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Simon Sadler - the Hong Kong-based businessman thought to be the frontrunner to take over Blackpool Football Club - has set up two new UK-based companies relating to sports.
Rose 123 Investments and Lily 123 Investments were both incorporated on May 29, 2019, according to Companies House.
Both are registered to an address in Altrincham, Cheshire, while a man named Brett Gerrity - thought to be a solicitor - is listed as an interested person in both companies.
Under the nature of business, Rose 123 Investments is described as “activities of sports clubs” while Lily 123 Investments is described as “operations of sports facilities and hotels”.
Sadler, who was born in Bispham and attended Warbreck High, founded Hong Kong-based hedge fund Segantii Capital. It is claimed the hedge fund’s assets are in excess of $1billion.
Sadler, who attended the home game against Peterborough United in April, is thought to be keen to keep current board members Ben Hatton and Michael Bolingbroke at the club.
Receiver Paul Cooper, of Rubin and Partners, told The Gazette on first arriving at Bloomfield Road in February that the entire sale process would likely take three to four months.
It’s understood mid-June is the target the club are working towards, meaning news could be forthcoming in the next week or two.
Sadler was featured in an old article in The Gazette on May 22, 2010 - the day the Seasiders sealed their remarkable promotion to the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Cardiff City in the Championship play-off final.
It included an interview with Sadler, then aged 40, previewing that famous day at Wembley.
The story reads: “Did you know there was a hedge fund on the stock market in Asia named after Blackpool? You do now.
“And the man who operates it is a Seasider who has flown back to the UK to watch the big game.
“Bispham-born Simon Sadler, a former Warbreck High pupil, was a regular in the old West Paddock throughout the 80s, watching the likes of Eamonn O’Keefe and Paul Stewart, as well as his all time favourite Oooh Andy Garner.
“Trips to Bloomfield Road became a bit of a problem though as his banking career flourished and he moved to Moscow and then Hong Kong.
“The 40-year-old operates a hedge fund which is the fifth largest in Asia - Segantii Capital — named after the original tribe of Blackpool and which has a tangerine and white corporate colour.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
— BBC Sport Lancashire (@BBCLancsSport) June 13, 2019
Blackpool chairman Michael Bolingbroke is confident the club’s new owner, Simon Sadler, is in it for the long haul.
The 49-year-old was confirmed as the club’s new custodian on Thursday, the lifelong Pool fan acquiring a 96.2 per cent stake in the club.
Bolingbroke, who is being kept on as the club’s executive chairman for the next few months at least, believes Sadler is the perfect fit.
“I think it’s really great news,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“Everyone has been really patient, because everyone has wanted to hear the news for some time. But it was worth the wait.
“This is really, really fabulous news for Blackpool Football Club.
“Simon Sadler is the perfect owner for the club, I don’t know how else to put it.
“He is in this for the long term. When you talk to him about how long he wants to run the club for, he talks in terms of decades.
“He’s a local lad, he’s someone who completely understands the link between a football club and the community.
“In talking to him, the community work the club does is as important to him as any other aspect — which is wonderful to hear.
“He understands the full picture of what the club does, way past just first-team work.
“He talks about the training centre, improving the academy, and then there’s all the work he wants to do to link the community with the club.
“He really, really loves his football, too. So he’s the perfect owner and I’m really happy with the process and I’m really happy for every fan.
“I think the fans have been incredible. They’ve been through quite the journey and this is a great, great result at the end of that.
“Credit also to (receiver) Paul Cooper for the work he has done here.
“It was a very thorough process and the end result is what everyone dreamed of really.”
Born and raised in Blackpool, Sadler has been a lifelong fan of the club having watched his first game at Bloomfield Road in 1977 at the age of eight.
He was also present at Wembley on May 22, 2010 to witness the club gain promotion to the Premier League.
Since 2014, he has been the proud owner of Sir Stanley Matthews’ 1953 FA Cup winner’s medal, currently on loan to the National Football Museum in Manchester.
Sadler held senior roles in finance before setting up an asset management business, Segantii Capital Management, in Hong Kong in 2007, where he remains chief investment officer.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
He is rather handsome. Looks a really classy geezer 😃
Just for Spell....
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
There's nothing wrong with that, it probably means it means a lot to him.
He probably is nervous mixed with many other emotions.
Some fans, if they are capable, should stop the me me me attitude for one minute and try to imagine what this means to our new owner who is responsible, at his own expense, for our new journey.
We have some really ungrateful fans who expect the world and more at somebody else’s expense.
Welcome again SS. Hope you find your money is well spent and your dream becomes a pleasant reality ðŸ‘
when the monkey is high you do not stare you do not stare 🥴
He probably is nervous mixed with many other emotions.
Some fans, if they are capable, should stop the me me me attitude for one minute and try to imagine what this means to our new owner who is responsible, at his own expense, for our new journey.
We have some really ungrateful fans who expect the world and more at somebody else’s expense.
Welcome again SS. Hope you find your money is well spent and your dream becomes a pleasant reality ðŸ‘
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Welcome Simon but you just know every little minuscule of anything will be scrutinised. I feel bloody sorry for him
Doubt the (very) odd Moaning Minnie on obscure message boards will bother him much.
He's worked in finance in Moscow, London & Hong Kong, you don't survive there if your a bit sensitive.
Think he might have more concerns about what's going on back in Hong Kong. (That's a whole new different thread).
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Doubt the (very) odd Moaning Minnie on obscure message boards will bother him much.
He's worked in finance in Moscow, London & Hong Kong, you don't survive there if your a bit sensitive.
Think he might have more concerns about what's going on back in Hong Kong. (That's a whole new different thread).
I hope you’re right Red.
Although the nervousness in part will be down to the excitement and expectation involved in achieving his own dream though aswell.
No matter what you’ve achieved career wise there are always better and more meaningful achievements that I would anticipate can still give you butterflies. I would imagine this moment will trump many things in his life. It’s huge.
Still think he has a strong but kind face 🤗
[Post edited 1 Jul 2019 12:58]
when the monkey is high you do not stare you do not stare 🥴
Although the nervousness in part will be down to the excitement and expectation involved in achieving his own dream though aswell.
No matter what you’ve achieved career wise there are always better and more meaningful achievements that I would anticipate can still give you butterflies. I would imagine this moment will trump many things in his life. It’s huge.
— BBC Sport Lancashire (@BBCLancsSport) July 1, 2019
So interview on Radio Lancs from 6pm.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
— BBC Sport Lancashire (@BBCLancsSport) July 1, 2019
So interview on Radio Lancs from 6pm.
Got a real sense of Simon Sadler’s pride in becoming the owner of the club he’s supported since he was a boy. Says rebuilding the club’s infrastructure ( training ground - academy etc ) is a priority #bfc#seasiderspic.twitter.com/jJKUBGfXeP
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Got a real sense of Simon Sadler’s pride in becoming the owner of the club he’s supported since he was a boy. Says rebuilding the club’s infrastructure ( training ground - academy etc ) is a priority #bfc#seasiderspic.twitter.com/jJKUBGfXeP