Albion are refusing to rule anything out or in as they begin the hunt for new wealth to fund their Premier League ambitions.
Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace’s decision to go public with his appeal for fresh funding – effectively putting the club up for sale – followed a keynote board meeting at The Hawthorns yesterday.
Albion’s majority shareholder is willing to consider everything from small scale investments to the sale of his 51 per cent stake in the club, in a bid to bring in the extra funding he believes is necessary for the club to survive in the Premier League.
Peace left for two days of business meetings in London after yesterday’s Hawthorns sessions, at which manager Tony Mowbray and the board nailed down first-choice transfer targets.
He is hoping the fresh wave of publicity will trigger a response which will lead to new funds which can help Albion buy – either through a measured investment or, if the deal was right for the club in Peace’s judgement, a sale of his majority shareholding.
Albion’s value brought a series of sharply differing speculations today, with accountancy experts suggesting a figure in the region of £25m.
Sources close to the club, mindful of Albion’s land assets opposite the ground and at the Walsall Road training camp as well as the £60m guaranteed in Premier League earnings over the next three years, suggest it could be double.
The financial rewards within Albion’s reach now could get even bigger - if they are able to gain a Premier League foothold this season.
Experts predict that, with more than 200 nations across the globe wanting access to TV rights, the next media deal to be negotiated in 2009 could net the top flight £1billion a year.
Peace knows it is more vital than ever for Albion to stay in the top flight, which is why he is so anxious to lure any extra funding that might help manager Tony Mowbray’s cause.
There has already been a measure of surprise at The Hawthorns that their highly acclaimed promotion to the big time did not trigger contact from would-be investors from overseas.
There is already speculation that today’s announcement may bring fresh interest from Graeme Souness, who, backed by multi-millionaire Brian Kennedy, tried to buy Wolves 18 months ago.
Virgin boss Richard Branson is another who has repeatedly been linked to investing in football.
33 Comments
Buying a football club sounds like a rich mans lottery…. if the club does well then the rewards are massive. if a club gets relegated then the rewards would be reduced - although still huge.
But with only 18 lottery tickets in the hat it could well be worth someone taking the chance.
£50million for a club that is already worth that in land and assets, with the potential to almost double its value each year sounds pretty tempting.
Souness as a consortium could work - a bit like Quinn at Sunderland - and Branson would be very interesting….
Hey terry, im not sure we would get away with having Virgin splashed across our shirts mate!!!
as wecany find a shirt sponsor with the right amount of money ,i hope the future investor is in for the long term and preferably american,i believe we have a race car driver who suports us that may have the right connections,but jp is unfortunately right that football is now a global industry not a game!!ps thought holland goal last night was fantastic!!
supa rich baggies,move over chelsea time for the black country boys to take over,,lovely jubby,,EUROPE ERE WE COME THE MOWBRAY WAY ,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
Richard Branson…….Fantatic, i love his pickle on my cheese sandwiches.
so on one page the fans are talking about billionaire russians, and on this page we’re talking about graeme souness ?!?
this story is going to make make for an amusing summer !
No2 IDIOTS on your shirts sounds good
If Souness gets involved let’s hope he has no managerial ambitions left. I’d rather have Mad Mick.
Is it just me or is there a feeling growing that some fans would rather support a “real” club? That is one that succeeds or fails with the money generated within the game - gates, TV & commercial activities. Sure, you can do a Chelsea or Fulham and maybe soon to be a QPR, Man City or Derby and find foreignish wealthy people to spend silly money but how much satisfaction is there in that? At some point, the wind changes direction and foreign owner gets bored with his toy or gets imprisoned in hos own country or whatever and the club is left to pick up the pieces which may be very painful. No money to pay highly overpaid players who can not be sold because no other club will take on their wages - could be Leeds plus plus. It seems inevitable that Mr Peace will bring in new money but will it bring lasting happiness - I am not sure
where’s that Russian Billionaire???
Buy it, and then demolish the exiting stadium and training facilities. Build flats and houses on the land. Easy 60plus mil in the bank… (I can here those fingers going already!)
Seriously, british consortium is not out of the question and even in the mould of someone like Morgan. Just one question - if things look so rosey, in terms of finances, why does Peace want to sell out all together, why not keep a small stake and reap the rewards?
it might be the best thing for us, but i dont want an overseas investor taking over the club cuz unlike most clubs the fans have a big say and i hope jp sels it to someone with a long term investment and not an american/russian/thai that justs wants quick success and put the club at risk
Forget about the club being up for sale.
JEREMY PEACE WONT SELL THE CLUB FOR PEANUTS,
SO FORGET ABOUT IT.
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
Me and alot of other baggie fans are more
interested in the playing squad.
Q1/HOW GOOD IS THIS YOUNG KID FROM SCOTLAND
“GRAHAM DORRANS” ?
Q2/HOW LONG IS IT UNTIL WE GET TEIXEIRA BACK
FROM INJURY ?
DOES ANYONE KNOW?
Interesting times ahead,with all the speculation on who may buy us,lets hope it doesnt affect new players coming to the club
I like the idea of Richard Branson-how about charter flights to villa park,or maybe Old Trafford by hot air balloon (with burgers and Batham’s on board).Club prize draw-a week on his private island.Lush.
How do you make a small fortune ? Start with a large one and then buy a football club.
Bassbaby No.9, that is a sensible and thoughtful post in my view. Sir Alex is off in 2 years, club owes £800 million. Abramovich still trying to find another Sir Alex, sacking right, left and centre. Chelsea owe nearly £1 billion. 200 Countries interested in investing in the Prem and Sky. Some clubs still have to finish bottom to hold up the clubs in the middle and top. The whole scene gets crazier by the season. If things were on an even footing like 40 years ago, wouldn’t you just fancy Peace and Mowbray to take the league by storm? I’m happy as things are but then, what the Hell do I know? I’m not rich. They are. I still feel uneasy. It’s unhealthy.
11 Cheslyn.
If you read the article again you will see that JP does not say that he wants to wash his hands of the club. He is looking for the sort of investment that will allow the club to become established in the PL. Although a multi millionaire Peace is not in the Abramovich league or even the Morgan league. He has said that if the right person comes forward he would consider standing aside.
Your mistake may come from the E&S slant on this story, trying to dress it up as a crisis. I don’t think they are just anti WBA. They often indulge in this sort of thing with Wolves stories. This story in the Birmingham Mail is treated in a much more low key way. I believe that there is nothing here that Mr Peace has not said on a number of previous occasions. Unfortunately it’s where our game stands today, to paraphrase ‘where there’s brass there’s muck.’
After some serious thinking during the 1st half of the Negative greeks v sweden game i thought long and hard about this…
A. Whoever buys us out has first to pay est 30 million.
B. 10 - 20 Million is def not enough to guarantee survival and when you think sunderland spent 60 million and only survived by a few points that means someone will need to invest 100 million!!!
C. IT WON’T HAPPEN GUYS!!!!!!
I for one am quite happy with the way our club/squad is being developed. If we stay up great, if not so be it but at least this way we’ll never end up like forest, leeds, leicester, bradford or WOLVES!!
Up the traditionally wonderful footballing team WEST BROMWICH ALBION..
Premiership beware… lol.
13 - Tex is due back for pre season along with the rest of the squad just to assess how he’s coming on, I wouldn’t expect him back in the squad until October.
Dorrans is, according to my Jock father in law, a rough diamond. Excellent with the ball at his feet, but final ball can let him down at times…..doesn’t that sound like our entire midfield?! I He’s another one for the future and can see him being loaned out to a championship team for a couple of months 1st of all before starting to look at getting in the 1st team.
In the rumours section, Baros is linked with us….I’d bite my own face off before cheering Milan Baros.
Here come the Dingles mocking us, oh dear, oh dear. Just remember one thing.
ONE BLACK COUNTRY CLUB IN THE PREMIERSHIP AND UP FOR SALE FOR £50M.
ANOTHER BLACK COUNTRY SOLD FOR £10!
Nuff said!
Milan Baros is rubbish!! We will not sign him not in a million years.
I also hope we go no where near baros - he must be the same age as KP so why not just re-sign super kev ?
I like the look of traore at Arsenal - he would be a great addition.
It would be good to hear from the club regards transfer activity following yesterdays announcment.
Happy - A serious question here Sir.. there was story anfter story after story on this issue yesterday, but what’s your opinion now bearing in mind the above story seems to suggest that the search has only just started for investment ? Yesterday yourself and numerous Baggies were hopeful that JP would have someone in place….do you still think he has, and if not, what are your expectations of both pre season and next seasons campaign ?
london - a fair question.
Like most baggies fans i am in the dark over this, and yesterdays announcment, whilst not totally unexpected did catch everyone off guard.
My personal feeling is that there will be at least one, and probably several intersted parties that peace has spoken with over the last few months.
I actually see this announcment as JP’s way of putting pressure on potential buyers - by putting it in the public domain it may speed things up, and i think Jp and the whole club want something to happen before the season starts.
But, like most fans, all i have is my own thoughts on the matter - some official statement would be nice about now !
London - Regards your last question - I think albion fans can still look forward to the coming season with some confidence…. We have the basis of a decent team, and I think the club will still make any necessary aquisitions, even during any negotiations… we have the money as a club.
We also have the right manager, who will ensure that whatever team is picked for that first game is prepared to play football the right way and to give it a real go !!
Due diligence could take six months, no rich owner will buy just some of the shares they’ll want it all. A small investor will put in peanuts and we know what peanuts buy. Gera gone, no new players and the owner wants to cash in. Anyone would think Albion were a five pinter at a disco.
The richest man in Russia is buying us. There is too much speculation for it not to have some truth behind it.
We can then buy the Custard Bowl and use it for our Youth Team matches.
Im not convinced that this statement was made to put pressure on would be investors that you have already had discussions with - that would be just as likely to scare them off, especially if you’re at an advanced stage in negotiations.
If I was a Baggie at the moment, my two main concerns would be that A) you take your time and get the right people, and B) Somehow you invest this pre season.
Getting the right folks is imperative - Blues / Liveprool takeovers anyone ???
Whilst I do think you’ve got the basis of a good enough team, its probably not there yet (the much used Sunderland spending figures example is a good one) and the most important point in the above article is that re negotiation of tv rights in 2009 - as many of us Midland clubs need to be there on time so we can join the greed banquet……
The two points interlink and depend on each other. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.
London - you are right in what you say.
As long as ToMo is allowed to develop the team this summer the buy out / investment can take as long as it takes…. we have the money we need for now to bring a few new faces in.
And you are right - I hope Peace does take the time to bring the right people in - but i also think he WILL have been negotiating proior to the annoncement - we just don’t know to what stage.
I’m just pleased we are doing this now with premiership football already assured for the coming season.
If Jeremy Peace is selling the club,then why did
he decide to re-modernise the Halfords Lane stand,
the chairman should of left it up to the new owner
ship to decide,we could of been looking at a
35.000 seater stadium,instead of this compact
27.000.
31. When we decided to refurbish halfords lane we were in championship. Something needed doing as it is a stand from the 80’s! Plus it will cost hardly nothing so why would this affect anything????
Boing boing…
P.S Anyone fancy a vodka?????
I’ve just thought… all the dingles and villa scum will be jumping ship!!!!!