| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:46 - Apr 10 with 3540 views | barry_island |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 20:54 - Apr 10 by marchamjack |
I see that JVZ has just been on twitter to post "Just to let you all know...STID" |
14 words or less, perhaps they think that's enough?
I would have expected a little more from our Directors so we know exactly where each of them stand on the matter. |  |
| Swansea City, THE Austerity Club. |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:50 - Apr 10 with 3522 views | Uxbridge |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:27 - Apr 10 by londonlisa2001 |
Just back from weekend in Swansea with family so no opportunity to comment online as last 24 hours taken up by lots of talking about it offline!
Initial thoughts for what it's worth. There is no 'as we were' scenario now left open, as I and many others alluded to in the past few weeks, this club is being sold.
The existing status quo is untenable - no trust is left (if you'll excuse the pun) and certain shareholders just want to monetise (in many ways understandably).
If we take that as read then it only remains to see what if anything could or indeed should be done at this point.
I'm not sure that there is enough info at the moment to see whether these 'investors' are fabulous, crooks, or somewhere in between. Until they make a statement about their plans for the club who knows. I am probably at the point of thinking that we actually need to have new investment on board. We have to expand the stadium (I remain less convinced that we as a club should own it) and we also need investment in the squad. I don't think we have the money to do both things.
So surely the issue isn't investors or no investors but at this point which investors. I am saddened that the Trust has not been involved in discussions, I am sceptical that others haven't been, no matter what is being said. It is possible that those that are claiming ignorance (not the Trust) are fully aware of what's been happening but are distancing themselves from it for reasons of doubt as to suitability.
It appears to me that the Trust cannot block a sale unless the PR generated is so off putting that the investors walk away (I am using the term investors as shorthand, not indicating that investment will happen into the club itself). However, in making a pre emptive statement, certain members of the board have scuppered to at least some extent, the possibility of the Trust winning a PR battle without great difficulty.
One possibility is that the Trust could seek out a white knight, in other words, take active steps to find a more palatable investor (if these people turn out to be unpalatable).
No idea whether this is something the Trust can do practically - possibly they could, with a PR campaign.
One point I would make is this. There is NO mechanism where new owners can put money in the club without doing so by issuing new equity (which will dilute the Trust) or by way of debt. No other way exists unless people think that business men with no attachment to the club are going to put in debt and immediately write it off. So the newspaper stuff is by definition, utter bollox.
It is sad that it's ended this way. Inevitable, but sad. |
Yeah, it's difficult to see how the status quo could survive this.
The future is what interests me now. I'm sure some were hoping for first mover advantage by trying to back parties such as the Trust into a corner by publicising all this, but I suspect this could just backfire. I think tonight's online forums showed that many many fans will not just swallow what they read.
But yeah, I think change is inevitable. However it has to be right for the club, not just right for the sellers. |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:56 - Apr 10 with 3511 views | londonlisa2001 |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:50 - Apr 10 by Uxbridge |
Yeah, it's difficult to see how the status quo could survive this.
The future is what interests me now. I'm sure some were hoping for first mover advantage by trying to back parties such as the Trust into a corner by publicising all this, but I suspect this could just backfire. I think tonight's online forums showed that many many fans will not just swallow what they read.
But yeah, I think change is inevitable. However it has to be right for the club, not just right for the sellers. |
The worrying part is the difference between this online audience and the fan base at large. There may not be one, but it occurs that the members of this forum may be better informed and more cynical than the general Swansea public. So the first priority in some ways is to bring these two sections of support into line through judicious use of any PR that may be available.
Your last comment I fully agree with. But there is no possibility of the status quo in my view - none at all. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 00:04 - Apr 11 with 3480 views | Uxbridge |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:56 - Apr 10 by londonlisa2001 |
The worrying part is the difference between this online audience and the fan base at large. There may not be one, but it occurs that the members of this forum may be better informed and more cynical than the general Swansea public. So the first priority in some ways is to bring these two sections of support into line through judicious use of any PR that may be available.
Your last comment I fully agree with. But there is no possibility of the status quo in my view - none at all. |
Yep agreed. Busy times ahead. | |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 04:07 - Apr 11 with 3372 views | Humpty |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 23:50 - Apr 10 by Uxbridge |
Yeah, it's difficult to see how the status quo could survive this.
The future is what interests me now. I'm sure some were hoping for first mover advantage by trying to back parties such as the Trust into a corner by publicising all this, but I suspect this could just backfire. I think tonight's online forums showed that many many fans will not just swallow what they read.
But yeah, I think change is inevitable. However it has to be right for the club, not just right for the sellers. |
Unfortunately many fans will just swallow what they have read.
Think back to 85. Think back to Petty. Pretty much a small, committed fan base who loved the club. Numbered in three or so thousands. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Who made sure they knew what was exactly going on in the crappy little club that they loved. You had to love it to keep going down the Vetch to watch the shit we were served up. But we did.
Compare that to now. Most of our fanbase are not like that. They started to watch the club when things were getting better. Then we got to the Premier League. Add another six thousand, many of whom weren't interested at all until then, but now get the chance to see Man U and Chelsea and stuff. And will also f*ck off when things invarioubly f*ck up.
I am in no way suggesting that I'm a better fan than anyone else or anything like that because I'm not. My money is the same.
But the percentage of fans who really know and care is significantly less than it was in those dark days.
Now, for many, its "Yaaaaay! 100 million investment! Happy days!"
Some of the stuff people think this means is frightening. Utterly no idea what is going on and think that some friendly Yanks have just given us £100 million quid. Yeaaay! Now were going to be in Europe every year!
The point I'm trying to say is we are not the same club, or fanbase, that we used to be.
And it scares me. [Post edited 11 Apr 2016 4:44]
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 07:03 - Apr 11 with 3316 views | Tummer_from_Texas |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 04:07 - Apr 11 by Humpty |
Unfortunately many fans will just swallow what they have read.
Think back to 85. Think back to Petty. Pretty much a small, committed fan base who loved the club. Numbered in three or so thousands. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Who made sure they knew what was exactly going on in the crappy little club that they loved. You had to love it to keep going down the Vetch to watch the shit we were served up. But we did.
Compare that to now. Most of our fanbase are not like that. They started to watch the club when things were getting better. Then we got to the Premier League. Add another six thousand, many of whom weren't interested at all until then, but now get the chance to see Man U and Chelsea and stuff. And will also f*ck off when things invarioubly f*ck up.
I am in no way suggesting that I'm a better fan than anyone else or anything like that because I'm not. My money is the same.
But the percentage of fans who really know and care is significantly less than it was in those dark days.
Now, for many, its "Yaaaaay! 100 million investment! Happy days!"
Some of the stuff people think this means is frightening. Utterly no idea what is going on and think that some friendly Yanks have just given us £100 million quid. Yeaaay! Now were going to be in Europe every year!
The point I'm trying to say is we are not the same club, or fanbase, that we used to be.
And it scares me. [Post edited 11 Apr 2016 4:44]
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Maybe the fans have changed. Damn foreign bandwagoners. 
But in terms of this takeover, lets be honest, the fans are not as immediately important as whether or not this club has changed. And I'd disagree that this isn't the same club, in terms that matter most.
The best thing for Swansea City right now is that the individuals who have the most power over this are Jenkins, Morgan, Dineen, Van Zweeden, etc. I'm not saying those guys are Jesus and his Disciples, but the bulk of their entire lives and legacies are tied very heavily to this club and what has happened since 2002. It's earned them some degree of the benefit of the doubt, in my humble opinion, that they aren't going to all simultaneously decide that they don't give a crap where this goes now.
This thing has it's share of red flags in the form of this Levien character, but simple faith, perhaps blind but still earned, is the only reason I'm willing to at least keep an open mind at first. |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 07:11 - Apr 11 with 3311 views | airedale |
Looking at it positively, the football team will always be here, in some form or other, either in the top division as now or in some other division. All that's required is bodies on the pitch, somewhere to play and people to watch.
Being ambitious, we could buy the land where Port Talbot steelworks used to stand on to build a new stadium, and as a bonus we all get to park our cars outside. |  | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 08:14 - Apr 11 with 3255 views | Watchman |
reports of £110m sale and 'a promise'of £30m of future investment. Is this accurate folks? |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 08:33 - Apr 11 with 3216 views | Nookiejack |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 08:14 - Apr 11 by Watchman |
reports of £110m sale and 'a promise'of £30m of future investment. Is this accurate folks? |
Do you think a figure of £30m would be unsecured or secured on the club's assets?
Why doesn't the club currently borrow the £30m - plenty of assets to mortgage?
Probably for the reason think it would be too risky as need every penny to improve squad. Can't stand still in the PL.
Yet these Yanks think they can make it work. They will start charging the club monitoring fees and the like as they need to make a return on their investment. Money is going to haemorrhage out of the club to them.
They are distressed investors and as soon as club can't pay a sum of £30m back - when it falls due - they will undertake Debt to Equity swap and wipe the Trust out.
We have a 1 in 4 chance of being relegated each season - if assume big clubs will not get relegated - club will be totally asset stripped if we ever become relegated and these Yanks have ownership. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 08:37 - Apr 11 with 3203 views | SwansNZ |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 08:14 - Apr 11 by Watchman |
reports of £110m sale and 'a promise'of £30m of future investment. Is this accurate folks? |
£30m For what? Buying a stadium we don't need to buy? |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 10:17 - Apr 11 with 3104 views | jacabertawe |
Would it not be a good idea for the Trust to call a press conference and put forward all the issues causing concern, since most fans will only have read the wholly positive spin put out there by tame journos? |  |
| Britishness...is a political synonym for Englishness which extends English culture over the Scots, the Welsh, and the Irish. - Gwynfor Evans
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:20 - Apr 11 with 3016 views | Nookiejack |
Venture Capitalists will never have a good reputation as mortgage off assets of various companies they take control off.
They use the respective companies assets to buy the company off existing owners - especially if you are a company/club like us that has no debt. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:25 - Apr 11 with 3006 views | gadgetuk |
Just a thought, and apologies if this has been covered. Our main concern is that the new "Investors" would have majority control and the trust with only 21% could basically be over-ruled on everything. If I have read this right, then the new guys would have around 70%, the trust 21% and there would still be around 4% retained by current shareholders.
Could the reason for the retention of the 4% be so that there is still some protection, could the remaining 4% vote with the trust, giving a 25% joint shareholding? To me it sounds like the 4% being retained could act as a safety net. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:40 - Apr 11 with 2981 views | Matthew_117 |
Does anybody have Cathy's number? Ask if old Mike and her are willing to make a very charitable donation to the trust | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:52 - Apr 11 with 2945 views | Matthew_117 |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:25 - Apr 11 by gadgetuk |
Just a thought, and apologies if this has been covered. Our main concern is that the new "Investors" would have majority control and the trust with only 21% could basically be over-ruled on everything. If I have read this right, then the new guys would have around 70%, the trust 21% and there would still be around 4% retained by current shareholders.
Could the reason for the retention of the 4% be so that there is still some protection, could the remaining 4% vote with the trust, giving a 25% joint shareholding? To me it sounds like the 4% being retained could act as a safety net. |
Part of me would like to think that those shares that aren't included as part of the sale would then be handed over to the trust, once the the sale is complete. (Obviously the Americans would need to have no knowledge of this before hand otherwise I could see them pulling the plug on the deal) | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 12:04 - Apr 11 with 2924 views | Sheffieldjack |
I also hope that somehow the deal with this Levien guy is not allowed to go through. Surely there must be other, better options? | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 12:35 - Apr 11 with 2857 views | DafyddHuw |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 12:04 - Apr 11 by Sheffieldjack |
I also hope that somehow the deal with this Levien guy is not allowed to go through. Surely there must be other, better options? |
Indeed. It's obviously not a sell-or-not-sell anymore. So if the board are selling, it must be to someone who's good for the club, or we are going to get royally shafted. The board need to be ultra careful here.
These people sound like assett-strippers. What we really need is a sheik or an Abramovich who'll buy the club, give us millions for investment and who says "It's my club now, but you carry on as you'v e been performing, and I'l leave you alone. But it's my club". That would be ideal. |  | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 14:24 - Apr 11 with 2685 views | jojaca |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 12:35 - Apr 11 by DafyddHuw |
Indeed. It's obviously not a sell-or-not-sell anymore. So if the board are selling, it must be to someone who's good for the club, or we are going to get royally shafted. The board need to be ultra careful here.
These people sound like assett-strippers. What we really need is a sheik or an Abramovich who'll buy the club, give us millions for investment and who says "It's my club now, but you carry on as you'v e been performing, and I'l leave you alone. But it's my club". That would be ideal. |
Nothing lasts forever, not even cold November rain. |  |
| Even when you know, you never know? |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 14:59 - Apr 11 with 2628 views | johnlangy |
When we first moved to the Liberty Stadium everyone who bought a Season Ticket was automatically enrolled as a Trust member. So the Trust had 16,500 members.
A couple of years later, when the Club board stopped the ST arrangement and people had to actually make an effort to renew their membership and pay, membership dropped like a stone. It's now around 1200 or so I believe. Since then there have been innumerable threads asking what's the point of the Trust, other threads criticising the Trust and board members, Phil in particular, others saying there's no need for a Trust anymore. I could go on.
Now we have a situation which we all KNEW would come if we stayed in the PL. It was only a question of when. I wonder how many of the posters questioning the Trust in this thread and all the previous ones are members now.
Many criticise the Club Board for the people they've brought to the table but, other than the Club who else could bring investors in ? One poster asked the question why doesn't the Trust itself go looking for investors. Which it could of course especially with money in the bank which could be used to pay someone to do the searching on the Trust's behalf. But, if they did wouldn't the Trust have a much better chance of impressing potential investors if they were able to say we've got 16,400 members (or more) as compared with 1200. Those businessmen could, quite reasonably, think 'if Swans supporters themselves are so apathetic towards the Trust why should we take them seriously'.
Imagine if Levein was looking out at the crowd on Saturday and knew that EVERY SINGLE SWANS SUPPORTER there was a member of the Trust. Phil and the other Trust board members would have a far stronger hand to play.
And all we have to do is pay £10 a year. It's not much is it. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 15:41 - Apr 11 with 2571 views | airedale |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 14:24 - Apr 11 by jojaca |
Nothing lasts forever, not even cold November rain. |
I agree, on the 1st of December (round here especially) it becomes cold December rain. | | | |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 16:10 - Apr 11 with 2518 views | oh_tommy_tommy |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:40 - Apr 11 by Matthew_117 |
Does anybody have Cathy's number? Ask if old Mike and her are willing to make a very charitable donation to the trust |
Yes I've got her number
Put she doesn't return my calls or texts since the cucumber incident in The Dragon Hotel last summer . |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 17:37 - Apr 11 with 2410 views | jackportis |
Where does this planet swans. Will we have new American moderators. It's not all bad news. |  |
| Jackportis the brand. “A gifted posterâ€, “planet swans have a real talent on their hands in the name of Jackportis†sky sports 2018. . JP fully supports posters of LBG, mx orientation and ethnic minority groups. Update - now fully supporting the pansexual community. |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 17:52 - Apr 11 with 2380 views | Highjack |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 11:40 - Apr 11 by Matthew_117 |
Does anybody have Cathy's number? Ask if old Mike and her are willing to make a very charitable donation to the trust |
The court ordered me to delete it, apparently my grunting was distressing her. |  |
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| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 20:21 - Apr 11 with 2165 views | Dan_Swan |
| Trust Statement regarding potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club on 14:59 - Apr 11 by johnlangy |
When we first moved to the Liberty Stadium everyone who bought a Season Ticket was automatically enrolled as a Trust member. So the Trust had 16,500 members.
A couple of years later, when the Club board stopped the ST arrangement and people had to actually make an effort to renew their membership and pay, membership dropped like a stone. It's now around 1200 or so I believe. Since then there have been innumerable threads asking what's the point of the Trust, other threads criticising the Trust and board members, Phil in particular, others saying there's no need for a Trust anymore. I could go on.
Now we have a situation which we all KNEW would come if we stayed in the PL. It was only a question of when. I wonder how many of the posters questioning the Trust in this thread and all the previous ones are members now.
Many criticise the Club Board for the people they've brought to the table but, other than the Club who else could bring investors in ? One poster asked the question why doesn't the Trust itself go looking for investors. Which it could of course especially with money in the bank which could be used to pay someone to do the searching on the Trust's behalf. But, if they did wouldn't the Trust have a much better chance of impressing potential investors if they were able to say we've got 16,400 members (or more) as compared with 1200. Those businessmen could, quite reasonably, think 'if Swans supporters themselves are so apathetic towards the Trust why should we take them seriously'.
Imagine if Levein was looking out at the crowd on Saturday and knew that EVERY SINGLE SWANS SUPPORTER there was a member of the Trust. Phil and the other Trust board members would have a far stronger hand to play.
And all we have to do is pay £10 a year. It's not much is it. |
I let my membership lapse, but just signed up again. I hope others also do the same... |  |
| Still following Dr's orders! |
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