Former Albion chairman Tony Hale has predicted wealthy foreign businessmen will be tempted to the club following Jeremy Peace’s appeal for new cash.
Yet Hale, who is still the Baggies’ third biggest shareholder, also warned that a total buy-out of current chairman Peace’s controlling stake is the only likely method of investment.
The 64-year-old reckons the current rush to buy up Premier League clubs will make Albion an attractive proposition for businessmen from abroad.
But he does not believe investors would plough cash into the Baggies unless they took over from Peace.
He said: “Albion is a good club with a lot of history. It always has been.
“Now we are back in the Premier League, I think that makes it an even more attractive proposition for someone who wants to buy a club.
“We have seen in recent times from the number of clubs that have been bought out that the Premier League is the place people want to be.
“Premier League clubs have become very attractive businesses for people to buy and I don’t see why Albion shouldn’t be attractive.
“But if you wanted to put £50m into a club that you would want to own it and be able to run it as you wanted to.
“That really speaks for itself and I don’t see anyone investing large amounts of money on any other terms.”
Behind the scenes, the Baggies have been surprised by the lack of contact from businessmen willing to invest or interested in buying the club.
It was that shortage of interest that sparked Tuesday’s appeal for new investment, which effectively meant Peace’s controlling stake in club was up for sale.
4 Comments
Now we’re getting closer to the truth. Nobody’s interesed, hence the public plea. Never mind, Happy Baggie and the others can continue to delude themselves that major investment is on the way for “the biggest club in the Midlands”. I can hear the Villa fans laughing from here!
1 minute theres loads of billionaires sniffing round then ….
Is there a problem finding an investor?
Let’s see. On the one hand we have JP, a self made multi millionaire, under who’s stewardship WBA FC is running as a financially sound, successful football club. On the other we have a bunch of muppets supporting an ailing club. They come on here before going on their own site with the sole purpose to their lives of attacking anything Albion related.
Am I worried. What do you think.
Obviously I wouldn’t include Laughingbigtimelotteryinvestor Wolf in the above.
real bully sarcasm and jealousy is not becoming of you mate, not saying anything, its just a lack of interest!