as being in the best interests of the football club and its supporters. Belgravia reserves the right to announce an offer or possible offer or make or participate in an offer or possible offer for Newcastle."

 

There was no hand-wringing on Tyneside. Belgravia has made no effort to court the public and, with no personality leading the bid attempt, Newcastle fans have been wary. Shepherd remains in day-to-day control of the club, but Sir John Hall is not the only one who will be asking where Newcastle go from here.

 

More immediately, supporters will wonder if there will be January investment in players. Glenn Roeder stressed yesterday: "It's important we also look to move in terms of the two loans that we have available." That may not mollify fans but the manager added: "It's proving difficult to get clubs to agree to sell their best players. As I've said for the last two weeks, if I make signings or a signing, I want it to be a significant one. But make no mistake about it, before the window closes, there will be new faces in here."

 

Newcastle will have their captain, Scott Parker, and Stephen Carr back for the visit of West Ham today, a game that must be won to lift the gloom that arrived on Wednesday night with the 5-1 home defeat by Birmingham City in the FA Cup.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Baggio

[shakermaker 0]

with an extra £20 mill in the coffers from next season the banks etc will be more than obliging to let us borrow more and we certainly need stregthening,but who to get ???upson for £7mill??? davies for £10mill??? bridge doesn't seem like he'll move,summer at earliest if he's forced out.

 

do we really want to be ripped off for players only marginally better than what we already have ?

[Rob W 0]

with an extra £20 mill in the coffers from next season the banks etc will be more than obliging to let us borrow more and we certainly need stregthening,but who to get ???upson for £7mill??? davies for £10mill??? bridge doesn't seem like he'll move,summer at earliest if he's forced out.

 

do we really want to be ripped off for players only marginally better than what we already have ?

 

 

are you seriously comparing our current back 4 with Upson?????????

 

Agred he's not Woodgate in his prime but he's as good as Cambell for example

 

Our back 4 is an appaling set of kids - not their fault but they are being asked to achieve the impossible week in, week out

[Jimbo 133]

Shepherd wants Hall future clarity

 

 

The Belgravia Group's decision to pull out of their move to take control of the Magpies on Friday came just weeks after the Polygon-backed St James' Park Group had done the same and, for now at least, ended months of speculation.

 

Now Shepherd has urged Hall, who has been in talks over his family's 41.6% stake in the club with the potential suitors, to make his intentions clear.

 

He said: "Sir John Hall has to decide what his role in the club is. The future of this club is in his hands. He has to decide whether he wants to stick or sell.

 

"For the sake of the club, the shareholders and supporters, Sir John must decide quickly what he is going to do and make his position public.

 

"He is perfectly entitled to sell his shares to whomever he wants. But if he wants to sell them, he needs to say so and if, he does not, good, let's all march on together.

 

"The uncertainty is making it hard for me to run the club. Sir John identified two potential buyers and it has not worked.

 

"How many more potential buyers has the club to cope with?"

 

It was the Hall family's investment in the club which saw Newcastle rise through the 1990s back to the upper reaches of the Premiership and establish themselves on the European stage.

 

However, Sir John stood down as chairman in December 1997 when Shepherd assumed control.

 

He has steered the club through troubled waters in recent times, dispensing with managers Sir Bobby Robson and Graeme Souness, and has found himself a target for the critics during a troubled season.

 

But he steadfastly resisted the Polygon and Belgravia approaches and insists the speculation has proved damaging to the club and his efforts to take them forward.

 

Shepherd said: "The offer period has been damaging and difficult for everyone at the club.

 

"Everyone at the club from me as chairman down to the manager Glenn Roeder, the coaches, the players and our administrative staff, have been left wondering whether they would have jobs when it was all over.

 

"If he lives to be 100, is Sir John going to keep trying to sell these shares? Are we going to have this uncertainty forever?

 

"All I am asking of him is a clear decision. I want him to be honest with me and the supporters.

 

"The club simply cannot go on dealing with proposed buyers knocking on the door who turn out to be time wasters.

 

"It is me who has to run the club on a day-to-day basis and this situation is not conducive to running a huge Premiership club.

 

"Our fans read that Belgravia were supposedly going to put £24million in for new players in January.

 

"That conjecture created problems by raising fans' expectations and causes clubs to raise their prices when we ask them about players."

 

Shepherd, who has a 28%-plus holding in the club, also revealed he might consider buying the Hall shares himself.

 

He said: "I have shown my commitment to Newcastle by buying shares in the club and I have never sold a share. I would consider buying the Hall shares at the correct price.

 

"I cannot prevent Sir John selling the shares he controls, but if the club I want it to be to the right people. As long as I am here, I am going to do my best for the club.

 

"But at the same time, I am not going to let any would-be buyer take the mickey out of this club or its supporters by raising false expectations."

[Baggio 0]

Would it be possible for the Halls to remove Shepherd as chairman?

[Invicta_Toon 0]

Would it be possible for the Halls to remove Shepherd as chairman?

 

of course

 

do they have the balls? No.

[Rob W 0]

Would it be possible for the Halls to remove Shepherd as chairman?

 

with only 41.6% they'd need some friends to do it

 

and I'm not sure Sitr John calls the shots there anymore - it'll be the loathsome Dougie who FFS has tied into the same high divi, hi-lifestyle spending group as himself