Thames Sports Investment

[Barry the bird boggler]

However, Sir John has assured anxious Royals fans that although Anton Zingarevich’s buyout may miss the original March 31 deadline, there is no prospect of it falling through

HTH.

[Terminal Boardom]

I think it is called due dilligence. What is the rush folks? Compare it to buying a house. Would you not want to make sure that a proper structural survey was carried out? Or would you be happy with the basic one where the lender says that the property being sold is what the vendor says it is? The more thorough the due dilligence and works taking place behind the scenes the better. Just sit back and enjoy the ride!

[Royal Rother]

FWIW - when Tim Dellor tried to suggest recently that SJM might try to up the price now we are sitting pretty both Williams and Gooding (who both know his ways pretty well one would imagine) rubbished it on the basis of "might not see eye to eye with him on everything but the man's handshake is his bond and he WILL NOT break his word."

[79Royal]

Since when was £25m a bargain for a 51% share?! And in any case, SJM knows he can't sustain the level of spending he has been (and even that hasn't been huge), so the market value of the club is less. And there isn't even a true market value, because all clubs are different! It's not like buying a loaf of bread.

[No Hoops]

Since when was £25m a bargain for a 51% share?! And in any case, SJM knows he can't sustain the level of spending he has been (and even that hasn't been huge), so the market value of the club is less. And there isn't even a true market value, because all clubs are different! It's not like buying a loaf of bread.

Exactly, SJM is 70 and knowing that he is at least going to get his money back must be a right result!

Win Win, keeps his Title as Chairman and stops any of his worry about financies

[Dare to Dr£am]

Since when was £25m a bargain for a 51% share?! And in any case, SJM knows he can't sustain the level of spending he has been (and even that hasn't been huge), so the market value of the club is less. And there isn't even a true market value, because all clubs are different! It's not like buying a loaf of bread.

Looking like a bargain (if we are then a Premiership club...)

[79Royal]

Since when was £25m a bargain for a 51% share?! And in any case, SJM knows he can't sustain the level of spending he has been (and even that hasn't been huge), so the market value of the club is less. And there isn't even a true market value, because all clubs are different! It's not like buying a loaf of bread.

Looking like a bargain (if we are then a Premiership club...)

It is a bargain, if you take an arbitrary view of it. But if SJM wants to hold out for a bigger sum, a deal that allows him to keep his position on the board, that means he retains ownership of the hotel and does not renege on his promises to the rest of the board, the manager, the players and staff and the fans, then he's going to have to hold on to the club for a few months yet, at least. Which means if we do go up, he'll have to spend money he knows he hasn't got readily available. He'd have to go through due diligence again, so the timetable of another deal may run through to Christmas or beyond. OK, so he might make a bit more money, but how much has he got to spend to keep the club attractive? At the end of the day, he's got all the hassle of pulling out of this deal, finding another one and going through the whole process again and he might not end up all that better off.

I get your point, but Madejski is a businessman and knows that you have to take opportunities when they are presented to you. It may not come around again.

[Bandini]

This is all just a Madejski Masterstroke isn't it?

We're on the fringes of the play-offs and he knows with a little extra push we can give ourselves a great chance of going up. However he has no money left and the banks won't lend to football clubs at a decent rate. So he has a chat with his old mate Bill Kenright who tells of him of this naive football mad son of a Russian billionaire who he used to good effect a few years back when he was suffering a bit of heat at Everton.

Madejski gets the investment he needs (goodwiLOLLOL gesture) at a rate far better than he could get anywhere else, we keep McD & kebe, sign key players on short term deals to get us promoted to the Premiership.

JM then pulls out of the deal with TSI citing concerns over their intentions and flogs it as Premiership club for twice as much money to a far Eastern consortium instead.

Retires to the Galapagos with Cilla, taking AZ's missus as his mistress,Samuelson's collection of pocket handkerchieves and Nigel Howe as his houseboy into the bargain.

It's the Reading way.

Agreed.

He sells when he wants
He sells when he wants
etc

[Mr Angry]

The last thing that would happen is for SJM to turn around and say words to the effect of "ooooh - looks like we are going up this season after all; the price has just doubled Anton me old Russki chum!!"

SJM was REALLY affected by the way that McGhee went back on his word all those Years ago, and would never countenance sinking to those depths himself.

If the deal DOESN'T happen, it will be for another reason.

[Bandini]

Mr A - give Snowball back his caps lock.

[Fox Talbot]

Since when was £25m a bargain for a 51% share?! And in any case, SJM knows he can't sustain the level of spending he has been (and even that hasn't been huge), so the market value of the club is less. And there isn't even a true market value, because all clubs are different! It's not like buying a loaf of bread.

Looking like a bargain (if we are then a Premiership club...)

It is a bargain, if you take an arbitrary view of it. But if SJM wants to hold out for a bigger sum, a deal that allows him to keep his position on the board, that means he retains ownership of the hotel and does not renege on his promises to the rest of the board, the manager, the players and staff and the fans, then he's going to have to hold on to the club for a few months yet, at least. Which means if we do go up, he'll have to spend money he knows he hasn't got readily available. He'd have to go through due diligence again, so the timetable of another deal may run through to Christmas or beyond. OK, so he might make a bit more money, but how much has he got to spend to keep the club attractive? At the end of the day, he's got all the hassle of pulling out of this deal, finding another one and going through the whole process again and he might not end up all that better off.

I get your point, but Madejski is a businessman and knows that you have to take opportunities when they are presented to you. It may not come around again.

Words he might have been better listening to in June 2007 by some accounts.

[robinsfriday]

Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance too

That's good relationship advice right there "She'll love you for it"

[RoyalBlue]

He is currently trying to find that way out.....something in the small print

Surely not again! If so, what is it with RFC and their desire to wriggle out of deals through something in the small print?

Caveat Emptor indeed!

The last thing that would happen is for SJM to turn around and say words to the effect of "ooooh - looks like we are going up this season after all; the price has just doubled Anton me old Russki chum!!"

SJM was REALLY affected by the way that McGhee went back on his word all those Years ago, and would never countenance sinking to those depths himself.

.

Did the fall out with York City over Murty's fee happen before or after that?

If after, were club officials acting without the Chairman's knowledge and backing?

[RoyalBlue]

Until the paper is signed everything either way is speculation

However, the failure of the Everton purchase (for whatever reason) is a fact

Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance too

Samuelson is only the finacial management blokie though. The deal with Everton was headed by Anton's father, not Anton. Unless Boris is also a backer, which I very much doubt he is, then what happened with Everton is irrevilent.

Added to that, there are two sides to every story and I believe Samuelson has recounted quite a different one with regard to why it all went sour at Everton.

[Cypry]

Happy to take SJM at his word on this one, after all, what's the rush? They're not going to push it through quicker simply because there's a 120 odd page thread on HNA, in which a few people are wailing and gnashing their teeth...

£25M might seem like a small sum for 51% of the club, but if TSI can be taken at their word and are going to fill the annual black hole, then we're talking an investment of £25M, PLUS whatever it takes to fill the black hole every year, PLUS whatever they decide to spend on players. I'd also assume that there will be some kind of clearance of SJMs chairmans loans, rather than leave them sitting on the books.
It remains to be seen exactly how the deal will be structured, and chances are we won't find out exactly what's happened until the next set of accounts come out.....in the meantime, I'll try not to worry too much about "the unknown", and focus on what we're being told by SJM and TSI between them.

If SJM says there's no chance of the deal falling through, I'll take that, and if it does fall through, I'll worry about it when it happens....as it stands, taking everything at face value, it's hard to see a negative side to the deal....

[Ian Royal]

So, U&Ds knows a Director but doesn't know how many there are when it's two. He's well know for a wee piss take every now and then. Rouge then jumps on the bandwagon, who is also known to take the piss occasionally. RL and her sources say there's a problem, but please excuse me if I question her judgment and the reliability of her sources for a takeover bid. Although at least she definitely does have sources considering how much she bangs on about Mr Senior.

Then we have FL who's got a good record with breaking news recently and everything coming out of the club. Oh, and SJM's personality which is totally inconsistent with backing out of a deal once it's agreed in principle or increasing his cash demands late on.

I think I'll consider getting marginally nervous about the takeover if nothing's happened by 20 April and we still don't really know any more than we do now. And I'll continue to roll my eyes at the suspicion, rumours of problems and general gnashing of teeth from certain quarters.

[The Rouge]

Rouge then jumps on the bandwagon

Incorrect. My comments were genuine.

[Ian Royal]

Rouge then jumps on the bandwagon

Incorrect. My comments were genuine.

Don't care, they don't seem very accurate, or at least anything remotely worth worrying about, whether they were a weak wind up or from someone you think is in the know.

[Royal Lady]

So, U&Ds knows a Director but doesn't know how many there are when it's two. He's well know for a wee piss take every now and then. Rouge then jumps on the bandwagon, who is also known to take the piss occasionally. RL and her sources say there's a problem, but please excuse me if I question her judgment and the reliability of her sources for a takeover bid. Although at least she definitely does have sources considering how much she bangs on about Mr Senior.Then we have FL who's got a good record with breaking news recently and everything coming out of the club. Oh, and SJM's personality which is totally inconsistent with backing out of a deal once it's agreed in principle or increasing his cash demands late on.

I think I'll consider getting marginally nervous about the takeover if nothing's happened by 20 April and we still don't really know any more than we do now. And I'll continue to roll my eyes at the suspicion, rumours of problems and general gnashing of teeth from certain quarters.

I don't "bang on" about him for a start. My sources are credible and have never ever fed me duff info before. I would point out that there are more people involved in this takeover than just directors at the club and the syndicate comprising TSI. Like I said earlier, if this all comes off, we'll have to wait and see whether it's the best thing for the club - but don't come crying to me if it all goes pear shaped at some point.

[The Rouge]

Rouge then jumps on the bandwagon

Incorrect. My comments were genuine.

Don't care, they don't seem very accurate, or at least anything remotely worth worrying about, whether they were a weak wind up or from someone you think is in the know.

To be fair your record suggests you don't care if you are incorrect.