So who are our new owners then?

golfaddick said:

Cafc43v3r said:

golfaddick said:

FSLN1 said:

bigstemarra said:

If our investors choose to be 'hands off' and leave the running of the club to experienced professionals, then that to me is a massive plus.

Both Roland and Tommy couldn't resist interfering because of their self-perceived business genius and it didn't bloody help, did it?

As others have said; the most important incomings to the club will be the aforementioned 'experienced professionals' as we haven't had enough of them in our recent history to give us even a remote chance of being successful.

Hopefully that will now change.  As we now appear to have owners who know that you have to 'speculate to accumulate', that means that I am much more optimistic for our future than I have been for years.

There is no guarantee of success, but at least we now have a fighting chance.

Strap yourselves in, lads and lasses.

The problem is we are a loss making club.

Will they have the patience to back off and stay in the background when we are 12th in the table and have lost three games on the trot and then the board/SMT ask for another £500K to cover that month's deficit? 

That was where things went wrong under Tommy...

I could understand his frustration when the management team asked him to sanction transfer fees for say Charlie Kirk only to see him go on loan as JJ didn't want to play him. Or for the six figure sum for DJ who managed to run down cu de sacs rather than into opponents penalty boxes and so on. 

That is when we'll get to see the mettle of the new owners. 

This.

Owning a hedge fund company which earns millions by simply existing is rather different to a loss making football club which needs half a million pounds of funding month after month with nothing to show for it. And then being asked for another half a million in January to buy a player that no one outside of League 1 has heard of. 

I doubt Brener or Friedman can even find Charlton if you gave them a London A--Z.

I financial advisor that doesn't know how hedge funds work? 

The point being is that I doubt they have to stump up ££££ every month just to keep the business going.

But I see I'm swimming against the tide. Don't get me wrong, I really do hope they are a  success and in a years or twos time we are singing their praises when we are in the Championship. I'm just a bit sceptical when none of the "big 3" seem to have made any sort of statement acknowledging their ownership.

Ryan Reynolds they ain't.  

Oh dear you've gone full Golfie. 

So instead of shrewd business gentlemen working together, sensibly spreading the cost and keeping a low profile, you want another "face", some ego that's always front and centre making noise? 

Uboat said:

sam3110 said:

golfaddick said:

Cafc43v3r said:

golfaddick said:

FSLN1 said:

bigstemarra said:

If our investors choose to be 'hands off' and leave the running of the club to experienced professionals, then that to me is a massive plus.

Both Roland and Tommy couldn't resist interfering because of their self-perceived business genius and it didn't bloody help, did it?

As others have said; the most important incomings to the club will be the aforementioned 'experienced professionals' as we haven't had enough of them in our recent history to give us even a remote chance of being successful.

Hopefully that will now change.  As we now appear to have owners who know that you have to 'speculate to accumulate', that means that I am much more optimistic for our future than I have been for years.

There is no guarantee of success, but at least we now have a fighting chance.

Strap yourselves in, lads and lasses.

The problem is we are a loss making club.

Will they have the patience to back off and stay in the background when we are 12th in the table and have lost three games on the trot and then the board/SMT ask for another £500K to cover that month's deficit? 

That was where things went wrong under Tommy...

I could understand his frustration when the management team asked him to sanction transfer fees for say Charlie Kirk only to see him go on loan as JJ didn't want to play him. Or for the six figure sum for DJ who managed to run down cu de sacs rather than into opponents penalty boxes and so on. 

That is when we'll get to see the mettle of the new owners. 

This.

Owning a hedge fund company which earns millions by simply existing is rather different to a loss making football club which needs half a million pounds of funding month after month with nothing to show for it. And then being asked for another half a million in January to buy a player that no one outside of League 1 has heard of. 

I doubt Brener or Friedman can even find Charlton if you gave them a London A--Z.

I financial advisor that doesn't know how hedge funds work? 

The point being is that I doubt they have to stump up ££££ every month just to keep the business going.

But I see I'm swimming against the tide. Don't get me wrong, I really do hope they are a  success and in a years or twos time we are singing their praises when we are in the Championship. I'm just a bit sceptical when none of the "big 3" seem to have made any sort of statement acknowledging their ownership.

Ryan Reynolds they ain't.  

Oh dear you've gone full Golfie. 

So instead of shrewd business gentlemen working together, sensibly spreading the cost and keeping a low profile, you want another "face", some ego that's always front and centre making noise? 

You love whoever owns the club and were a Roland apologist who opposed the protests, so I’m afraid your opinion doesn’t carry a massive amount of weight here. 

Is this directed to me  ??

If so you've got the wrong person. I've never been a Roland apologist & took full part in all the protests. 

Redmidland said:

I'm.hoping we'll get some sort of statement from 1 or 2 of the investors or maybe even a full interview on the OS before long. It may help all of us understand the short/medium term goals and we can finally get back to watching and  talking football. Then all the versions of the takeover threads can be consigned to history for at least a couple if years!
I'm quite excited by the coming season and slightly optimistic of success.

Hoping there will be plenty of goals.

golfaddick said:

redbuttle said:

Redmidland said:

I'm.hoping we'll get some sort of statement from 1 or 2 of the investors or maybe even a full interview on the OS before long. It may help all of us understand the short/medium term goals and we can finally get back to watching and  talking football. Then all the versions of the takeover threads can be consigned to history for at least a couple if years!
I'm quite excited by the coming season and slightly optimistic of success.

I don't think that will happen as they are strictly hands off.

So not really bothered then. Hope they realise that owning a League 1 club doesn't stop with the initial investment. I wonder how much they have put by for transfer windows & to cover the £8m loss we generally make being in this division. I feel Methven has sold them a pup....

Very different to Wrexham. 

No. They employ people to do the job that they are paid to do and let them get on with it.I they weren't bothered they would've have bought the club.

FSLN1 said:

bigstemarra said:

If our investors choose to be 'hands off' and leave the running of the club to experienced professionals, then that to me is a massive plus.

Both Roland and Tommy couldn't resist interfering because of their self-perceived business genius and it didn't bloody help, did it?

As others have said; the most important incomings to the club will be the aforementioned 'experienced professionals' as we haven't had enough of them in our recent history to give us even a remote chance of being successful.

Hopefully that will now change.  As we now appear to have owners who know that you have to 'speculate to accumulate', that means that I am much more optimistic for our future than I have been for years.

There is no guarantee of success, but at least we now have a fighting chance.

Strap yourselves in, lads and lasses.

The problem is we are a loss making club.

Will they have the patience to back off and stay in the background when we are 12th in the table and have lost three games on the trot and then the board/SMT ask for another £500K to cover that month's deficit? 

That was where things went wrong under Tommy...

I could understand his frustration when the management team asked him to sanction transfer fees for say Charlie Kirk only to see him go on loan as JJ didn't want to play him. Or for the six figure sum for DJ who managed to run down cu de sacs rather than into opponents penalty boxes and so on. 

That is when we'll get to see the mettle of the new owners. 

We are a loss making club because we go out of our way to not make money. We price tickets to basically increase the number of red seats on display and for those that do buy a ticket we then discourage fans buying refreshments or merchandise by limiting the outlets on match days; and when the spreadsheets show the numbers mean there will be ongoing losses to fund because the team is not quite good enough, instead of spending a bit more on bringing in players to turn it around it just encourages belt tightening. Want to make money ? Build the squad (which we seem to now be doing), price tickets to fill the ground and open up the outlets/kiosks and keep them open longer.

Selling the club in the future will be very very messy. 

seth plum said:

cafcsinger said:

seth plum said:

Orient will bring a huge support buoyed by their recent success, and like nearly every other team in our division won’t roll over for us, and they have players and a manager who are no mugs.
We must overcome that, because the game is a must win. Dropping two or three points at home is a disaster and requires a couple of away wins to compensate.
The new owners must aim for 92 points next season.
Sod feeling our way into the season, sod time to gel, win.

The season hasn't even started yet but our opening game is a must win?! That is bonkers 

I work on the target of winning every home game to please our fans, and drawing every away game to add to those wins and achieve promotion.
If you lose a home game that is three points lost right there, and can’t be made up with an away win because you need at least one point away according to my target.
I don’t buy in to the concept of if you have some bad results you make up for them later as an approach. Points won at the start of the season have the same value as points won at the end.
There, I’ve stated my case, maybe you can explain why my position is bonkers.

Because according to Plum Prediction maths, 3 points away from home is for some reason not better than 1.

That plus the kind of pressure such a binary, simplistic model puts on players is counterproductive, unrealistic and, yep, bonkers.

TelMc32 said:

Look. I get that most of us are sceptical of anyone who buys our club these days and we have every right to be. But some people really need to give their heads a wobble.

As part of the takeover, these people had to provide proof of funds and a financial plan for the next two years (I, personally, feel it should be a requirement to update that plan annually). Given that, I think we can say that they know what they’re in for, at least for the next 24 months, even if we’re lying 12th after three straight defeats.

They don’t have a free pass and, if they’ve done their homework on us which I think they have, they won’t expect one. I have concerns about Sutherland & Carter’s public support for Sandgaard at a time when it was obvious he hadn’t a clue. This club needs strong characters in senior positions who are willing and able to speak up when things aren’t right. 

Agree.  The investors are not stupid and will have agreed a budget which obviously allows for operating losses and hopefully investment in players.  Proving funds cover two years costs does not mean they do not have a 3, 4 or 5 year business plan.  

Is interesting to learn how they think they can add value as investors, some of which we've heard, but personally, not much interested in hearing waffle and what they think about Charlton without it throwing light on: 

how far ahead they have set a business plan,
what level of funds are in place to cover losses,
whether they are anticipating an increase or a reduction in losses - at what pace and over what period.

It is inevitable that experience will not match the business plan, so would ask whether investors have any commitment, binding or otherwise, to provide additional capital in the event of losses or investments exceeding anticipated sums over the business plan period.  Knowledge of this would give an insight into when we run the risk of the new investors getting cold feet and looking for an exit.  

Don't know why the main board could not be open about this, except to protect the main investors, plus CM, egos in case it all goes pear shaped.

Better getting these answers than just speculating and forming pre-conceived views about the new owners.



  

letthegoodtimesroll said:

FSLN1 said:

bigstemarra said:

If our investors choose to be 'hands off' and leave the running of the club to experienced professionals, then that to me is a massive plus.

Both Roland and Tommy couldn't resist interfering because of their self-perceived business genius and it didn't bloody help, did it?

As others have said; the most important incomings to the club will be the aforementioned 'experienced professionals' as we haven't had enough of them in our recent history to give us even a remote chance of being successful.

Hopefully that will now change.  As we now appear to have owners who know that you have to 'speculate to accumulate', that means that I am much more optimistic for our future than I have been for years.

There is no guarantee of success, but at least we now have a fighting chance.

Strap yourselves in, lads and lasses.

The problem is we are a loss making club.

Will they have the patience to back off and stay in the background when we are 12th in the table and have lost three games on the trot and then the board/SMT ask for another £500K to cover that month's deficit? 

That was where things went wrong under Tommy...

I could understand his frustration when the management team asked him to sanction transfer fees for say Charlie Kirk only to see him go on loan as JJ didn't want to play him. Or for the six figure sum for DJ who managed to run down cu de sacs rather than into opponents penalty boxes and so on. 

That is when we'll get to see the mettle of the new owners. 

We are a loss making club because we go out of our way to not make money. We price tickets to basically increase the number of red seats on display and for those that do buy a ticket we then discourage fans buying refreshments or merchandise by limiting the outlets on match days; and when the spreadsheets show the numbers mean there will be ongoing losses to fund because the team is not quite good enough, instead of spending a bit more on bringing in players to turn it around it just encourages belt tightening. Want to make money ? Build the squad (which we seem to now be doing), price tickets to fill the ground and open up the outlets/kiosks and keep them open longer.

The vast majority of the 92 professional football clubs in England lose money.

sam3110 said:

golfaddick said:

Cafc43v3r said:

golfaddick said:

FSLN1 said:

bigstemarra said:

If our investors choose to be 'hands off' and leave the running of the club to experienced professionals, then that to me is a massive plus.

Both Roland and Tommy couldn't resist interfering because of their self-perceived business genius and it didn't bloody help, did it?

As others have said; the most important incomings to the club will be the aforementioned 'experienced professionals' as we haven't had enough of them in our recent history to give us even a remote chance of being successful.

Hopefully that will now change.  As we now appear to have owners who know that you have to 'speculate to accumulate', that means that I am much more optimistic for our future than I have been for years.

There is no guarantee of success, but at least we now have a fighting chance.

Strap yourselves in, lads and lasses.

The problem is we are a loss making club.

Will they have the patience to back off and stay in the background when we are 12th in the table and have lost three games on the trot and then the board/SMT ask for another £500K to cover that month's deficit? 

That was where things went wrong under Tommy...

I could understand his frustration when the management team asked him to sanction transfer fees for say Charlie Kirk only to see him go on loan as JJ didn't want to play him. Or for the six figure sum for DJ who managed to run down cu de sacs rather than into opponents penalty boxes and so on. 

That is when we'll get to see the mettle of the new owners. 

This.

Owning a hedge fund company which earns millions by simply existing is rather different to a loss making football club which needs half a million pounds of funding month after month with nothing to show for it. And then being asked for another half a million in January to buy a player that no one outside of League 1 has heard of. 

I doubt Brener or Friedman can even find Charlton if you gave them a London A--Z.

I financial advisor that doesn't know how hedge funds work? 

The point being is that I doubt they have to stump up ££££ every month just to keep the business going.

But I see I'm swimming against the tide. Don't get me wrong, I really do hope they are a  success and in a years or twos time we are singing their praises when we are in the Championship. I'm just a bit sceptical when none of the "big 3" seem to have made any sort of statement acknowledging their ownership.

Ryan Reynolds they ain't.  

Oh dear you've gone full Golfie. 

So instead of shrewd business gentlemen working together, sensibly spreading the cost and keeping a low profile, you want another "face", some ego that's always front and centre making noise? 

Roland was a shrewd businessman that wanted to keep a low profile, Sandgaard was the opposite and wanted to be too involved. There is a difference between a low profile and zero engagement. They can also engage with the fanbase and be hands-off in the running of the club.

We don't know anything about our new owners and their vision for the future as it stands, and ultimately, they set the budgets and give the SMT their remit. After a succession of bad owners, I would rather understand that vision and motivation for buying the club. I'm not going to take the words of Methven at face value as I wasn't impressed with his attempts to manipulate the fanbase through leaks and briefings. 

Would hope that, before the week is out, we'll see a more in depth interview with Rodwell outlining short/medium term plans.

ShootersHillGuru said:

Rothko said:

Win at home, draw away, go up in May 

In essence yes. 

Or, to quote my old Dad's favourite "A win at home, a draw away, brings promotion any day"... he was a lifelong Charlton fan.