So Jeremy Peace has in affect put his shares in the club up for sale, I would like to say I am shocked, but I’m not, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
Many fans see this in one of two ways, firstly Peace has bought the club on the cheap to sell at a profit, and by selling now he is simply striking while the iron’s hot.
Other fans will view it as the ideal opportunity to bring in a new investor that can help establish the Baggies in the Premiership.
Personally I have no problem with Jeremy Peace making a profit out of his shares in the club; under his stewardship we have witnessed a rebirth of West Bromwich Albion FC, the training facilities, the academy, and more importantly the success on the pitch.
His dealings in the transfer market have drawn concern from many fans; however with hindsight he has brokered excellent deals for both incoming and exiting players.
So what now??
Do we simply wait for someone to come forward?
We witnessed how difficult it is to find genuine investors in football clubs when Wolves where looking, the situation dragged on and on, and they where simply looking for investment, not selling.
You could easily construct an argument that states we are a prime acquisition for anyone looking to invest in a football club, no debt, good infrastructure, good stadium, good manager, good squad, excellent fan base, and most importantly Premiere League status.
Maybe the time is right, Jeremy Peace has worked hard and feels it is time to move on, he obviously appreciates the fact that if you are looking to sell a club then this is probably the best time to do it.
New investment could give us more of an opportunity of establishing ourselves in the Premiership, as every other Premiership club seems to be being snapped up by foreign billionaires how else are we meant to compete?
When Chelsea are spending £16million on a right back you realise where you stand in terms of financial clout, since the end of the season the amount of money Mowbray would be allowed to spend in strengthening his squad was always unclear, we now know why.
My main fear regarding this whole situation is Tony Mowbray, we have our best manager for decades and any uncertainty at the club could unsettle him, not only will he be awaiting a new boss, he must also be wondering where he now stands regarding transfer funds this summer.
Situations like this need to be resolved quickly, I hope we have not been naïve enough not to have already researched the possibility of other investors, I hope someone with major financial wealth is waiting in the wings as we are now entering into a critical time in our clubs recent history.
We have worked so hard to get to the position we now find ourselves in, I just hope this proves to be our next big step forward, and not backwards.
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41 Comments
Hi Bomber - as I have already posted on the main thread for this story, i can only see this a positive move for us in the long term - as long as we get the right investor !!
We know that we can’t compete finacially with the clubs at the bottom of the prem, let alone the middle and top - and so even if we do stay up next season you have to think we will always be in a vunerable position there.
With investment we can secure our place in the prem and move forwards - by competing on AND off the pitch with the clubs around us.
I am proud that the albion have spent so many years in the tiop flight without a sugar daddy - but the game is changing every season and so whilst its sad, its now sink or swim.
As I said on the other thread - I just hope that this deal is done quickly as we need to focus on the team for next season.
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Jarrod.
Worrying times. As we know it could go two ways. Hopefully JP’s love of the club will prevent him from selling to a Shinawatra type who will want to change everything. Ideally a new owner will look at the club and think ‘not much wrong here,’ tie down TM to a long term contract and in my view try to persuade JP to stay on as Chairman. I feel a hypocrite saying that but since sacking Robson I can’t fault him. We’ve said it before, it’s never dull at the Albion these days. Altogether, cross your fingers NOW.
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Also bomber I agree that this is no shock. I think we all knew what was coming last year when JP hoovered up the shares.
I have no problem with him doing this - if he makes a profit then great - we don’t live in a socialist society - but I hope he sells to someone who will have our best interests at heart.
I also hope that he stays at the club - his knowledge of running the club will be important when the new owner comes in.
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Not only does Gera go, the chairman now leaves. This can’t be good for the club. After the elation of promotion, Peace has realised that he will have to get his cheque book out to compete and he is a tight fisted so-on-so, hence the sale of WBA.
Why now? Sir Jack did the same thing and it just didn’t work out for us. I can’t see you being any different. Gera left a club that had just got promoted,………why? Does he know something about the clubs aspirations in the prem and the wages they are going to offer any new players. If you can’t re-sign your current players what chance have you got of attracting new ones?
Strange decision i think.
The only thing you have going for you is that you can say your a birmingham club, people will have heard of that City. Let’s be honest, no-one has really heard of West Bromwich who isn’t local!
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4 - please stop with this stupidity - its making you look pathetic.
Albion have just spent 6 million signing the loan players - it would have been easier to let them return, but JP invested wisely. He also invested wisely by not breaking the club for Gera.
How can you compare him to Hayward ? We spent more last week than you did for you entire prem season…. and then he bailed out for his baot in the carribean….
I understand that you are hoping this is a bad move - but we are a premiership club attracting huge investment…. yet another coup for your neighbours.
Byeeeeeeee
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The only thing that worries me now is the build up to next season has started, has any transfer activity now been put on hold till the new owner comes in??
When you’ve got TM saying he wants the new players in and settled before pre-season training starts, its not leaving much time.
Exciting and worrying times ahead, but thats how i felt most of last season!!
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I’m not surprised either Jarrod. I think that JP has done an excellent job with us and his sensible head has put us where we are now; however, i do think he has taken us as far as we can go.
It reminds me of when we parted company with Megson. Every fan appreciated that he had turned the club around, but at the same time we needed a change in order to progress to the next level. TM is the man to take us to the next level, but now i think JP has realised that he cannot provide the backing for the next level. Overall a good move, IF we get a passionate football fan, and not a business man interested in making a fast buck.
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Happy, you are blinded by your love affair for your team. I’m giving a balanced view with no sinicism at all. I have never said I want the worst for albion because I don’t.
You say you are attracting huge investment…….. i must have missed that one as I have not heard about that anywhere!
You are looking purly about the positives and think there can be no negatives to this move, you are living in cuckoo land my friend!
You can try and paper over the cracks but my points still stand. Do you not think it will have any impact on your transfer dealings? Do you think this will be resolved in a matter of days.
You can’t see the woods through the trees
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Jarrod I’m with you—if Jp is in the final stages of a deal—GREAT but if this is just a fishing line—HELP. And you are right to point out how potentially dangerous this is for Albion and TM—-lets have some clarity on this FAST as we need to sign some players pronto and get a sponsor too!!!
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I am sure we have been courting investors for a while.
There was a group of people at the ground in the winter that were pointed out to me. JP would not have made the announcement just to blow hot air, so he is probably confident of atriking a deal somewhere!
He is admitting he has taken us a s far as he can with the funds he has available. I think that if we dont take this bold step now we will never progress. TM is no fool and will probably have known for some time that this was coming. Any new owner would be barmy to threaten his position and he seems to be ideal for most chairmen. Our previous two managers hadnt got the ability to get along with JP like TM does.
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Nathan - so you can’t see where “major investemnt” is mentioned in this story..?? Are you wearing your dingle glasses ?
Yes there are potential negatives - it may slow some transfers down… but when completed “could” lift us to a new level of transfer, but your suggestion that we will now sell Miller ect.. is just ridiculous.
If you think thats balanced then you must wobble like Jody Craddock.
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Happy.
Read your last sentence again. Your actually HOPING to attract investment.
Thats like you going to the disco and pulling or hoping to pull.
There is a big difference. And if the men havent had 5 pints yet…
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Happy - no i can’t see where “major investment” is mentioned anywhere in this article!!!!!! IF you can you are a better man then me!
Even if it was, this is a blog, which to me means opinion, since you are unable to comprehend anyone elses opinion but your own then what is the point of these blogs. Lets just all say how fantastic you are and albion, is that better.
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Nathan - ok… lets presume that peace will sell the club to someone who has no money… I’m sure thats his plan.
…and then they move the club to the moon…. after all its just an opinion - however some are more credible than others.
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Lest we forget Deripaska was quoted as saying he was interested in investing/buying us.
It’s all gone quiet, as it does with business like this…then Peace comes out the blue making his shares available??
maybe its not all doom and gloom.
and maybe Wolves fans should keep tight lipped as they could fall flat on their face if someone richer came along…just a suggestion
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Well i cant say im upset to see him leave but if all albion fans are honest he has looked after the club really well.ps.good luck zoltan the great
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I think it’s a honest statement from JP, he knows we needs massive clout so he is wiling to step aside “if” the right man for the club comes in.
Hopefully this will now propel even further, and with TM and big funds available, who knows.
Europe here we come
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In hear it could be Mittal the Indian Steel magnate and reported to be the third richest bloke in the world.
Now that would be interesting.
or is this a rumour I heard in the vine when a little tipsy?
Don’t worry I suspect JP has a buyer already lined up and is maybe doing this to see if he can induce an auction?
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Happy - you have no credibility at all with your last post.
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Just think if Steve Morgan had had six numbers come up on the lottery rather than three numbers he could have invested in a proper club, only kidding nuggets!!
After Friday does anyone reckon we could come up with an Albion Bloggers consortium??
I reckon Cyril and wbaforever have got a bit of dough, and with hilltop baggie being a poker champion i reckon we are on….. ooerr just checked i have £7.32 and half a packet of chewing gum, oh and an esso token redeemable 000000000.1p.
The fund starts here!!!
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JP’s background is as a venture capitalist. It has been blindingly obvious to anyone with even a basic understanding of business that this eventuality was likely, though I thought he may leave it until the end of next season. The club is on the most even financial footing it has been in history, our season tickets have sold out with a huge amount of goodwill given the dicounted prices, we are in the £60 million premier league and have our best manager since Atkinson. Quite an attractive prospect for an investor.
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Jarrod
My concern - as you mentioned - is with Mowbury.
How many times has a club changed hands and the manager has kept his job?
If (hypothetically Nathan), we were bought by a Russian ogliarch (a la Roman A) he would want BIG names on the management side - no matter how well ToMo had done in the past.
I’m one worried - but slightly excited - Baggie!
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Hi Jarod - im a wolves fan but i think your blog was spot on. Personally i think he is right to sell the club now as everything is in the clubs favor. One thing that angered me as a wolves fan was that sir jack should have done it also when we got promoted - instead their was no money invested and the search for an investor started when we were in the ccc.
Good luck to albion - its all been earnt by hard work and a good infrastructure
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18 wakeybaggie
Well mate, if you look again at the bloggers party picture you may just have started a conspiracy theory mate!!
Nobody knew who the guy in the turban was?????
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Bloody dingles…
On to the serious stuff, this is going to pose a major opportunity for our club. We need to ensure that we make the right choice in investment and choose someone who actually cares about the beautiful game we call football.
All credit to JP he’s done a fantastic job, but i do agree that he cannot provide the investment that a club needs to establish itself in the premier league and finally eradicate the “yoyo” club tag.
This is obviously one of the reasons why transfer activity has been so minimal, apart from the euros of course. However seeing the payment of 6m for 3 loan players a couple of weeks ago suggests to me that investment is still going to be provided no matter what the outcome of this ordeal will be, therefore i am not at all worried with the running of the club at this moment in time.
Guys lets just see what happens once the euros begin to draw down, i can see the transfers begin to flood in!
Boin boing! Top four finish! Boing boing!
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Wolvowulf…fair play mate, appreciate it when a mature wolves fan can come onto the site and post a serious comment instead of flooding it with bitter digs
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I’m not going to repaet what many have already said here with the pro’s and con’s on this one, BUT 1 question to you all
What will TM’s shopping list be like if we have got a major benefactor coming in??
I see Ronaldo is giving us some time until after Euro 2008, Ronaldinho has not yet signed with anyone, Lampard could be available…..one sour note though, we have missed out on Giovanni Dos Santos…maybe next season!!!!
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I’m in for the consortium, i’ve got a Business Studies A-level and full packet of chewing gum!!!!
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Nathan,
Don’t bother pointing things out to Happy. He states that he wants banter and welcomes debate. Unfortunately you have to agree with him and say nothing bad about the Albion.
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ok where’s that russian? Igor *********?
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I’ve seen the future….. A wealthy foreigner steps in and buys Albion. He then buys out Morgan at Wolves merges the two clubs into Albion Wanderers, sells both grounds, buys Ronaldo with the proceeds and plays matches at Villa Park, St Andrews, Ricoh to save owning a ground. Colours changed to Blue and Gold stripes, managed by Jose. Club wins champions league and the whole franchise moves to Wembley. We can all then love each other and live happily ever after.
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Few points from me.
1. Peace has turned a loss making club staring at relegation to what is now League One into a financially stable Prem/Champ yo-yo club. If you asked teams like Shef Weds, Norwich, etc if they would take that now they’d take your hands off, as would we in 2002. We have to say thank you for that as we did to Megson for playing his part in making it happen.
2. Peace was obviously lining this up months ago when he aquired his sister’s shares so he could hoover up from the small shareholders. Makes sense that if he has controlling interest then selling is much easier. Peace is a very organised and methodical businessman and I can’t see him putting things like this into motion unless he already had a potential and interested investor lined up. I have no issue with him making a profit after how he has helped stabilise the club as long as it is for the good of the club.
3. Large investment would be great to move the club on, but only if we invest it wisely and don’t throw money around like Abramovich at the World Cup - Chelsea is proof that you need a team, not a bunch of individuals. We need to keep hold of TM, invest any funds we may get wisely and build a good team.
Peace obviously feels that the time is right to move on, that the club is attractive as it is going to get and he has taken it as far as he can. Whilst he had his detractors early in his tenure, myself included, it is now obvious that he has done a good job for West Brom.
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18. Yeah right - so Mittal will sell his stake in QPR and invest in you instead??!!
Since most decent foreign players will only go to London (or Manure/Liverpool with Champions league offered), I suspect he’s picked the right club to invest in already.
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Nathan and Happy sitting in a tree…..
I’ve got to admit Happy, the public transport around the Moon is awful….they should really think about things like this before making such rash decisions! ha ha!!
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As I’v said previously Albion’s ground capacity will always prevent them for gaining sufficient income to pay the type of salaries top’ players,and their agents demand, so they definitely need a substantial guaranteed cash input to even put them within touching distance of he majority of the Premiership clubs.
While i would welcome any foreign investment it HAS to be for the right reasons, and by someone who had a genuine desire to to see the Club progress.
To many clubs have dicovered the folly of handing over control to those who know little or nothing or about the club.
Tread carefully Jeremy. We are pleased with the clubs progress, both on and off the field, and ANY major changes has to be VERY carefully considered by yourself and Fellow directors.
But in saying that i DO believe you have the best intersts of West Bromwich Albion at heart, as does every genuine Baggies supporter.
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32 Spuggy.
Your first point. It was Paul Thompson at that time. JP took over later and inflicted Robson on us. Agreed however, since putting that clanger right he’s done nothing wrong.
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in my opinion i think its great news well done jp hes put the club 1st get the right man in now and watch us go aye boing boing
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30 Probably in Russia at a guess
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33 yeah right but he only owns 20% of QPR and are his formula 1 mates going to let him buy tyhem out I think not.
See Bombers comment 24 he was at the Vine on Friday!!!!!
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Surely if JP had anyone waiting to buy the club he would have announced the deal rather than saying he wanted to sell?? He is fishing for a new owner with money and looking for the best deal!
We will see.
It would be embarassing if no one comes forward to make a DECENT offer. That is, not just the 30 million purchase but the credentials and money to move the club onwards and upwards.
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i have 100% faith in jp too get the right man in. i think big things are about too happen. face it anyone who can get 3.5m for ellington aint no mug
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