There are increasing reports within sections of the media that Belarus born billionaire Oleg Deripaska is interested in buying West Bromwich Albion FC, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
His reported wealth of £28 billion is even a match for Roman Abramovich and rumours are suggesting he is looking to buy an English Premiership club.
Deripaska is a London-based Russian business man who has built his fortune within the Industrial business sector. Jeremy Peace has always insisted he would not stand in the way of any serious takeover if it meant the club moving forward, indeed the restructuring of the share plan at the club was seen by many fans as a stepping stone towards making a buyout easier.
This rumour made me nearly fall of my chair and if true the club could be moving in a new direction, but let’s take a look at the likelihood of it happening and whether fans would welcome it.
Firstly, if he has that kind of wealth the fact is he could buy which ever club takes his fancy, and being London based he has quite a few clubs to choose from that would be closer to home. However, under Jeremy Peace the club have been run on a sound financial footing and represent something that is rare in today’s world of football, a club with no debt. We are also a Premiership club and again one of few clubs who do not have a financial benefactor bank rolling success; he may also recognise the potential and rich history of a club currently on an upward spiral.
Yes it all sounds very exciting and quickly we all start thinking of Chelsea and their success since Abramovich started opening his cheque book, but what will fans feel about a foreign investor owning our club.
Many will simply see this as the next step to establishing ourselves in the top tier of English football and an opportunity to seriously move the club on in leaps and bounds. The idea of having millions to spend and witnessing world stars coming to the Hawthorns to ply their trade does excite me and may be our only realistic opportunity of finishing in the top half of the Premiership. Other fans may see this as a total sell out of the clubs proud history and many fans have relished the fact that we are not owned by foreign business men who can come and go once the glamour of owning a club has waned.
Personally, although this rumour has got me all hot under the collar I cannot see it happening, firstly, we are not perceived as a glamour club by any stretch of the imagination, we are not based in London, and there are many other clubs that would probably hold greater appeal to someone wanting to play fantasy football with an open cheque book.
It maybe every football fans secret desire, but this rumour may just be to good to be true, only time will tell.
Oh and if you are all quickly checking what date it is, no it is not April 1st.
112 Comments
i think it would be good for west brom as peace wouldnt have that much money to give us for a serious contention to stay in prem and the trouble is though we would be paying over the odds transfers for players who just want to be greedy and not want to put there heart in playing for west brom
You’ve been conned mate. Its a wind-up by some dingles who have taken over Vital!!!
I seriously hope this is not true. It would be good to have an unlimited cheque book and buy in countless players, but where is the soul gone? I like the struggle, the unexpected win! JP has done a great job i think, as has Mr Mowbray. Why change that? We are what we are, a medium club with big ambition! Leave well enough alone please Mr Ruskie…….
if he gets the chance, Jeremy should bite his hand off.
what’s the difference between Randy Lerner and this guy….oh yes, Oleg is considerably better off than you Randy
BOing BOing
Its absolute and utter garbage, I can’t believe our gullible fans fall for it every time!
This has come from ONE article in the media, notably vitalfootball, not exactly the font of all footballing knowledge I’m sure you’ll agree.
Unless I see it on the E&D, Birmingham Mail or Official site, I’m not getting my hopes up.
It’s a wind up. There’s a nitwit on the Vital Football site who’s been posting spurious stuff and this is an example. Apparently, someone’s had a word with the idiot and the item has now been removed.
Unless, this really is true and something official pops up (which I doubt), then it can be discounted.
we got glamour fans though aint we,i mean just look at me,boing boing splash it all over
“Increasing reports in the media”???? It’s apeared on one website which has now withdrawn the story.
The E and D really is a joke. Talk about fuelling speculation which isnt even true.
Vital football is run by wolves fans who make stuff up to try and catch media people like you out. Job done on there part
And me Terry, because I am worth it as Ginola used to say.
If you believe this you’ll believe anything!?.
It’s as likely as suggesting Avrim Grant will take over from Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford next season and Chritiano Ronaldo will move across ‘Town’ to play for Manchester City!
Did you watch the ‘very exciting’ Euro Cup Final last night? Ronaldo yes, but the others cancelled each other out, blood and snot flying everywhere, fouls galore, violence in a 100mph atmosphere. The penalty shoot-out was great, the rest of it?
I wouldn’t watch the highlights again, there weren’t enough. So if we were loaded with cash, would you want to watch that stuff every week? Talented Thugs is my view.
Another Blog Jarrod, good to see and another to raise debate even if this is ficticious.
I aswell as many watched the Champions League final last night, and dream’t of one day seeing West Bromwich Albion lifting the cup, I even commented to the other half that one day I would see it (all in jest) or is it???
Nowadays to compete with the best it seems you need a big benefactor with the “open chequebook”.
Would it be good for the club? Well would you like to see World Stars running round your pitch week in week out, collecting silverware like it’s going out of fashion. I WOULD!!!
Do we like our club the way it is, soundly run up’s & downs quite regular, ran the RIGHT way. I DO!!!!
See I’d be totally undecided on which way I would go, but as stated it is IMO a big wind-up and one i will not ponder on.
SO……
I’m off to get my Russian hat and an autograph off our new signing Christiano Ronaldo, best not let him take penalties though.
6. I tried the link and the story had vanished so I think you’re right.
Personally, if this is true I’m not keen on paying twice what I pay now to see my team. Look at prices for Chelski these days.
It would be nice to see big names at the club but it scares me that our traditional values could be lost by this potential intervention.
I think you will find that this guy will invest in a football club and like the blog states i doubt it will be WBA. However the blog is trying to raise the point that the Baggies could be a target for anyone looking to buy a Premiership club, and whether as fans we would want it to happen.
It is a discussion point not an article of fact.
The fact of the matter is who is available to buy in prem???? mmm… doesn’t matter anyway i’m very happy with clubs progression…. boing boing…
10. I can’t believe he’d go to City….
Note! If he is looking to buy a premier club but not one that will only be there for a season……….ha ha ha
Fantastic—Jarrold you are right in saying that we are not one of the glam clubs but more and more Albion fans seem to be in the media and we have a rich tradition and history and a lot of originality. We are also respected for the quality of our football—something TM is re-establishing.If we could compete with the big 4 or 5 I think that would be fab. I watched us flounder under Bobby Gould and reach the depths so I would look forward to being in the top 4.
Wait till he drives round lovely Sandwell, that would put anybody off nevermind a multi billionaire! Dream on baggy boys, its never going to happen.
Not a chance in hell, reality checks are needed in chavy West Brom i feel………..
19 wolf
You`re sarcastic assessment of the Sandwell area,
is, sadly true.
To say it has a dishevelled look it putting it mildly, Sandwell is a victim of the bygone industrial era, however the people within are
rich of character and proud of their roots.
I find it shameful that certain people deem it necessary to mock an area and it`s inhabitants of a once vibrant community who had to endure
the misery of job losses and everything that goes with it.
Bomber….apologies….i will put something about the ACUAL theme of the blog later.
I think that must be the first time that ‘West Brom’ and ‘glamour club’ have ever been mentioned in the same sentence! lol
Seriously, I can’t see it happening myself, but in this day and age you never know…
Ha Ha… nothing a bit of “positive” news on the albion to get all the wulfies running onto here with there “no way” and “he won’t want sandwell” comments…. maybe a small club like us would only cost 9 quid !!!
I put this guys name in wikepidia and its mentioned on there too - but that may just be picking up on daft rumours.
Would i want him to buy us - hard to say really - depends on his intentions.
Would i welcome a huge investment in the club - of course.
Would i want a foreign business man running the club - why not ?
Would I want a foreign businessman telling the manager who to buy or pick - No way !!
So although this is just a rumour, its fun to speculate about it - and IF it did actually happen i would welcome him - but be a little nervous.
Wbaforever - don’t waste your breath.
I imagine the guy sat in his semi/ terrace / flat somewhere in the middle of wolverhampton and typed that with no hint of irony whatsoever….
Anyone who lives in the Midlands is gonna be no further than 10 miles from an area of deprivation - whether its in Sandwell, Wolvo, Brum or Staffs….
The suggestion that wolverhampton is some leafy suburb akin to Surrey is just funny…
I’m sure Steve (not even a billionaire) Morgan wasn’t too worried about Heath Town and low Hill when he slapped his tenner on the table…
Another thought on the actual story - i agree that to really consolidate and prgress in the premier league, a huge investment is required. The fact that a club is owned by very wealthy people also attracts players in (see QPR).
Question is - do we want that for our club. There is something noble about acheiving what we have (4 years in the prem and three promotions) with no sugar daddy.
But as a fan I am naturally keen to see my club be the best it can.
It will be interesting to see if this story is true or not. There are still a number of established prem teams to buy: Everton, Middleborough, Fulham, Wigan, sunderland.
West Brom woould be cheaper but someone looking for quick success would to look to a middle of the road prem team and not one just promoted. But you never know…
if wolves went for a tenner i reckon £2.50 should cover it. poor club, poor area, a vacating team and giving away 3000 tickets and the rest for a tenner is not good!
Wednesbury_Albion
I genuinely don’t see many people falling for it on here mate?? If it is true then hell yes bring it on. We deserve it, and whos to say his going to play fantasy footy with us. True, what is there in West Bromwich that can match up to the lure of a London club…but who knows?
And as for people scared of losing the club traditions and history, its the fans that have made it…so its up to us to keep it!
Easy Tiger! Seems ive touched a raw nerve with you wasting your breath Happy.
ROFL We’re going to win the League!!!!!
I have to admit Happy_bagski has a certain ring to it
This story was broken by Blueandwhitestripe on Vital Football, who i know is very ITK with things behind the scenes at West Brom
Russians have spread throughout the world following their economic emancipation. To a man they have flocked to all the worlds bright lights. The glamour of owning a Prem club is enhanced by its location and London has more emigres than any other part of the UK. So don’t think West Brom ( I refuse to use the concocted name of Sandwell ) can compete.
In any event I do not beleive a word of it anyway pure hokum.
But I would welcome some one with financial clout who would back TM and keep JP on board
Hey tezza, i think i have even out done you this time, i am going to have some trouble throwing all these Wolfies into my keep net!!!!
I aint even casting me line, tham just jumping straight in kidda!!!
bomber carry on like this you,l need a russian fishing trawler to keep um all in boing boing you got um guin this morning
Bomber - this aint fishing - its dredging….
Its professionals like you who are spoiling it for the amatuer fisherman…
I aint caught an LCW in weeks - all i get is a few laughing wolfs which i throw back in.
Give us a chance - i would even be happy with a micheal.
Maybe i need to change my bait ?
It seems MDDP and SBBA have swum to warmer waters for a few months.
Buying a premiership club is a bit like picking up girls at the disco…. if you turn up late all the best ones have gone.
No matter how much money you have, if the best looking birds have all paired off then its hard to snog one without a huge fight - so we settle for the “five pinter” standing against the wall waiting for someone to ask her to dance.
I love the baggies - but even i admit in the premier league disco we are a bit of a five pinter.
The good thing about five pinters is that they are often a “sure thing” - and can also turn out to be lovely people who we may end up marrying.
This is possibly my weirdest post yet !
26.Your name sums up your post laughable that you think we are a poor club?You really are a deluded sad individual
No happy, you have come out with some crap in the past and i don’t see this latest piece as anything other than crap too.
no. 24, i live in a private house in low hill and believe me, its nowhere near as bad as 10 years ago, since the police base was built and the brand new housing going up that are selling before they are finished, granted you still have a few undesirables around but you get that every where, even wombourne(where i used to live) has a drug problem, so i think your criticism is a bit outdated although i agree that it will always have the stigma attached!!!!!!! more about footy later!!!!
Happy_baggie
any weirder and you’d be starring in a yellow submarine video!!
37, dont bite!! thats all the jibers are after, just stick with decent posters like myself who will actually come out with something constructive to say about wolves or west brom!
i know a cska moscow season ticket holder and he knows mr deripaska and he said its true he his buyin us,boing boing from russia with love
I work around West Brom and its a basically Whitmore Reans all over the place. So yes, there are some real rough areas in Wolves but at least there are some nice places. West Brom as WBAforever rightly pointed out is a dump.
Happy… Are you related to Manuel from Barcelona somewhere along the line ? He used to come out with some weird stuff as well !!
42.terryGLAMOROUSbaggie
if this is true and reports suggest this, come June 6th you got an ice cold pint or usual beverage coming your way.
i am still in limbo over this and as the security guy down in our warehouse said to me this morning you can look at QPR all you like and think it happens to all kinds of clubs but the fact stands they are in London end of the day.
It is in business news ont he internet too, and as for the guy who stated earlier that the web story has now been removed, you obviously don;t know the speed of the itnernet my friend. its all over the net if you type his name next to wba in a search engine.
staying up the Deripaska way oh yes oh yes oh yes.
Happy,
What have you been on this morning, mate you are going stir crazy. Talking of five pinters i hope you bring your drinking arm with you for the 6th June!!! Oh and terry bring your passport with you, you will need some id to prove you are over 18, i aint going home early because you cant get in anywhere you baby faced assasin!!!!
Hey mate i think i might just have come with your new name….. terrythebabbiefacedassasin
obviously spelt however best for fishing!!!
Nige 39 - no offence was meant - as i say, wherever we live there is usually some crime or deprivation issues nearby - that was my whole point to the prat who keeps knocking west bromwich as an area.
I can’t be bothered responding to him directly as to do so would mean putting him in my net - and he’s way to tiny for me.
As Paul Young once said - wherever I lay my hat….
Oh and happy,
Disco, fight and a snog sounds a great night out to me, just not all with the same person!!
Oh and it looks like youve caught a Wolf (see post 38).
Dream on baggies. Only a club with the history of Wolverhampton Wanderers attract rich owners.
Man Utd Chelsea Spurs Wolves. Only clubs to play in all english euro finals.
If this were to be true, and i seriously doubt it,
would i be excited by the prospect ?…………..
Who wouldn`t, a chance to compete at the other end
of the prem.
Would i be sceptical and nervous about our long term future ?……….most definitely.
People like Jack Walker and Jack Hayward are/were
fans of the clubs they took over.
The potential problem, as i see it is,
Abramovich, Gaydemak (spelling) and the purchasers
of QPR, are certainly not fans of their clubs,
and therefore have no real affinity.
In my humble opinion, the reason these people
have invested so hugely in their respective clubs,
is that they have wealth beyond comprehension,
and they constantly need a new toy to alleviate
their boredom, and to furnish their egos.
What happens when they get bored of this toy,
and want a new one ?
If Abramovich ever pulled the plug at Chelsea
the ramifications would be cataclysmic.
Happy….have you been to the whispie wolf school of blogging ?
poor little dingles are dying for us to be took over so we can take the same path as them NOWHERE,,sorry dingles we aint falling for it like you and the scouser,,,weem keeping it the mowbray way cos thats how we like it,,,PLAYING IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOH YES,,,,,,,,,GONE FISHING DINGLES STILL A WISHING,,,
Terry is a Walsall fan
Jarrod.
Excellent blog. Not because this bloke is going to buy us but we are a well run team in the Prem and there is every possibility that some millionaire will want to exploit that fact.I trust JP to see through that and if I were to take over the club the first thing I’d want would be for him to stay as Chairman and TM as manager.
The more interesting debate is how do we as fans feel about a takeover? People have covered most of the pertinant points. Yes it would be great to have a chance to look down on the Villa (as the Fast Show character says ‘I have considerably more money than yow.’) and to laugh at Steve Morgan’s alleged millions.
On the downside, I find it increasingly difficult to identify with the players now (although this season is far easier than last.) If we brought in a load of highly paid South American and European mercenaries to win everything in sight, would it have any value? might as well go and have a replica Champion’s League Cup made and put that in the trophy room. I realise that this may well be because of my age and younger fans will have a different perspective on supporting their team and just because I’ve been going longer doesn’t mean I have any more claim than someone that started going last week.
I suppose the answer is , in the words of the immortal Mavis Riley ‘I really don’t know.’
PS. Good to see the return of Terry has coincided with Happy on sparkling form and well done Jarrod for getting the Wulfies wetting their communal knickers in panic.
Hope to see you all on the 6th.
Express and Star. Can you trace the whereabouts of the posters on here. If you can you have a duty to report No 49 to the Care in the Community authorities.
50. WBAforever…Think you’ve got it spot on there. I think everyone would like to know what it’s like to live and compete with the big boys. Unfortunately the chances of doing this without big boys money is nigh on impossible. It’s an unfortunate trait to the game these days that you have to have more than your neighbour to be able to attract the right players. There’s no time to build a team any more. The rich owners want off the shelf teams and instant success.
Your final point is a good one that not only applies to Chelsea I fear. What indeed would happen to some of these clubs if the plug was pulled on the finances ?
terry is that the chap you sold ya rolls royce to,,,del boy aint got a patch on you,,,lovely jubbly,,,,HAVIN A PARTY THE MOWBRAY WAY AT THE VINE,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
wbaforever
The difference when being bought by mega rich owners is how they go about doing it. For example, Man Utd have been bought by the Glazers who have had to loan the money to do it, that loan is secured against the club and its assets, so if they were to experience financial difficulties the club could be left with a huge debt which would have to be paid by club means. Ok i concede that Man Utd have a club that generates money all over the world, but hey things change, ie recession, poor form ect. Chelsea on the other hand have been bought by someone who has paid for everything without entering into any debt, so if he were to walk away the only financial restraint left would be the wage structure, no associated debt to the club. It is clubs who have been bought by people having to loan money that have most to fear.
TRB - if you are going to quote the magnificent Mavis, at least have the respect and courtesy to get the line right… it’s ” Well, i don’t really know…”
It may be a small error to you - but its important to me - and all her fans around the world!!`
52 - brilliant.
Apparently Abramovich has only loaned his money to Chelsea… interest free, but its still a loan.
To date i believe they owe him 578 million pounds.
Albion need a ground thats actually in West Bromwich (where ever that is) and not in Birmingham, so building you a new 25,000 max stadium should be first on the agenda.
Yes, good point Bomber, but the only financial
restraint left would be the wage structure…..
Terry £140,000 pw
Lampard £140,00 pw
Ballack £160,00 pw……and on it goes.
Chelsea would have to release all of their
mega earners, they would at best be back to square one, probably worse.
And the ramifications that i mention, would be
a deep mistrust of any future owners of any club anywhere, and a possible witch hunt of current owners by fans who are demanding guarantees.
52: Ingenious, how did you think that one up?
60 - we guessed you didn’t know where west bromwich is by the fact that you never attend the derby game there.
In the early seventies, the board toyed with the idea of dropping the “West Brom” part of the name so that we could sound more like Arsenal!
if we take up that masterplan, we would not only attract billionaires who cant map read, but the media might be more favourable to us as they wouldn’t realize we are north of Watford!
What do you think?
64 - are you serious ??
Thats one step away from us being the Albion Eagles or the West Brom Pythons ect….
Ask the Wimbledon fans what they think of the MK Dons….
I would rather be West Bromwich Albion in the 4th division that be in the premier league by any other name…. although of course we never have been in the 4th division.
Happy Baggie. Steady on old chap!!! surley if we where in the 4th division we would have to change our name to wolverhampton wanderers(now look what you made me say off to the sink to was my mouth out with soap)
61,wba4ever, i aint on that much,so ballacks to you,boing boing loads a money
65, wolves have, boing boing
winning the premier the mowbury way with money ohj yes
Happy
At the formation of Sandwell, the club where approached with a request that they change their name to ….? Albion Thankfully they declined
Sandwell Albion I ask you !
49. Yes, your rich owners have kept you in almost permanent mediocrity for nearly 18 years now. God knows where you would have been without their help. Probably playing home matches on the East Park astro-turf!!
This story is simply fabrication. If you do a google on this guys name and read the article from the Gaurdian, this guy was rumoured to be buying Arsenal but when asked he admits he doesn’t care for football much! Also, he isn’t based in London, he still lives in Russia and has no plans to ever leave. Don’t think even sky will show every game back home to him to check on his investment!
26 - Another staggering post from the one and only joker. Yes, why not try and put some spin on selling your club for a tenner. Of course, we could be sold for 2.50. You’re a genius. Keep taking that laughing gas pal. We don’t need it as we just need to read your posts.
It says he wants to buy a Premiership Club - not some tin pot outfit that play in a sardine tin in a dump right by the motorway !! Thats blown it then !!
72.. Oh well if he does not like football he could always buy wolves the only time they see football is when we play there
60. the problem is west brom isnt big enough for a shopping centre and a stadium no matter how small the stadium is.
It’s true, you lot have really lost it. Talk about pump up the ego. It’s action not words that count, bring on next season and then see how cocky you all are. You couldn’t make it up!!
77. stop playing the same record over an over again - it’s almost as boring as beating you lot season in season out.
We made you wolf fans eat your words when we pulled back the 13pts on you, we made you eat them when we bounced straight back to the prem, we made you eat them when we did the great escape and we’ve made you eat them embarrassingly this season by being crowned champions and you lot not even making the playoffs - surely you can see how stupid your comments are?
“bring on next season” - would Albion being relegated from the Premiership be a worse outcome and a bigger embarrassment than your lot not being capable of making the top 6 this season? No didn’t think so. How much more egg can you dingles fit on your faces?
You really are a silly little man
73. still you thickos don’t get the fact that our club was not sold for a tenner but that it was a good will jester but you couldn’t give your club away.
Michael
Goodwill gesture , gesture lad
A jester is a court fool or clown
On second thoughts you may be right
78,Just teaching you amateurs how to fish properly, got to go got another bite!
80.its all you sandwell fans making me think of jesters,
As a faux pas goes, goodwill jester is without
question THE most hilarious ever…….keep it up
micky, you have just confirmed my suspicions.
Michael
You have just made my day, (and it has already been quite good)
Jester!!!!
Freudian slip or what, LMAO, especially with the thickos comment thrown in, sorry got to go tears rolling down my face have started an electrical fire on my keyb……,,,….)&^
Weak retort Michael can’t hide bad grammar.
Any way I thought you could not be bothered anymore?
Promises promises….
Talking of Jesters, soon after the Wolves were sold, MM was given the said Tenner for safe keeping.
Being the dutiful Wolf, and knowing that defence can be the best form of attack, he instantly chose to swallow it.
Now that Tenner has been stuck in the pit of his stomach ever since, and from time to time, it gives him rise to great pain.
Apparently he bumped into his old GP last week, who, remembering the difficulties MM experienced at the time, shouted across the street …
“… Mick, how is it”?
MM quickly replied …
“No change Doc, still no change …”
Although i think this is a silly rumor I actually think that the Albion would be a good choice for this guy.Lets look at why.
Firstly, just because the guy is a billionare, he will still not want to spend loads for the club, especially if they are in debt.Most of the prem clubs are and he would have to spend a considerable amount to pull them out and THEN buy the club.
Do you really think that QPR are a glamour club?Dont be silly, yet look at the investment there. The fact is that if he bought in London he would always be compared with Abromovich. By going to another area altogether he wont have that.
He could go to the north east but again, he will be competing with the likes of Man U, Liverpool etc.Who could he buy there….Bolton? Not exactly a glamour club there huh? Could go to the north west but again, who would he buy?Boro?nope.Newcastle?I wouldnt wish that on anyone.
So we have the midlands. 2 hours from london and really, only one major club….the villa.Yet the Albion have a proud history and with a limited budget we have a manager who won the league and got to the semis of the fa cup.What could the guy do with an open cheque book?The club is actually in the black and there is a huge opportunity for redevelopment in the area and the ground.He could get the club for much cheaper than he could most others and now is an ideal time to come in as even a small investment would mean establishing ourselves as a prem club.As i have already stated he would become a very big fish in a small pond in the midlands and if the club does well he would become a legend.
I think it makes sense for him, looking at all of the options in the same way wolves would be a good investment if they had it together on the pitch.They have a history and a great brand.
The bottom line is that it isnt true…i mean the club would cost less than what roman is paying for one of his players but I just think this is a silly rumor.Even so…if i had the money and were a neutral…The Albion would be the place i would be investing over any other team in the country.
It’s obviously a wind-up. No provenance to the story at all.
I love the baggies - but even i admit in the premier league disco we are a bit of a five pinter. (Happy_baggie 22 May 2008)
divingboggie, i suggest you purchase a road atlas. I think you’ll find Bolton,Man U and Liverpool are in the North West and Newcastle and Boro are in the north east. I often wonder how Chelski would do without their owner, if he was to pull out all together. I think there is alot of risk involved with having unknown non supporting sugar daddys. Its as though they buy clubs for a hobby, when millions have been invested and they get bored,what happens then?
If Abramovich pulls the plug from chelski then they’ll be no worse off than when he arrived. They were over £100m in debt due mainly to the Chelsea village being a flop and in serious trouble of going under. So if he walks that will be the same again yet they’ll have had 5-10 years of competeing with Europes elite.
89. “you’ve let us down again” (2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 Wolves fans)
At least it keeps WBA on everyones lips and thoughts. Better than to be forgotten because you missed the playoffs again and only by one goal.
Sadly money does play a massive part in the Premiership game, but that is the way to go. If a billionaire did come in and bought, bought, bought, surely fans can only benefit ? So the ticket money goes up, but you have to pay the price to see top quality players in your teams shirts. The past few seasons I think Baggie fans have had value for money with the quality players we have and have had at the Hawthorns. It could have been a lot worse, as MM’s team down the road have seen the passed few years !!!
I don’t mind either way.
89 - I stick by my suggestion that we are a five pinter - with the glamour pusses like Man Utd and Chelski already taken its a battle between the ugly birds to land a decent suitor….
However, at least we are in the disco… We may be a five pinter in the prem disco - but its better than being a glass of coke at the youth club.
36,happy, i aint tekin no chances i,ll be in the vine on the 6th at dinner time boing boing white suit n madalion
90,poorlittlechap, dont worry about where it is you aint guin there, boing boing up the moterway we go
What is it with many of you Wolves fans. It’s not as if you’ve got anything to shout about. We’ve beaten you all hands up. Do you all live in cloud cuckoo land? Why don’t you help get your own club in order, help put a stop to the underachieving, help get a decent team to support that may get you promotion, and then come on here and try to teach us something. Until that time, you’ve got nothing to shout about. You’ve got everything to learn from what our club has achieved. It’s embarrassing!!
93, remember the old saying” tomorrow I’ll be sober, but you’ll still be ugly!”
First of it’s a load of rubbish. Even if it were true, I think it would be a very bad idea indeed. Addmittidly, it would be nice to be able to attract world starts to the club, but what happens when the billionaire gets bored?? He leaves and we would be up to our ears in debt.
We would end up like Leeds and Leicester have. Leicester had 3 managers last season alone and now find themselves in League 1.
Happy, don’t knock the 4th Division, it was good fun. It was one of our 8 titles since 1920.
I think Deripaska’s probably getting you lot mixed up with West Ham!
Football is now global & every billionaire wants to be part of the ‘glamour’ of the premier league. It doesn’t matter who the club they buy is…its just a means of getting their elite premier league membership, so they can rub shoulders with glamour clubs, show off their own wealth, & be the center of attention.
Don’t fool yourself…a Russian billionaire would not be be buying West Brom for the good of the people of Sandwell. You’d completely lose your identity & effectively become a successful club in name only. Look at Chelsea…remember when they had gates of 15,000 like the rest of us back in the 80’s…who exactly are their extra 30,000 fans that have jumped on the bandwagon?
West Brom would become just another club with a watered down rivalry with Man U. Chelsea’s rivals are now Man U & Liverpool…didn’t that used to be Millwall & Leeds?
So you’d get a brand you team, brand new ground…but brand new corporate fans on the bandwagon too, to pay the brand new season ticket prices…that YOU can’t afford. Hmmm…think you’d still be doing kids for a quid to see AC Milan at home?
How long would it be before they decide they need to develop the ground… Hmmm, the Hawthorns is in a bit of a s**t hole…so lets move it to the more socially acceptable part of West Bromwich, err, like London.
Credit to Mowbray, your players & even you Albion fans for getting you up. You did it well, & without a billionaire…so why let one come in & take your club & your own destiny away.
…& anyway, why let a billionaire deprive you of your right to relegation by Christmas.
Simon
All I’d say on this one is look what happened to the Blues noses when they got distracted by a foreign takeover post promotion!!
This is probably media hype but surely the time will come that all premiership residents and maybe some of the premiership yo yo’s will be owned by a rich yank/russki/asian etc. The game is sliding away from the fans, ask former members of the chelsea shed if they can afford to attend now, or how man utd season ticket holders feel about compulsorily paying not just for league games but also FA Cup, Carling Cup as well as Europe at top whack prices. Be careful what you wish for.
Let’s have a reality check here, a Russian multi billionaire would not want to buy us. As much as we love the club, let’s face it, we’re a provincial team, our supporters are amongst the worst dressed in the country, West Bromwich has become a terrible slum and the core Black Country rhetoric that drives the club is more in keeping with the 1870’s let alone the 1970’s. I’m sure that the team will do us proud this year and that we can build upon ToMo success this season, however this type of rumour is fantasy, an exciting fantasy, but not reality.
Nice thought… Would love the chance to compete against Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal etc, etc instead of realistically facing a tough premiership status fight like many promoted clubs these days. I would still welcome Jeremy Peace staying on as the Chairman, even if we get a Rich Owner!
Time will tell…Lets hope its not a wind-up!
could go both ways look at two perfect examples
chelsea - challenging for cups and one biggest forces in the world
west ham - full off over paid wasters i.e dyer, bellamy, ljunberg etc….
Malvern Wolf said: May 22nd, 2008 at 7:33 pm Happy, don’t knock the 4th Division, it was good fun. It was one of our 8 titles since 1920.
That’s funny I have a Wolves Programme which quite clearly states Wolverhampton Wanderers (1986) Ltd..er so you haven’t actually won much in your short short dreadful history(I’m not sure you even own the Custard Bowl any longer???)….Boing Boing Batty’s Batty’s (repeat)
Its not true and I wouldn’t want it anyway. Albion have gone from being potless to bringing in £60million of premiership money in the last ten years, I’m proud that my club has achieved this without a sugar daddy, have earned the money and invested in the club. I’d hate my club to become a billionaire’s play thing. I’d rather be real club, even if it means being less successful.
17.
Are you talking about Wolves? they’re they only club around here to have spent only one season in the prem.
It is only a matter of time before west brom get taken over. Benefactors is the trend in football today. Sooner or later one will buy out albion debt or no debt. WBA are attractive for any benefactor. There is a massive potential for the club on the big stage. If WBA do get a benefactor and albion ever progress to champions league and competing regular at that level then the club will lose some of its identity. All the fans are mostly from the black country. With success we will get the cockneys watching. AKA man utd.
If i was a billionaire i wouldn’t waste it on that
yh and listen to this u wownt lat 2 seconds in the premier just support wolves dont be and idiot :p
well done ‘iainhill’ ha ha ! Jungle grammar from a typical no brain dingle. Get back into your pond.