SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[TUMBO]

Just wildly stabbing at this, I never thought this was going to be a quick process at all.

But I'm driving myself crazy with why things are and are not happening or moving since the 95% statements.

Do we actually have a willing seller?
Behind the smoke screen of statements, standing outside his garden and speaking to fans that have quite rightly lost all respect for him, is he honestly looking to sell? I know he hasn't the cash to actually keep it but is he actually actively trying to sell, or to stall until he finds investment externally. I do not trust the man at all, and cannot guess, nor understand his mindset.

Do we have serious buyers?

I - like I imagine 99% of people on this thread, know absolutely nothing about Kimura -
It is a fair question, are their pockets deep enough? I.e. are we jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Is/was their bid half based on a new commercial space within the stadium. If so, why have they pulled out on being the party that leads a buy out? They've pulled out for a reason, something has changed that hasn't been publically declared. I appreciate some (Potentially 2 members according to SZ) are still interested in some capacity, but how can the company withdraw.

I appreciate a lot goes on behind closed doors for obvious reasons, but now we are at the stage we are - baring in mind the season starts in 2 and a bit weeks, the risk of losing our league place, I'm surprised that conversations between each parties aren't going on in a room until 11pm at night in order to conclude this saga as swiftly as possible.

That's not a dig at anyone, it could be Ron unwilling to do so. By making himself unavailable, leading me back to reason 1 above.

Just wanted to share my frustration somewhere, and I think my Mrs is bored of it being her!

 

[dusterman]

Being told to relax and enjoy ye Friday with all this going on is tough. Think we’re all a shadow of ourselves at the moment. IF we survive this the relief will be immense, but it will have taken its toll. Been a crippling few months watching our club on the brink. Scrap that, years.

 

[leeblue]

The dithering around here by the consortium I find quite remarkable. We have days left to exist (though we’re not sure quite how many), Ron is self proclaimed skint, he’s set out what appear to be reasonable terms and still the consortium, if they choose to form, are spending their time in the shadows doing who knows what.

As I’ve said before, if they were ready to accept Ron’s terms it’s time to go public about it and put the ball in Ron’s court. Their silence to me indicates they aren’t ready, either because they’re still jostling for who gets which seat at the table or because they don’t intend to take the offer that’s publicly available.

Either way it’s far from positive in my view. We have a glimmer of hope, but whilst they remain in the shadows I won’t be betting on them as our saviours.

The time for a public response to Ron’s offer was this week, pre-tomorrow’s protests. This is not the time for the only interaction to be asking SZ members whether they would like to go back to the North Bank. I think this is the first time I’ve really thought we’ll be lucky to survive the next week.

Don’t get me wrong I’m thankful if they exist and choose to get involved, but I don’t think they can expect much from us whilst they stay schtum.

We're all bricking it and we are all thirsty for info/updates. I'm taking a little bit of radio silence as a good thing....deals being discussed/proposed etc.

 

[dusterman]

Just wildly stabbing at this, I never thought this was going to be a quick process at all.

But I'm driving myself crazy with why things are and are not happening or moving since the 95% statements.

Do we actually have a willing seller?
Behind the smoke screen of statements, standing outside his garden and speaking to fans that have quite rightly lost all respect for him, is he honestly looking to sell? I know he hasn't the cash to actually keep it but is he actually actively trying to sell, or to stall until he finds investment externally. I do not trust the man at all, and cannot guess, nor understand his mindset.

Do we have serious buyers?

I - like I imagine 99% of people on this thread, know absolutely nothing about Kimura -
It is a fair question, are their pockets deep enough? I.e. are we jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Is/was their bid half based on a new commercial space within the stadium. If so, why have they pulled out on being the party that leads a buy out? They've pulled out for a reason, something has changed that hasn't been publically declared. I appreciate some (Potentially 2 members according to SZ) are still interested in some capacity, but how can the company withdraw.

I appreciate a lot goes on behind closed doors for obvious reasons, but now we are at the stage we are - baring in mind the season starts in 2 and a bit weeks, the risk of losing our league place, I'm surprised that conversations between each parties aren't going on in a room until 11pm at night in order to conclude this saga as swiftly as possible.

That's not a dig at anyone, it could be Ron unwilling to do so. By making himself unavailable, leading me back to reason 1 above.

Just wanted to share my frustration somewhere, and I think my Mrs is bored of it being her!

From people I tend to trust on here and socials, I believe he wants to sell. It’s not that Kimura don’t have the money to buy, the project doesn’t fit with their investor’s needs now, similar to Carl Reader. And they probably knew that a while ago. RM did want to sell to them so he wasn’t lying as such but it doesn’t work for them, hence the new statement and trying to find people to back instead.

 

[TUMBO]

From people I tend to trust on here and socials, I believe he wants to sell. It’s not that Kimura don’t have the money to buy, the project doesn’t fit with their investor’s needs now, similar to Carl Reader. And they probably knew that a while ago. RM did want to sell to them so he wasn’t lying as such but it doesn’t work for them, hence the new statement and trying to find people to back instead.

Appreciate you replying.

Another thought I forgot to add is why these so called "Interested Parties" who has previously staked a claim, or declared an interest so publically, weren't coming out the shadows.

Buying a football club isn't like buying a car, if it doesn't work out so be it. That would have been a well thought out process surely before even declaring an interest or reaching out.

My point being, if it isn't of interest to their investors now (July 2023,) was your interest really that serious or sustainable in January 23 if your proposal wouldn't make sense 6 months later?

It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

Is it too early for a pint?

 

[palexander]

Only Ron knows. He's always managed to pull some cash from somewhere but i imagine its getting harder and harder for him - although I note his house is on a nice double fronted plot, he could sell off part of that land, wouldnt raise millions but it all helps. There's actually 2 questions, does he have the resources to pay - possibly, see above. Is he willing to pay? This sale process maybe showing him that it's not worth as much as he hoped and he shouldn't put anymore cash in. So even if he has the cash I'd question his willingness - depends if he needs the club alive to still realise FF or if he feels other consequences of letting the club fold are too high.

Thats where I am, I imagine its now a case of "wont" rather than "cant"

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Thats where I am, I imagine its now a case of "wont" rather than "cant"

I'd have my money on "can't" rather than "won't", and he's run out of other peoples money, aswell.

 

[leeblue]

Appreciate you replying.

Another thought I forgot to add is why these so called "Interested Parties" who has previously staked a claim, or declared an interest weren't coming out the shadows.

Buying a football club isn't like buying a car, if it doesn't work out so be it. That would have been a well thought out process surely before even declaring an interest or reaching out.

My point being, if it isn't of interest to their investors now (July 2023,) was your interest really that serious in January 23 if your proposal wouldn't make sense 6 months later?

It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

Is it too early for a pint?

On paper the fossetts + RH development was a great money making opportunity and that project will have been what the big investment was for.....however after DD it is clear that Fossetts is just la la land and not viable in current form. This then leaves the far smaller sum of money to buy a derelict ground and a Skelton football team. This means it's tougher to get investors. Thus it now looks like 5 people will use personal wealth to purchase said poop hole.

 

[Floval Flyer]

Appreciate you replying.

Another thought I forgot to add is why these so called "Interested Parties" who has previously staked a claim, or declared an interest so publically, weren't coming out the shadows.

Buying a football club isn't like buying a car, if it doesn't work out so be it. That would have been a well thought out process surely before even declaring an interest or reaching out.

My point being, if it isn't of interest to their investors now (July 2023,) was your interest really that serious or sustainable in January 23 if your proposal wouldn't make sense 6 months later?

It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

Is it too early for a pint?

It’s never too early for a pint

 

[TUMBO]

On paper the fossetts + RH development was a great money making opportunity and that project will have been what the big investment was for.....however after DD it is clear that Fossetts is just la la land and not viable in current form. This then leaves the far smaller sum of money to buy a derelict ground and a Skelton football team. This means it's tougher to get investors. Thus it now looks like 5 people will use personal wealth to purchase said poop hole.

Understand that completely, which is why i'm so frustrated at the "95% done" and the "Wallop" posts I think.

It appears it was a bridge too far to either re develop RH somewhat, or amend where necessary the plans at FF

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

On paper the fossetts + RH development was a great money making opportunity and that project will have been what the big investment was for.....however after DD it is clear that Fossetts is just la la land and not viable in current form. This then leaves the far smaller sum of money to buy a derelict ground and a Skelton football team. This means it's tougher to get investors. Thus it now looks like 5 people will use personal wealth to purchase said poop hole.

That's pretty much what I have concluded. The deal that is now being proposed by Ron is pretty much the classic football club sale (albeit on pretty favourable terms if taken at face value). That narrows the pool of potential purchasers further and likely means we will need a group of local moderately wealthy individuals (as alluded to by @CRATE) in the absence of an extremely wealthy individual with loads of money to burn.

 

[leeblue]

Understand that completely, which is why i'm so frustrated at the "95% done" and the "Wallop" posts I think.

It appears it was a bridge too far to either re develop RH somewhat, or amend where necessary the plans at FF

Wallop came after agreeing deal....then doing DD was unwallop

 

[Mbof]

Wallop came after agreeing deal....then doing DD was unwallop

Then possibly finding some others to wallop with has made it a rewallop

 

[Blue Yonder]

Each week you think something must happen in the next week or we’re screwed. Here we are at the end of another week somehow still standing and again thinking something must happen in the next 7 days. It’s the most scrutinised but least open process ever. for positive news soon.

 

[NZamba Legend]

FF was very a late 90s/ early 2000s aesthetic. Ron's needs to get with the 2020s and start wearing some baggier pants

 

[Userorange]

FF was very a late 90s/ early 2000s aesthetic. Ron's needs to get with the 2020s and start wearing some baggier pants

Not good when he sh*ts himself.

 

[Boreham Blue]

One (very small) grain of hope is that if Ron's stated deal is valid, it's structured to include clearing the debt the NL want and it's the company loan stuff that gets written off. If a deal can be agreed, even with a letter of intent, and if on that basis Ron could raise the bridging loan to clear this he would then get it paid back on sale rather than being money lost for him.

 

[leeblue]

Then possibly finding some others to wallop with has made it a rewallop

Fossetts deal was Wallop...no fossetts now.

 

[superblue24]

Listened to the Twitter Space last night and didn't really make me feel any better about things. Anna Firth came on and I turned off when she left, didn't really have an awful lot to contribute that we didn't already know, and didn't know about the "new approach" which just sounds like "news for the sake of news" by Chris Phillips. I dont blame him for reporting as much as he can, as many of the fanbase crave this. It just doesn't feel like anything is really known by anyone, just a lot of "who shot John" noise. Speaking of noise, I don't think hosting a Twitter Space in the pub works from an engagement perspective, and the cliques probably will be a put off to some fans.

 

[Streaky]

So just to confirm we are now at 94.9% done now??