Thames Sports Investment

[ZacNaloen]

All comes down to whether madejski has been sold a pack of lies about their long term intentions or not.

[Royal Lady]

All comes down to whether madejski has been sold a pack of lies about their long term intentions or not.

This is what concerns me tbh. SJM will "only" hold 49% - not a majority shareholding - therefore, in theory, TSI can do whatever they like and if it goes to a boardroom vote, SJM will be powerless because they hold the majority. I've been concerned that they are "talking the talk" but won't "walk the walk" if the takeover comes to fruition. The talk about the expansion said Anton had said he wanted to expand to 38k next season, assuming we stay up. It now seems that Boris' money is involved. Does that mean Boris is going to sit back and have no say in anything at all? And will he and his son disagree on stuff? It's all conjecture but to idly just sit back and accept everything that is spouted, because you see £ signs flashing in front of your eyes, is a dangerous thing to do.

Don't get me wrong - I'll be the first to laud TSI if they come up with their promises, if it seems McD is genuinely happy with the regime and what he is allowed to spend. But isn't there a very real chance that the new owners, should we go straight back down next season, or look to be heading that way, will decide McD isn't the man to lead us - and bring in someone else. Something that I don't think SJM would consider. Will TSI really do things "the Reading way"? Or will they feel they have the right to interfere with buying in players etc? No-one knows - so to say something ISN'T going to happen is just as worrying to the likes of me, as me saying I have misgivings is to the likes of the rest of you.

I hope that RFC continue along the lines that we always have, but with a healthy cash injection from TSI - maybe we won't have to wait too long until we all find out. Promotion has, at least, given us the option now that even if the TSI deal falters, for whatever reason, we WILL have some money to bolster the squad in the coming season - something we wouldn't have had, had we stayed in the Championship next season. All of us, as fans, want the best for RFC - whether that is TSI taking over remains to be seen.


No doubt I'll get the usual "negativity" comments from the usual suspects - but I can assure you that if, this time next year, things are going brilliantly under the leadership of TSI I WILL admit I was daft to have my concerns.

[Uke]

Agreed,

SJM will have no real power. If he is unhappy he will be outvoted by the TSI group - his employers.

[Rex]

It's not daft RL. Cautious maybe but you are only airing what many feel. It could go so right, it could implode before or after a deal is struck. I hope like you it doesn't and that the posturing isn't just a little show boating.

[ZacNaloen]

Perfectly sensible comments RL

We have no control though, so all we can do now is trust those do

[blueroyals]

An ideal situation would be both TSI and SJM having a 49% stake each with STAR retaining 2% in a "sleeping investor" role. If there are conflicts then STAR can step in and make a final decision based on the clubs interests.

[ZacNaloen]

That actually would be a really really great situation.

[cmonurz]

That actually would be a really really great situation.

Agreed, but crucially one that from TSI's perspective would dramatically reduce the value of their investment.

[Millsy]

Forget star, I think I should be the deciding man.

I hope you're reading this Sir John.

[Hampshire Royal]

I think Schards and RL should be given the chance to buy 1% of the club's value each. Imagine, we have one who says that this season's success can be put down to the new investment from TSI, the other has misgivings about TSI. It's worth a go! Mind you, they'd each have to pay in the region of 510,000, but surely it would be worth.

[ZacNaloen]

It's way too late now but would have interesting if we could have petitioned the club earlier on that a portion of season ticket revenue for season tickets holders in a scheme where we have a vote, But it's all for nought really because madejski will sell his remaining portion of the club rendering the sentiment moot in the long run.

The only way protect football clubs from dodgy owners would be if season tickers holders owned 51% of all football clubs with a qualified representative signing off on financial decisions.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Anyone else getting a little frustrated reading all these blogs and opinion pieces suggesting that if the premier league investigation isn't positive we won't be promoted. Doesn't take much research to realise madejski still owns reading and the deal still hasn't been finalised....

why would they stop us being promoted?..they will just tell Anton he can`t take over, god forbid!

Because he gave us some cash for Roberts etc?

[ZacNaloen]

That wouldn't stop us being promoted, that was antons own risk if the deal didn't get ratified. They'd just go down as investors we owe money too.

[Uke]

An ideal situation would be both TSI and SJM having a 49% stake each with STAR retaining 2% in a "sleeping investor" role. If there are conflicts then STAR can step in and make a final decision based on the clubs interests.

That actually would be a really really great situation.

Neither TSI nor SJM would give that amount of power to a minority shareholder

[Rex]

Exactly. There are some stupid prats in the media. Just think of it this way - they are going to grind on about nothing in particular to generate interest in their column. No stories that are prime reading because we are newsworthy at the moment.

[ZacNaloen]

An ideal situation would be both TSI and SJM having a 49% stake each with STAR retaining 2% in a "sleeping investor" role. If there are conflicts then STAR can step in and make a final decision based on the clubs interests.

That actually would be a really really great situation.

Neither TSI nor SJM would give that amount of power to a minority shareholder

Of course not, it's a great situation for fans not owners.

[Friday's Legacy]

Indeed. However, the deal is almost there now. The PL have carried on from where the FL left off. There will be a few bits to tie up but if SJM believes this can all be done inside 2 weeks (he actually said he hoped for next week), then I would expect he means it and wont want to then face further questions about another deadline not being met.

Although AZ and BZ have a close affiliation with CS, if they had any doubts that he was involved in money laundering and their money could also be mismanaged then they wouldn't want him involved any longer. FWIW, CS has had these accusations thrown at him in the past to no avail.

The reason we have recently heard from AZ is because he has been advised to be more transparent and open. His father making an appearance is also no coincidence. This is what the PL want. They have to know who is involved and where the money comes from, so this makes things a lot easier now and brings us another step closer to signing on the dotted line.

That aside, there would be a lot less concern on here if a certain stay away poster stopped pulling the strings of others. He/she is 100% opposed to the take-over, and has been wrong on a couple of occasions now and their ego has clearly been dented somewhat as a result if their 'must be right about all things RFC' attitude.

[robinsfriday]

Indeed. However, the deal is almost there now. The PL have carried on from where the FL left off. There will be a few bits to tie up but if SJM believes this can all be done inside 2 weeks (he actually said he hoped for next week), then I would expect he means it and wont want to then face further questions about another deadline not being met.

Although AZ and BZ have a close affiliation with CS, if they had any doubts that he was involved in money laundering and their money could also be mismanaged then they wouldn't want him involved any longer. FWIW, CS has had these accusations thrown at him in the past to no avail.

The reason we have recently heard from AZ is because he has been advised to be more transparent and open. His father making an appearance is also no coincidence. This is what the PL want. They have to know who is involved and where the money comes from, so this makes things a lot easier now and brings us another step closer to signing on the dotted line.

That aside, there would be a lot less concern on here if a certain stay away poster stopped pulling the strings of others. He/she is 100% opposed to the take-over, and has been wrong on a couple of occasions now and their ego has clearly been dented somewhat as a result if their 'must be right about all things RFC' attitude.

Finally. Some common bloody sense. I think we all know who FL is talking about here. I've bitten my tongue on this topic for a good few weeks now because quite frankly, the "oh my source says" information is utter rubbish. The deal will be completed within the next twelve days. I wish this thread would be locked until the deal was signed off because some of the nonsense that is coming out is quite frankly child like.

[Muguire]

It's a shame there isn't an R or an L in Jon Keen He's had a rough 12 months or so with his ITK knowledge going pearshaped, which led to him leaving the board in a drove

Stop PM'ing people to post your opinions and stick to Twitter you sad pcunt

[ZacNaloen]

not how I'd have expressed myself muguire