Someone offered him £22million on top already? That ‘officially debt free’ thing is going to be massive. I don’t mind the idea of a South American who knows Russian multi-billionaires getting involved to be fair! Stew casually cutting about at the Monaco GP, cool bastard. I call him Stew now, cos I like him.
I would love to be back on a rollercoaster ride again. Nothing wrong with being a yoyo club with the excitement of a promotion push every other year as well as having to contend with the lows of relegation. That is what real football is about. The premier League brings a massive disconnect with supporters of most clubs as mere survival is the goal, with weakened teams fielded in the cup competitions and no chance of proper success. That is not a rollercoaster as there are no ups before the downs. Just a continuous down. The idea of having an owner who understands football from a fans perspective instead of a foreign investor who doesn't even call the game "football" is fantastic. I also look forward to signing proper footballers instead of the mercenaries from wherever in the world who just want their share of the Premier League millions but give nothing in return. I actually look back to the summer that we signed Whitehead and Lawrence as something that we need to replicate. Both had limited talent but had each just been voted player of the year by fans of their former clubs. For fans that vote is usually about attitude and effort and as a result we had 2 players who made the absolute most of what skill they had. Players who saw a move to Sunderland as a step up as a reward for their efforts instead of the long list of players who had never fulfilled their potential who come to Sunderland for a last payday. Also a manager who views Sunderland as a step up instead of one of the usual suspects who trade upon former glories. I am optimistic, but only cautiously so because, after all, we are Sunderland.
Doesn't matter how rich the owners are long term, as we want to become sustainable. But short term investment while revenue is low and we've got big contracts to shift and transfer payments to shell out on, it's essential With investment we should have these complications sorted in the next two seasons. Then we'll have a wage bill which is sensible for what ever level we're at and the investment will have prevented debt accumulating. Then we'll be running in the black and hopefully having a popper pop at or just achieved top flight promotion. Without investment soon we'll look less attractive by the month. So I'm glad he see's we need invest fast. He doesn't **** about does he?
I agree with everything you say. If I remember rightly Lawrence turned into abit of a bell€nd though, trying to make himself look like Beckham and splashing out and turning into training in a Lamborghini when we were in a relegation battle, also not to mention w@nking over a 16 year old lass while she was getting her backdoors smashed in by another footballer.
They are very impressive, very positive and very blunt. If they back up the words with the talk we are onto a winner. Time will tell but so far they are bossing it.
I'm just pleased to see the feel good factor returning to the club. Would be great if the first home game is packed to the rafters. Our fans showing the new owners, new manager and new players just what they've bought into.
Think we will start around 20k mate and it will build if all goes well. Still massive for the league of course.
I don't know like, Donald said 16 thousand season tickets have been sold and the direct debit has just been relaunched. We could be creeping up to 20k in season cards alone. I think first home game will hit around 30k, then fade away a bit until we see what sort of season we have.
I’d love to think so mate, there’s an undoubted wave of optimism but I’d be gobsmacked if we hit 30k. Mind this is a club that sold out a 40k stadium for a reserve match under Reid, and got over 20k a couple more. We will see, I just hope the poisoned ones can bite their lips while it all beds down.
I think a lot of people - myself included - will be attending without purchasing a season ticket. A kinda "lets see how this goes" approach to this
No shame in that, I totally get those who haven’t committed after the last few years. Going has been a duty, almost a chore. I’m just hoping I get that buzz back for going, I’ll never stop going but I miss the feeling of passing through the turnstile buzzing, the counting off days to a game, arguing over who’s driving cos we all want to get on it after. I don’t care if we are playing Timbuktu U8s next season I just wanna have some pride back in my team and see some goals, some wins, some happy ****ing faces.
Hard not to buy into though, given the respect our new owners have shown to fans and the club. What more do people want initially? I may be one too fella, hoping I can get a season card sorted before they're removed from sale. Waiting for tax clearance.
Stewart Donald is reportedly set to meet up with businessman Juan Sartori this weekend in a bid to get the Uruguayan to invest in Sunderland.Donald is keen to speak to individuals that would be keen on taking a minority shareholding in the Black Cats, and reports suggest that Sartori is one individual that he would be keen to speak to. The new Sunderland owner confirmed he is set to jet off to Monaco to meet a potential investor over the weekend. And he has previous history with Sartori after the 37-year-old tried to take over Oxford United - but just who is the multi-millionaire that Donald is targeting? Who is Juan Sartori? Sartori was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1981 and went on to live in France and Switzerland during his younger years. He attended HEC - a world-renowned business school - and graduated with a degree in Business and Economics in 2002. What are his business interests? Sartori is the founder, and current president, of Union Group in Uruguay - the largest business of its kind in the country. He started the business in 2006 as a blueberry farming business and then branched out into several different forms of agriculture. The business has continued to expand and now deals with energy, forestry and real estate as well as holding interest in oil and gas. He formed Union Agriculture Group in 2008 and then sold his existing business to that new company. By that point, he had already built up $1billion worth of assets. Who are his connections? While Sartori naturally has links with Donald, perhaps the most intriguing connection of his is with a Russian billionaire. In 2015, Sartori married Ekaterina Rybolovleva, the daughter of Dmitry Rybolovlev. Rybolovlev is the owner of AS Monaco and is currently placed 242nd on the Forbes Rich List with an estimated wealth of $6.8billion. What is his previous history in football? Sartori has previously tried to take over Oxford United - where he will have dealt with Donald. The Uruguayan believed he could take the U's to the Premier League but his takeover bid was rejected by chairman Darryl Eales. Speaking to the Oxford Mail after Eales rejected his formal offer, Sartori said: “I am sad about it, but what can you do? “We worked a lot over the last three months and did due diligence, but it was Darryl’s decision to carry on at the club. "We put forward a very strong project, a very credible project. “It was a very ambitious project but we needed to buy the club to put it into action. “We wanted to go as high as possible – the Championship and Premier League. “Could we have made it? Of course. I have no doubt about it. I really think it is a great club with a great platform.”
Flying out to Nice Mesell the neet for The GP. Staying in Eze just outside Monte Carlo. Cracking place. Bart
Back in the ‘80’s I stayed in a pension in Eze while on holiday with a German girlfriend. It was a lovely place, lots of lovely memories. Right on the seafront.
Proposed to Marge in The Tropical Garden in Eze Village. Amazing Place in the clouds above Monte Carlo & Nice. Bart
Now these 2 lines excite me with regards to the potential financial back up. I know that I'm jumping ahead, but if these are the connections that we are talking about, there could be good times ahead. He formed Union Agriculture Group in 2008 then sold his existing business to that new company. By that point, he had already built up $1billion worth of assets. Rybolovlev is the owner of AS Monaco and is currently placed 242nd on the Forbes Rich List with an estimated wealth of $6.8billion.
Monaco have a great youth system. It would be great to have a link with them and be able to loan players from them.
