Fans buy out?

[Mr Irascible]

So there appears a bit of a backlash going about spending and now a bid is supposedly going on for Newcastle from a fans consortium...so what's the appetite here at Reading?

Sir John was looking at £100m or thereabouts, I suspect the price has dropped...so let's say we have a core fan base of 20,000...if every one stumps up £5,000 then we make it...can't see that happening...who's next with the bright ideas?

Could we say that within the Reading area there are 100,000 people who could be persuaded to part with some money...on average £1,000? Not sure there are that many with that spare cash at the moment!

What about varying levels of debt or equity? A flotation? Bonds? Sunscriptions?

Could we smoke out a serious bidder or someone to lead a consortium...a second Roger Smee?

Can we throw this around a bit and see what ideas there are...even if JM remains as Life President or whatever? There are some very good business brains connected in the fan base...but we need to get something tangible together...Come on, wallets on the table! Not just yet....but certainly get some serious ideas out in this forum!

Thoughts?

[Deathy]

We have a 15,000 stronghold. No chance. We'd actually ruin this football club, and there would never be money for transfers. Silly idea.

[Thaumagurist*]

Absolutely ridiculous.

And shouldn't this be in Club Policies?

[Mr Irascible]

I really don't mind where it goes or what you think...I was throwing in an alternative that really proves that Sir John is our only current option and how he spends his money is his perogative...unless someone buys him out...so why not stop moaning about the lack of spending and just get on with life. STFU.

[eleventh earl of mar]

It would be fun to see all the 'experts' on here then try to do some transfer dealings. When they are hidden behind a keyboard they seem to think that every player they want should want to play for Reading. God help the football club if they had to do it for real!

[Thaumagurist*]

so why not stop moaning about the lack of spending and just get on with life. STFU.

Absolutely, I agree with you. Unfortunately, this has already been discussed to the death.

[Mr Irascible]

I just think we should have some debate about the alternative to JM...there are few billionaires around...look at Portsmouth, Newcastle, Birmingham all seeking sugar daddies, when John goes as he will one way or another what will be the legacy?

[Rax]

Also don't forget that the likes of Jay et al, will consult the bible that is Soccer Manager and if Julian Alsopp has scored 29 goals in 10 games will promptly sign him up!

Heaven help us!

[Shevchenko]

I heard that our spending money, or rather a lack thereof, was supposed to be because the banks had claimed back all loan money. That being true, the club may well be on the way to being worth serious money. As long as we don't go spending an absolute fortune and borrowing money for wages.

Though I must add, if Hammond and Madejski are sticking to their not-spending-what-we-don't-have, then the fact that we could be about to have spent £3.8 million on players, things are looking good for the security of our club.

[Deathy]

Also don't forget that the likes of Jay et al, will consult the bible that is Soccer Manager and if Julian Alsopp has scored 29 goals in 10 games will promptly sign him up!

Heaven help us!

You involved me in that twatish post why?

I heard that our spending money, or rather a lack thereof, was supposed to be because the banks had claimed back all loan money. That being true, the club may well be on the way to being worth serious money. As long as we don't go spending an absolute fortune and borrowing money for wages.

I didn't think we owed any banks money, only Madejski, and they are interest free loans?

[Ozymandias]

Also don't forget that the likes of Jay et al, will consult the bible that is Soccer Manager and if Julian Alsopp has scored 29 goals in 10 games will promptly sign him up!

Heaven help us!

You involved me in that twatish post why?


Obvious I would have thought.

Football isn't like Championship Manager.

[starbug]

its a fanciful but interesting idea. The point is though we want someone to put money into the club, not simply buy it and have no additional money so you're probably looking at wanting 150m+ with the option of more.

I'd gladly put in 5k but as we're such a 'family' club which includes lots of young fans you'll be lucky to raise 1m let alone 100m, and for that reason I'm out

[Matt de K]

Well this has certainly made me LOL this morning. What a LOLable idea!!! This forum is bad enough with people saying "I've paid xxx amount for my season ticket I demand that we buy someone" let alone "I've put £5000 into this club........."


Gesh, can you imagine????

[Royal Lady]

I've put a darned sight more than £5k into this club over the years - putting in £5k as part of a fan buy out would see my money also recoup diddly squat - so, unless I win or inherit over £200 million in the near future - I'm also out.

[Dirk Gently]

Do people really want a "sugar daddy" from outside, who has no connection with the club or the area, to come along and throw free money at the club while taking nothing back (a la Man City or Abramovich?)

If so, how do you guarantee that in a year (or two, or ten) he doesn't go bust, get indicted abroad, or lose interest? What happens to the club then?

Put another way, at what point does accepting free money and building up debt become acceptable (because even at Chelsea Abramovich's money is debt, not donation)?

[Stranded]

So the fans buy the club out at whatever level you state. What do we do then?

Where does the money come from to change the way the club is run? Where would we finance transfers, pay wages, keep the stadium in good nick as we'd obviously have to assume that JM has taken all his loans back...

[brendywendy]

'greed

to be honest i want madejski to stay

but i fear the boos at the stadium last year may have put an end to that

[Dirk Gently]

So the fans buy the club out at whatever level you state. What do we do then?

Where does the money come from to change the way the club is run? Where would we finance transfers, pay wages, keep the stadium in good nick as we'd obviously have to assume that JM has taken all his loans back...

You then have to run the club in a sustainable way, as Supporters' Trusts (the most frqently used legal mechanism for supporter ownership) are bound to do.

As JM is getting massive criticism for trying to run the club in a sustainable way I wonder what the practical difference would be.

The answer is to ensure that ALL clubs are run in a sustainable way - easier said than done though, but whilst some clubs are running up massive debts those who can't/won't are at a competitive disdavantage. That's what needs to change, not the idea of "to compete with them we need to run up massive debt too!"

[79Royal]

'greed

to be honest i want madejski to stay

but i fear the boos at the stadium last year may have put an end to that

Unless he can find a fairly wealthy investor who is willing to pump in some extra funds for players and wages in return for a place on the board.

[strap]

Hope this helps to focus some minds ....

Still want to buy it?