Preston Haskell IV to buy Alan Higgs charity. (1 Viewer)

[CovFan]

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Football_League/article1235092.ece

A US multimillionaire has agreed a deal to purchase a half share of Coventry City’s stadium with a view to buying the League One club out of an impending administration. Preston Haskell has promised to invest heavily in the playing squad and overhaul the club’s operations to return the side to England’s top tier.

His plans include the return of suspended life president Joe Elliott as chairman and bringing The Sky Blue Trust onto a restructured board by offering the supporters’ body a 20% stake in their club. The £113m Ricoh Arena is joint owned by the city council and the Alan Edward Higgs Charity. Haskell has agreed to buy the latter group’s half-share of Arena Coventry Limited (ACL) provided he can take over its management. “To return this club to the Premier League will take investment in the team and a proper management structure,” Haskell said.

More to the story is there if you are a Sunday Times subscriber.


Please for the love of God can this be true.

 

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[Nonleagueherewecome]

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Football_League/article1235092.ece



More to the story is there if you are a Sunday Times subscriber.


Please for the love of God can this be true.

I've been up all night watching cricket, so I'm gonna assume that I've passed out and this is part of a dream.

Too good to be true?

Not sure about the Joe bit!

 

[MusicDating]

I've been up all night watching cricket, so I'm gonna assume that I've passed out and this is part of a dream.

Too good to be true?

Not sure about the Joe bit!

To be honest, he could bring in Doug Ellis as Chairman and I wouldn't give a flying!

This is one rumour i'd love PWKH to respond to...

 

[DukeOfCov]

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Football_League/article1235092.ece



More to the story is there if you are a Sunday Times subscriber.


Please for the love of God can this be true.

Looks like I'll be buying the Sunday Times later then...!

 

[Otis]

But didn't Brendan Gilfoyle on Friday say he'd met this Haskell fella and believed he didn't have the money/resources to buy the club and would fail on due diligence?

 

[logjoe]

I've been up all night watching cricket, so I'm gonna assume that I've passed out and this is part of a dream.

Too good to be true?

Not sure about the Joe bit!

Agree about Joe wasn't he the man that bought sisu into the fold and am not sure that american owners are the answer ask liverpool and villa

 

[ccfchandsy]

Fucking get in If he has we need to sell out the Ricoh to show him we believe in him and what can be achieved

Come on boys pusb

 

[Otis]

But didn't Brendan Gilfoyle on Friday say he'd met this Haskell fella and believed he didn't have the money/resources to buy the club and would fail on due diligence?

And if the rumours are true, I would guess then that there must be other parties onboard.

 

[Sutty]

But didn't Brendan Gilfoyle on Friday say he'd met this Haskell fella and believed he didn't have the money/resources to buy the club and would fail on due diligence?

Plymouth fan on another forum I post on says Guilfoyle was incompetence personified as their administrator, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he's completely misread the situation.

 

[Stafford_SkBlue]

Only one problem - cannot buy the club from the administrators. He will need to make an offer to SISU to buy the club.
ACL have issued to statement that effectively said their aim is to rid SISU from the club, the courts will not like that as they have a hidden agenda.

Another essential thing is to rid the interference from the Council, they need to be completely removed from ACL.

 

[The Penguin]

After the Times' reporting of the Qatari league thing that was based entirely on a satirical French football blog, I'm very skeptical about anything they report.

I won't be waiting with bated breath on this story.

 

[Wm65]

I would take this article with a very large pinch of salt .

 

[Flying Fokker]

Only one problem - cannot buy the club from the administrators. He will need to make an offer to SISU to buy the club.
ACL have issued to statement that effectively said their aim is to rid SISU from the club, the courts will not like that as they have a hidden agenda.

Another essential thing is to rid the interference from the Council, they need to be completely removed from ACL.

Nothing hidden there!

 

[SkyBlueScottie]

Why would we want Elliot as chairman? The game has moved on off the field, you need the best people in all roles as it has an impact on how the club is run. In terms of the footballing side of things Fisher and Waggott have done a decent job.

 

[SkyBlueScottie]

In fact reading it again, he wants to buy 50% of ACL, take over the running of it and then get the club out of Admin sounds like he is doing it on the cheap. Will the council be happy to hand over the running of ACL?

 

[The Penguin]

I suspect all the author has done is put some names and details together (things already in the public domain), make up some 'direct quotes' from Haskell (has he spoken anywhere publically about CCFC? I wouldn't have thought so)....and boom, we have an article in the Sunday Times.

Or am I being too cynical?

 

[Sky Blues]

I could see a scenario where he might agree to buy out the Higgs Charity stake in the Ricoh if he can buy the club too. But if he buys the half share in ACL before controlling the club, wouldn't Sisu just inflate their sale price because they would know he was already committed to doing a deal? Interesting story, but let's not get carried away just yet.

 

[sky blue john]

I could see a scenario where he might agree to buy out the Higgs Charity stake in the Ricoh if he can buy the club too. But if he buys the half share in ACL before controlling the club, wouldn't Sisu just inflate their sale price because they would know he was already committed to doing a deal? Interesting story, but let's not get carried away just yet.

Exactly what i thought. But all dependent on Sisu selling which we dont even know their price yet.
I think sisu's demands as history shows will be unrealistic.
The key will be getting the acl administrator in.
Also things need to be made difficult for Sisu, like not many season ticket holders turning up to where ever fridays game will be played.

 

[Flying Fokker]

Or. Perhaps he is prepared to develop the area regardless of having ccfc on board. For the time being anyway.

 

[Diehard Si]

Interesting development. Joe Elliott has my complete trust. Yes he's made a few mistakes, but his heart is in the right place.

I'd fully support this. The only issue is unless the High Court rules in our favour, SISU have gazumped this with their own admin move.

Although I'd love it if the football share was still on limited and haskell could buy that. Use SISU's plan against them.

 

[torchomatic]

And PWKH said the same yesterday, didn't he. Great news if true, but a double-edged sword if Elliot is involved. We've had twodifferent sources saying he isn't in the position to purchase so what is this all about?

But didn't Brendan Gilfoyle on Friday say he'd met this Haskell fella and believed he didn't have the money/resources to buy the club and would fail on due diligence?

 

[CovFan]

Bit more flesh on the bones here http://sulia.com/channel/soccer/f/12b7cf99-9725-4bf7-b829-6269a5f12445/?source=twitter

 

[Diehard Si]

If this is true (or even if not) . Maybe now is the perfect time for the Sisu out protests.

All the media attention, cameras at the Ricoh.

 

[Diehard Si]

Bit more flesh on the bones here http://sulia.com/channel/soccer/f/12b7cf99-9725-4bf7-b829-6269a5f12445/?source=twitter

He certainly saying the right things.

 

[torchomatic]

Mmm...it's like someone has read the forum and ticked everything off a fans' wishlist:

Elliot back? Check.
20% stake for SBT. Check
Free ice-cream for the kids? Check

I'm still confused though after PWKH said the bloke wasn't in the game. Sounds great, but we've had hopes like this before.

Bit more flesh on the bones here http://sulia.com/channel/soccer/f/12b7cf99-9725-4bf7-b829-6269a5f12445/?source=twitter

 

[bigdave740]

Please for the love of god be true

 

[melbourneskyblue]

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/Football_League/article1235092.ece



More to the story is there if you are a Sunday Times subscriber.


Please for the love of God can this be true.

Stuart linell just said on cwr that the story is being denied by acl

 

[Covstu]

This story is clearly gathering momentum as it was just on SSN!!

 

[BluntPixels]

Stuart linell just said on cwr that the story is being denied by acl

they would do though wouldnt they,this would infuriate sisu,best to play it down and see what happens tuesday and going forward,i agree with another poster that ACL wouldnt of pushed for admin without financial replacement

 

[torchomatic]

Not surprised. Two people denied it yesterday.

Stuart linell just said on cwr that the story is being denied by acl

 

[PWKH]

I have heard the rumours about the sale of the Charity’s shares to Preston Haskell IV. Although we know that he is one of the parties interested in such a purchase, and I have met him at a football match, there is no truth in the rumour. The Charity, as with everyone else looks forward to a time when the ownership of the Club and the stadium is united under owners who can give the Football Club a sustainable future and continue the regeneration of north east Coventry with further development at the Ricoh Arena.

 

[torchomatic]

Play it down? Surely, that's lying! ACL wouldn't do that.

they would do though wouldnt they,this would infuriate sisu,best to play it down and see what happens tuesday and going forward,i agree with another poster that ACL wouldnt of pushed for admin without financial replacement

 

[Covstu]

it would be the ultimate way to piss SISU off I guess but I doubt Alan Higgs would do it for that purpose but maybe they just want to wash their hands with it.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

I have heard the rumours about the sale of the Charity’s shares to Preston Haskell IV. Although we know that he is one of the parties interested in such a purchase, and I have met him at a football match, there is no truth in the rumour. The Charity, as with everyone else looks forward to a time when the ownership of the Club and the stadium is united under owners who can give the Football Club a sustainable future and continue the regeneration of north east Coventry with further development at the Ricoh Arena.

With all due respect to yourself, Why could this not be under Haskell? why is there no truth in this? Does he not have the funds? Is he definitely not interested?

Would be good to put this rumour to bed with an explanation.

Also...

“To return this club to the Premier League will take investment in the team and a proper management structure,” Haskell said.

This quote can be looked at two ways as it could be saying that it's too much of a big task to take on and doesn't say that he is interested at all.

 

[Covstu]

With all due respect to yourself, Why could this not be under Haskell? why is there no truth in this? Does he not have the funds? Is he definitely not interested?

Would be good to put this rumour to bed with an explanation.

agreed mate, there is obviously some weight in his bid or he wouldn't just buy half of the ground without some intention of buying the club at some stage.