Diehard Si
New Member
Yes but if you were smart you'd buy out ACL not the stadium.
The Council can't see for a loss, but I bet if an offer came in that would see them make a little cash, and it was from a City fan who could proove he would invest in the team and develop the club a lot of pressure could be put on them to sell up for less, especially if they were being seen to be a stumbling block. I think if they were offered a ticket out for a positive return they would jump at it. Washing their hands of the nightmare that has been the Ricoh and making money on it in the process?
The stadium cost £110m, that was 10 years ago. For ease I'll round it down to £100m. Lets depreciate it over 50 years, so it's now worth 4/5th's of the original value, £80m. Now, that's what it's worth but you could then turn their logic on them that they can't lose tax payers money by offering them a positive return. They are not like a private company, it could all be public adding pressure to them. Consider the fact now I believe they purchased the site for £20m and sold half to Tesco immeadiately for £60m. That's £40m right there. I think a good case could be made for purchasing ACL for £45m. They could easily say no, but when the money was down on a table with a take it or leave it offer, it would be interesting.
Then I think £20m invested in the club slowly could turn it round. You couldn't go mad and buy buy buy, that kind of attitude it what gets clubs in trouble. But invest in the coaches and the scouts, snap up good promising young players ( the Dann's the Fox's ), develop them, keep a few but sell a couple to balance the books.. re-invest and repeat. Build bridges with the fans, do everything you can to get that stadium full. This club is waiting for good times, I think when they come the floodgates will open.
The Council can't see for a loss, but I bet if an offer came in that would see them make a little cash, and it was from a City fan who could proove he would invest in the team and develop the club a lot of pressure could be put on them to sell up for less, especially if they were being seen to be a stumbling block. I think if they were offered a ticket out for a positive return they would jump at it. Washing their hands of the nightmare that has been the Ricoh and making money on it in the process?
The stadium cost £110m, that was 10 years ago. For ease I'll round it down to £100m. Lets depreciate it over 50 years, so it's now worth 4/5th's of the original value, £80m. Now, that's what it's worth but you could then turn their logic on them that they can't lose tax payers money by offering them a positive return. They are not like a private company, it could all be public adding pressure to them. Consider the fact now I believe they purchased the site for £20m and sold half to Tesco immeadiately for £60m. That's £40m right there. I think a good case could be made for purchasing ACL for £45m. They could easily say no, but when the money was down on a table with a take it or leave it offer, it would be interesting.
Then I think £20m invested in the club slowly could turn it round. You couldn't go mad and buy buy buy, that kind of attitude it what gets clubs in trouble. But invest in the coaches and the scouts, snap up good promising young players ( the Dann's the Fox's ), develop them, keep a few but sell a couple to balance the books.. re-invest and repeat. Build bridges with the fans, do everything you can to get that stadium full. This club is waiting for good times, I think when they come the floodgates will open.