Thames Sports Investment

[Sir Dodger Royal]

Hi Boys
So RFC could be sold. If correct then about bloody time. However this could be the Daily Mail putting 2 & 2 together and making 5. The buyer is the son of Mr Z and recently Anton appointed VP of Ener 1 Inc (See below). Looking at the Press release they appear to have cash flow issues and need bailing out with Debt Financing. If true the Madman & potential new owners being two of a kind:
Press Release
Ener1 Obtains $4.5 Million of Short-term Debt Financing
NEW YORK, Nov.�22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ener1, Inc. (OTC: HEVV) today announced that it has obtained $4.5 million of short-term debt financing from Bzinfin S.A., the company's largest shareholder and investment funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management L.P. This additional liquidity should enable Ener1, and its subsidiaries, to continue operations while the company evaluates its options to reorganize its capital structure and implement business transformation efforts.

Emmm. Sounds like Portsmouth to Dodgeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Avon Royal]

Well done to the opening poster and those with brains large enough
to realise there could easily be a down side to this.

There could be a downside to anything in life. The trick is to keep focused on the potential.

If you live purely to avoid risk, you don't live at all.

So, say, for example, the mafia offered to back us.

What was that you were saying about stupid soundbytes?

[Woodcote Royal]

Some people are getting a little giddy with themselves here.

Come december this could still be one of the under statements of the year

Seriously, I have only pity for those who elected to post some of the worst nonsense on this thread and if any of you had the slightest influence over the clubs future, no sane investors would touch us with a bargepole.

Thankfully, we have a chairman who would never sell us down the river however much our idiot fringe implore him to do so. 20 years of his stewardship, along with the fact this club STILL has huge potential, means that, even in the current climate (and partly because of it) we can attract those who are looking for a relatively safe haven for their money, where the return stands a decent chance of beating inflation by a distance.

I know no more about this than some of our wonderful fans who could make a case for slitting their wrists on the day they won the lottery but I trust the man who made us what we are today to have our best interests at heart.

[Fezza]

Have we sold to Ocean Finance?

[RoyalBlue]

Just a couple of thoughts:

If this comes to nothing, we are well and truly screwed for any more signings this transfer window. Prices to us have just flown sky high - poverty statements will not wash!

For those saying the Chairman will only do the right thing for RFC - @ £80M in total is an awful lot of money, even to someone who is rich. Sometimes that can change perspectives.

[RoyalBlue]

I'm worried.
Not only worried about the factual side of things, that it could well go tits up, but also worried that this could turn RFC into a plastic pantomime team like ManC or Chelsea.
Other people might find the opposite, they are willing to sacrifice that, in order for some big money signings. I disagree.

If we're talking pantomimes, there is another version where Cinderalla never actually gets to go to the ball!

[Royal Lady]

Surely this Boris bloke isn't too clever - £40 million for 49%? That values our club at over £80 million! There is NO way we're worth that.

He's bunging in £40 million WITHOUT being able to have any control - as JM will veto anything he wants to do, with his majority shareholding.

Won't the £40 million be used to pay off the current black hole and pay off the money JM has loaned us? How does the club get any of it?

Sorry to bring a downer on this - but I can't see us suddenly splashing the cash on players.

[leicsRoyal]

Very surreal to think this maybe happening to our club.

Not sure whether to feel the trepidation felt of leaving Elm Park for a shiny new stadium.

Or

The warm smug feeling of Robert Maxwell having a quick dip in the Ocean.

[No Hoops]

Some people are getting a little giddy with themselves here.

Come december this could still be one of the under statements of the year

Seriously, I have only pity for those who elected to post some of the worst nonsense on this thread and if any of you had the slightest influence over the clubs future, no sane investors would touch us with a bargepole.

Thankfully, we have a chairman who would never sell us down the river however much our idiot fringe implore him to do so. 20 years of his stewardship, along with the fact this club STILL has huge potential, means that, even in the current climate (and partly because of it) we can attract those who are looking for a relatively safe haven for their money, where the return stands a decent chance of beating inflation by a distance.

I know no more about this than some of our wonderful fans who could make a case for slitting their wrists on the day they won the lottery but I trust the man who made us what we are today to have our best interests at heart.

+1

[No Hoops]

The only downer I have is that I hope we don't become the Zing Zillers instead of the Royals!

[Norfolk Royal]

Surely this Boris bloke isn't too clever - £40 million for 49%? That values our club at over £80 million! There is NO way we're worth that.

He's bunging in £40 million WITHOUT being able to have any control - as JM will veto anything he wants to do, with his majority shareholding.

Won't the £40 million be used to pay off the current black hole and pay off the money JM has loaned us? How does the club get any of it?

Sorry to bring a downer on this - but I can't see us suddenly splashing the cash on players.

Tbf the article says the deal could reach £40-million. My guess is that figure would come into play if he bought the other 49 per cent of the shares.

[Simon's Church]

Surely this Boris bloke isn't too clever - £40 million for 49%? That values our club at over £80 million! There is NO way we're worth that.

He's bunging in £40 million WITHOUT being able to have any control - as JM will veto anything he wants to do, with his majority shareholding.

Won't the £40 million be used to pay off the current black hole and pay off the money JM has loaned us? How does the club get any of it?

Sorry to bring a downer on this - but I can't see us suddenly splashing the cash on players.

errr

Madejski has agreed a deal to sell 51 per cent of his stake in the club with an option on the remainder of his shareholding.

[Royal Lady]

Oh. Great.

[MICKLEOVER ROYAL]

http://www.russianlondon.com/ukmedia/show/tv/21830/

[Sir Dodger Royal]

My understanding is that the Madman is selling 51% of the equity thus the Mad Russian would have control.

Let's hope it goes through and we start to invest. If it goes belly up then fortunately my loss will be the balance of season ticket matches not seen. By then Saints will be in the Premiership so just a case of changing allegiance to another Club.

Simple reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Royal Lady]

Won't stop me posting m8!!!

If anything my post count on here will increase!!

[PieEater]

The alternative view is that SJM has sold the Russians on the possibility of making a profit on their investment each year by selling key players and replacing them with cheap signings or youngsters from the academy. We have proof we can do that over the past few seasons and be competitive.

We have the infrastructure to make that a real ongoing possibility.

Having an investor doesn't necessarily mean they're going to throw loads of money away on transfers and wages and expect no return, and actually I'd be pretty pissed off if that were the case.

[Arnie_Pie]

That values our club at over £80 million! There is NO way we're worth that.

Why do you say that? The club is financially stable. We may even be the most financially stable club in the entire country! Whilst not maing much profit, the club is turning over within it's own means and to someone that wants to invest in a football club, that is a massive plus point.

[Norfolk Royal]

I find it interesting that in the Mail article it says the son, Anton, was educated in Reading but then went to university in New York.

If that is the case that he went to either a state school or a private school in close proximity to Reading, there must be people among our fans who were at school with him.

This is a heartening aspect of this in my view since it at least shows some sort of connection or affinity with the area. It's not inconceivable that he recalls his time in Reading with some affection as a lot of Reading University students do for instance.

Secondly, I also found it heartening in one of the pieces posted that Kenwright said Anton had an encyclopaedic knowledge of football.

If that is the case then it doesn't really smack of some oligarch on an ego or asset stripping exercise.

[Tails]

The alternative view is that SJM has sold the Russians on the possibility of making a profit on their investment each year by selling key players and replacing them with cheap signings or youngsters from the academy. We have proof we can do that over the past few seasons and be competitive.

We have the infrastructure to make that a real ongoing possibility.

Having an investor doesn't necessarily mean they're going to throw loads of money away on transfers and wages and expect no return, and actually I'd be pretty pissed off if that were the case.

Is it not that the recent transfers over the last few years were to balance the deficit in our income/outgoing. There has been profit, unless you think that if we buy more, we can sell more? Which I'm not sure seasoned business are naive enough to expect prolonged success with this.