Thames Sports Investment

[winchester_royal]

Will we be the next Pompey if this goes through or has Sir John Madejski's diligence been good enough not to see what he has created at RFC crumble below him?

The Zingarevich Stadium does not have the same ring to it as Mad stad!!

It does if we call it the Zing Stad, or maybe even Zingagrad.

[rob the royal]

Are team sport and thames sport the same thing?

[Terminal Boardom]

Well I tell you what, it's been a good run.
We had fun. I expect this board to be full of new users within a few months, if this "russian splash-the-cash-dash" comes to fruition.
We'll all be forgotten a year down the line.

Royal Lady, middleaged, Spacecruiser, canine enthusiast, and Ideal, seal culler, will all be history.

I can see future users appearing to take our place:
"Zingarevich's Wallet"
"The Marauding Zingarevich"
"Royal Babushka"
"Rubel Royal"
and so on..

It will put a new meaning to plastic. What will the new long lost reading supporters post January 2012 be referred to? And I too have been saying for years that SJM should have been seeking to get additional investment on board for years. But his ego kept getting in the way until his business empire started to crumble spectacularly around him.

Look on the bright side. It would seem that the expansion of the stadium will go ahead after all as will the building of Green Park station.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Deal may not involve all the assets, hotel training ground, Dome,actual stadium, FWIW new owners want the football team. If they want a hotel they can build one, and owning the team that plays at a Stadium so long as the lease is watertight is as good as owning the ground. LI have no need to own a ground thanks to leasing from RFC at the Madejski.

FWIW nothing on Printweek regarding that side of JM's interests since the wages cut was suggested.

It will be interesting to see what JM is worth in this years rich list in The Times

[tulip]

Just found this thread, I don't know what to think about this

Hopefully further news will be announced soon.

[muddyfeet]

Just woken up to this news, what the f is going on? Anyone care to summarise?!

Basically we're now the new QPR, if not the new Man City, and will be playing Champions League football within three years. You can go back to sleep now.

OIC

Thanks. So when is Warnock starting

[FiNeRaIn]

Lets get them in boys.

[RoyalBlue]

I can't work out whether I should be excited or not, but bearing in mind that Sir John has always said he will only sell the club to a suitable person, I have trust that the way we work won't change hugely. I think whoever it is (personally I'm not buying into the russian opinion of the mail) isn't going to come in an splash the cash. It will little old reading, a well run business, except with a bit more cash to spend on your £1 mill players...the kind of thing we need to get promoted.
Also, everyone on here is saying they don't want Sir John to go...great, i totally agree, but where is all the people who have been calling him to sell up at every opportunity for the last 3 years?

I'm here!

And for those warning that Oligarchs tend to be nasty pieces of work, I believe many very wealthy people can fall into a similar category.

[Rex]

All this talk of massive investment, what's the betting that the takeover happens and it's the same old story, no budget etc etc

And what if that happens. I for one would appreciate the calm measured approach. The Chelsea mould has already been broken and a more graceless club and support will not be found. God forbid we ever turn into that mob in ethos and ethics.

[1871 Royal]

[chilipepper91]

As long as we don't break the bank we're fine. As much as anything, McD and Hammond won't spend silly money on the wrong player. We seem to break even just about (with the sale of key assets) - all it is now is that some oligarch is okay to chuck £5-10m at us each season. Maybe more if we're promoted. It's a step in the right direction IMO.

[Cypry]

You don't spend 40 Million and not "take over". This isn't REAL, people.

Oh dear, and you are usually so good at maths.

Firstly, the quote is that it values the club at £40M; You are bright enough to know that means that if he is buying a % share then he is not paying the full value of the club.

Secondly, even as a bald statement that is so wrong. If I spent £40M on shares in Man Utd I would not expect to 'take over' because I would be a minor shareholder. It is all proportional.

In this instance, though, point one is the driver. The Club is, apparently, valued at £40M; thus if he is buying 51% of it he is paying just over £20M for his share.

Actually it says the deal "could top £40M" but as I said above, this is the Daily Mail we're quoting...

[Terminal Boardom]

[Simon's Church]

The club have said there's been a real russian tickets for todays game although that could be down to the megastore sale, everything moscow.

[Optimist]

City fans wore Arabian head scarfs, how long before one's Rumblestix are accompanied by a Russian fur hat

[Norfolk Royal]

Can we confirm who the first person will be to be spotted waving the hammer and sickle flag at the Madstad?

[Royal Lady]

City fans wore Arabian head scarfs, how long before one's Rumblestix are accompanied by a Russian fur hat :?:

Deadlock has had one of these for years!

[Wizard]

Can we confirm who the first person will be to be spotted waving the hammer and sickle flag at the Madstad?

I've just bought one and am on my way to the entrance of the hotel as we speak.

[Terminal Boardom]

New Cheerleader line up announced

[RoyalBlue]

Unless this deal (if there is one) gets concluded before this transfer window closes, I can't see any more significant signings being made by us. I suspect Madejski might say that it would be wrong to try to do transfer deals when in the middle of trying to sign up a deal with new investors/owners.

BTW, what's the betting on any deal to sell the club being for an 'undisclosed figure'?