Yeah I think there have been plenty of indicators but this is a pretty clear one and I think the realistic prospect of an FPP takeover has passed - if it ever existed in real terms. At absolute best, we're probably reliant on someone who went into a joint venture with two of his closest colleagues now wanting to now do more than they collectively did, on his own, with the club in a worse state and a global pandemic thrown into the mix. The fact that FPP/Fuhrman haven't put any kind of message out to our fans, even informally, as this was being filed with Companies House, tells us everything. If they were serious about us, they would presumably care about how this could be perceived. Not impressed with how they've handled it at all really. But hey ho, we'll get there in the end, just have to get this arsehole out and we'll get some momentum hopefully.
Reading all of the recent information about the Southampton investment and it’s similarities to ours. I personally don’t think there is any takeover waiting in the wings. I had maintained a small amount of hope, but the recent information has confirmed my suspicions that the FPP horse has well and truly bolted unfortunately. Hope I’m wrong but there you go.
This was posted on RTG. An interesting concept that US tech firms are investing in clubs to get in at the beginning of a shift towards an advance in technology in football and to harvest fans personal information. Nothing substantial or evidenced, so I will take it with a pinch of salt. https://www.sunderlandecho.com/spor...hampton-and-what-it-could-mean-future-2902924
I do hope we get something...anything, instead of these morons who currently own our club. If you look at clubs like Portsmouth, Coventry, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Forest..etc etc...all these clubs were in the Premier league and have been out of years now. we are currently at the lowest ebb we have been in our long history and nothing to say we won't get lower, Even the thought of Championship football seems years away....but fingers crossed something happens as everything about the club right now is negative, I actually wonder if this Loan is an issue for potential other buyers, maybe someone who understands finance can advise.
I think we just need to get our heads down this season. Huge drop off in season ticket holders and a huge drop off in expectation. I have a good feeling. I think we’ll go under the radar a bit this season, pressure is off as we are now an established league one team and no longer the temporary big hitters and I think we’ll get promoted. When we are back in the championship, that will be the time for the club to attract better quality investors / owners. I think whilst we are still in this league we will just attract more idiots / chancers i.e. Campbell and Mucky Gray’s consortium. I am going to keep the faith.
Just putting this out there hypothetically. What if FPP were actually pulling the strings of SD? and that loan was some kind of payment or fee for his services and it's all their doing?
I have said this on a few threads that even though they dont sit on the board so essentially the dont make any decisions, I think they are heavily involed in the clubs decision making. I really dont think that if you have injected £10 million into a business (which lets face it in conversion to share value could easily be worth around 50% on current valuation) you would quite happily sit back passively and have no say in the running of the club. SD did say he was in constant dialougue with them in his last radio interview, just an opinion though
I can't disagree with any of that. People like these do everything for a reason, inevitably a good reason.
I bow to your judgement on this whole saga as I do believe that everything you have posted has been in good faith from the many contacts you have. As opposed to mine, which totals meeting Gary Rowell at a Silver Jubilee party in 1977 in Seaham when I was 7. But if the FPP money was just a loan rather than investment, would they have any say in what the current owner does with it, unless he defaults on the payments?
The only thing i'd add to your last line is "that will benefit themselves". It's how they became billionaires in the first place
I'm sure I read somewhere that a representative of theirs was going to be present in the board meetings so I'm assuming that they want an inside view of what is happening at the club
There is a HUGE hole in your argument marra, it being that SD is a known bullshitter who bigs up his own worth every time he opens his mouth.
If true that one of them attended a board meeting it would suggest a lot more involvement than you'd normally get following a loan. Not sure if it was ever confirmed that it happened mind but I hope it did. I also hope that the formation of the CEO role (which Donald previously said he didn't need) might have been as a result of their involvement and wish to have a fully functioning management structure in place (not Donald because he'd leave if they came in). Possible that they're leaving the appointments up to them but have stressed the structure they'd like to see, they can then tweak personnel later if they might not be involved for ages. Madbob seems prone to mentioning things that don't happen but if another 3 people came in, into key positions, then it would be a further sign of this , but I'm not holding my breath. I still say that if anything is going to happen, it'll happen in the championship mind. Think we're stuck desperately hoping Donald can finally get it right on the pitch. I think that's where they want us and where they'll be interested. I still don't think they've walked away, but Donald might be running out of time to get it right, presumably they won't wait forever
I think someone earlier said it best. If FPP are pulling the strings here, they aren't doing a lot to stop Donald ****ing it up, and it's not a great reflection on them. I doubt they are. They don't work together now and two of them have now made a very similar deal with Southampton. They may still be happy to keep the loan and the option (especially given that it would make them look callous at a time when callousness isn't a great look), but it's been extremely likely for a while that they're not going to actively pursue ownership of us as things stand.