A couple of papers are running this story which I think started at the Mirror: âFulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed is understood to be on the verge of selling the club after investing £200million at Craven Cottage over the last 16 years. Potential buyers from America are interested and the Premier League are well into the complex process involved when a club in world football's richest league changes hands. Talks are also taking place with Fayed's advisors and a deal could be completed in time for the start of the season next month - and possibly even by the end of this week.â Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2359064/Mohamed-Al-Fayed-secret-talks-sell-Fulham--EXCLUSIVE.html There have been a few rumours around for the last year but this is the first time a National has been fairly specific. The hints are that the potential buyer is Shahid Khan owner of Jacksonville Jaguars. That of course could be wind-up (itâs all in the name) as could be the whole story.
He has an estimated worth of 2.4 billion. This could be exciting times, but the Venky's have taught us that new owners doesn't always guarantee success.
Me neither. When Al Fayed bought the club I veered between being very worried about his intentions and being stupidly excited at the thought of the money he was saying he was willing to spend to get us up the leagues. I had a lot of suspicion of him in those early days, not helped when he sacked Micky Adams a few months after Adams got us promoted on the previous shoestring budget. Since then, Al Fayed has proved himself to be an excellent and prudent chairman - spending big to get us up, then making sure that the books get balanced and we lived within our means while punching above our weight - no mean feat. The best thing about him, in my opinion, has been his willingness to adjust his initial plans to become 'the Manchester United of the South' when he sensed there was a large body of fan opinion strongly opposed to leaving the Cottage in favour of a new, bigger stadium. My concern about any new buyer is that they won't be happy for us to stay at the Cottage and accept the limitations that imposes on our ambitions. I'd much rather have us as a team who aims for the top half of the table and the possibility of winning a cup than throw away all the club's history, tradition and identity that is wrapped up in our beautiful ground in order to gamble everything on the unlikely prize of scrapping for Champions League qualification. If it comes to that, I'd rather have us slip down to the Championship (or even lower) than throw away what makes Fulham Fulham. For me, the acid test of any new owner would be where they stand on the question of the ground.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/...claims-Mohamed-Al-Fayed-is-ready-to-sell-club The club have declined to comment...
I'm 100% behind what you say Capt Morgan. Fulham is Fulham and we belong at Craven Cottage. I don't want us to become a Chelsea and all that entails. I'm not going to worry too much about it though as I suspect it will not happen !
when Fayed sold Harrods he made sure as part of the deal that Harrods maintains its image, which it has, Harrods hasn't really changed at all. I am sure that he will do the same for Fulham as he greatly cares for the club as he did Harrods. If anything this move could be a positive and maybe just give us that extra 10m to spend in the transfer window.
If he is looking to sell then hopefully its done relatively quickly, before the end of the transfer window. One article I read suggested he wasn't putting anymore money into the club which means a very limited transfer budget, most of which has probably already been spent.
Fulham is Craven cottage,but saying that the club is sited on one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in London and to captire a ground like Fulhams must be a big temptation for any investor.
I am in the league of not sure what to think about it. Always thought that he was grooming his son to take over, that's why I can't really believe it till I see something more. What potential value Fulham has though? If he has written off £200m last year that means he seeks at least £250m. Can we justify such an investment? Time will tell!
The last thing we need is lots of money spent on the playing squad, big investment means better players for higher transfer fees and larger wages all equaling Debt. What we need from a new owner is to run the club how it is now but maybe that extra £10 mill in the transfer kitty to kick us on and also to go ahead with the new riverside stand. We don't need to be laden with huge debts or lots of expensive players on 80K a week! I hope and think Fayed would sell us to somebody he believes to be sensible but when there is £200 million on the table you can never be to sure
Reckon we should let the Chicks predict who the new owner should be. please log in to view this image
The last time there was a strong rumour about the Club being sold - co-incidentally, exactly ten years ago today - MAF himself came straight out with a denial: Evening Standard 10th July 2003 Fulham chairman Mohamed Fayed says his club is not for sale. please log in to view this image There has also been speculation that the Harrods owner is no longer prepared, or able, to bankroll the loss-making club. But Fayed, who confirmed yesterday's Standard Sport story that Fulham are set to return to Craven Cottage next year, insists the claims are baseless. He said: "I have no intention of selling Fulham. I love the club and I have invested too much of myself and my money to just walk away now. I want to reassure all our fans that the club is still safe in my hands. I urge fans not to pay attention to these false and malicious rumours."
All the signs are there; his paying off our debts, complete lack of transfer funds, the lot. Fair play to him, he's done more than enough for our club and deserves to move on. Where does this leave the new stand business?
Hi all. It's been a while. Hope you are all well? After eventually getting my password I managed to get back on here, and just wanted to see your opinions towards the news of MAF wanting to potentially sell up! Looks like I found the right place!
And Jol only having his contraction option invoked rather than given a new one. Especially good point about the stand as well Bidley. Here is a link to a very interesting interview by Sky with David Buik (he's a financial chap who does "City News" for LBC radio ... and happens to be a Fulham fan) - http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/8816903/buik-fulham-need-an-innovator I like his 'innovator' points and selling 'Brand Fulham'. However I get concerned about mention of a £200m valuation since the Club's only assets are Craven Cottage and Motspur Park. Also the suggestion that it's essential to have a 45,000 seater ground and that H&F Council need to be on board. It's probably paranoid of me but the status of the Cottage brings me out in a sweat whenever new owners come in - and that's not just back to the Clay/Bulstrode days, we had it with MAF as well. The Captain in his earlier post, made the case better than I could as to why Craven Cottage must be inviolate in any deal. We're told Mr Khan is worth twice as much as MAF but my alternative worry would be if the land assests were used to finance a loan to fund any deal (as per the Glaziers - I still don't understand how/why the football authorities allowed that!)
While I appreciate Chairman Mo's contributions to this club, I don't think he has any ambition for FFC beyond being a safe, mid-table EPL club. So on one hand, I'd like to see change in the way things are run. I wouldn't mind seeing an owner with higher aspirations and the purse strings to back it up, so long as Fulham stay at CC.
That's the problem, DR. It's hard to see us aiming for any more than we currently are without expanding the capacity. The enlarged Riverside Stand might make a difference, but I'm not sure that we could realistically challenge for titles without a bigger ground than the Cottage could become. I don't think it's possible to aim a lot higher without sacrificing the things that make us what we are. If anyone comes in talking about turning us into a major power, it would probably involve a new ground. I'd rather stay small and Fulhamish.
Why on earth would we not want to be going for trophies or be a serious EPL top club? I understand the sentiment people don't want to move locations but isn't that a little narrow minded. I would like to see us push on and challenge rather than seeing us limp over the 40 point mark with 4/5 games to go and spend £10m per year...it wont last i'm just saying.
Cottagecravens Totally agree with your views What fans have to realise.if an investment of say 150m is paid to purchase,the said purchaser will be looking at what are his assets are,and its Craven Cottage. No way do i want us to move,but no future owners,would want to see there investment ie FFC in the middle of a lower division with gates of 15/20 thousand . A new era awaits us and with it ambition to win a major trophy,no to much to ask for a club with over 125 yrs of league status.
