Argyle for Sale?

From the Herald

Quote :

PLYMOUTH Argyle receive at least one approach a month from either potential investors or people wanting to buy the club, chairman and owner James Brent has revealed.

Brent told Herald Sport he was not looking to sell the Pilgrims but that any credible offer would be seriously considered by the board of directors.

Some wealthy people have made inquiries about Argyle but they have not met the criteria laid down by Brent for it to go any further than that.

He said: "If someone comes along who is better for the club than we are, who gives us the money back we put into the club, we will look very seriously at that.

"But we are absolutely not out there looking to sell.

"We have got no intention of going out there and trying to find an investor, but we are open-minded if people come and approach us."

Bristol Rovers were bought by the wealthy Al Qadi family from Jordan last week while another League Two club, Crawley Town, are on the brink of a takeover by a Turkish consortium.

Brent, who rescued Argyle out of administration in October 2011, confirmed there were regular expressions of interest n the Pilgrims.

"We have one a month, or probably more than that actually," said Brent.

"Some of those come through agents so you don't know who is on the other end, but we do get a regular stream of interest.

"We report everything which is potentially credible to the board and then the board assesses it.

"The criteria which we have set is that the new investor needs to bring something to the club which will improve the lot of Argyle or we are not interested.

"We have had wealthy people approach us who have got the money to do it, but in the board's judgment would not be good for the club and the motivation hasn't been right.

"So we have very politely said 'thanks, but no thanks'.

"And we have had lots of lovely people are absolutely charming but haven't got the wherewithal to make anything good happen for the club."

He added: "We have had people who wanted to invest in the club and people who wanted to buy the club."

Brent explained his position about potentially selling Argyle had not changed since the first day he took over control.

He said: "I know there is some scepticism about it, but having not been a football family we are now Argyle supporters for life.

"We will carry on coming to games, and so on, whatever happens.

"What I have always said is that you don't need to be the chairman of the club, or to own the club, to support it.

"The position we said on day one was that if a better owner/investor came along to us with an acceptable proposal we would not turn them away by virtue of 'it's my train set, let us play with it'. And that hasn't changed.

"We have spent almost five years with the club and a huge amount of blood, sweat and tears has gone into it.

"We had challenging times in the first couple of years of ownership that were incredibly stressful, but the truth is you become much more emotionally invested in the ownership of the club as well as the support side.

"But we have been absolutely clinical on this, and this is why I report everything to board.

"If I get an approach which is half credible it goes to the board for consideration so it's not just me emotionally saying 'it's my train set, go away'. We will keep faithful to that."

Argyle know all about the pitfalls that can follow a change of ownership at a club from recent history.

The 'New World' takeover of Argyle by Sir Roy Gardner, Keith Todd, Japanese businessman Yasuaki Kagami and his associate George Synan in July 2009 was soon followed by the club's spiral into financial chaos.

That led to Argyle entering administration in March 2011.

Brent insisted he was ready to stay at Argyle for the long term unless an offer which he felt was beneficial for the club cropped up at some point.

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, if I'm chairman of Argyle in 20 years' time that will be a very happy position for me to be in.

"It's not looking for an exit, but it's just being very clinical in making sure I don't get into the position which I really don't like in football of saying 'this is my train set, I'm going to play with it' if it's not in the interests of the club."

Brent continued: "We have been approached in the past by people that I think probably have had a lot of money but their ambition for the club wasn't one we were supportive of.

"It's really important to me that Argyle remains a community club which invests in its community. It's not about just being a play thing.

"I think some people confuse it and say you are either a community club or you are a successful club.

"I think it absolutely should be integrated that you are a successful club which is loved by its community, and you grow your next generation of fans through that community activity."

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I read it as "Brent feels he is missing out on Jordanian/Turkish money and he just wants to remind you that he is open to offers"

"There is no alternative"

"Who else would buy the club if James left"

.......

Yea Man wrote:

"There is no alternative"

"Who else would buy the club if James left"

.......

Absofeckinglutely

This should put the "who else is their ?" brigade firmly in their places.

He said: "If someone comes along who is better for the club than we are, who gives us the money back we put into the club, we will look very seriously at that.



What money has he put in?

Wot Frank said (FAF I misspelt frank and my spell check offered me Frank, Franc or Freak lol posties reach is long). I've had enough and want out but I havent been offered enough money is the message. As Yea man said this will make some people look like the twats they are.
The worrying thing is the twenty year statement, god help us, twenty years of league two beckons.

"He's got more offers than Sainsburys, why doesn't he get it off his chest"

Methinks the Bristol Rovers thing has forced him on the defensive.

I assume the two years of losses he bankrolled, or at least underwrote, are held against the club. And of course, PCC are owed money, let alone Mastpoint. I wonder what he considers the club is worth.

I drove up Ham Drive yesterday for the first time in years. The civil service sports grounds are housing now, as is the old Penycross stadium. Brent knows darn well more city green spaces and some of Central Park will come under pressure soon, with a right little earner to be had. That's what he's after. In the meantime he can just sit on the club playing budget, and poodle around half a day a week.

Didn't Brent last year at one of the fans meetings tell everyone that Argyle had received one or two inquiries? It would seem interest has ramped up considerably since that time?

I think he's looking for a partner which is why he is so concerned about who buys in. I don't believe all his 'community' talk and selling to the right person. What has Argyle done for the community since he's been here? Any 'community' work is done by the Gt's and the AFT!

So... If you are the right person for Brent to sell to, how much do you have to pony up?

Are the AFT 'community' enough? Do they get a special price - what is it?

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

"...they have not met the criteria laid down by Brent..."

Them: How much, guv?
Brent: 100m* quid.
Them: hahahahahahahahaha




*Might not be 100m. Might be 99m. Or similar. Look I made the figure up, OK? It could have been any figure clearly not realistic. Like 2m. I choose 100m for effect and because it is a nice round number. Got it? Good.

Les Miserable wrote:

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

too right he is going absolutely nowhere till he's made his money.

Angry wrote:

Les Miserable wrote:

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

too right he is going absolutely nowhere till he's made his money.

And a bit more for the pension fund on top.

At least Brent has given the 'who's going to buy it' crew their answer, so hopefully that particular strain of Aviva will stfu from now on.

I'm with Sir Francis though. We have no way of knowing what Brent deems as acceptable, except for a shrewd hunch that he'll want to trouser a decent wedge.

We're a Football Club not a train set FFS

Yea Man wrote:

Angry wrote:

Les Miserable wrote:

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

too right he is going absolutely nowhere till he's made his money.

And a bit more for the pension fund on top.

exactly. Mrs Brent has her heart set on a new conservatory to enjoy in her old age with their pet tortoise alan. got to be paid for somehow.

God i hope Argyle are for sale! a proper owner investor to sweep away the Bucket Rattlers and the Hangers on, and get this club built on solid foundations with a credible Youth Policy a Credible plan for a new Grandstand and most importantly after five years of Bull Shit and Misery, a club Argyle fans can be proud of.

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

God i hope Argyle are for sale! a proper owner investor to sweep away the Bucket Rattlers and the Hangers on, and get this club built on solid foundations with a credible Youth Policy a Credible plan for a new Grandstand and most importantly after five years of Bull Shit and Misery, a club Argyle fans can be proud of.

Amen.

AstiSpumante wrote:

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

God i hope Argyle are for sale! a proper owner investor to sweep away the Bucket Rattlers and the Hangers on, and get this club built on solid foundations with a credible Youth Policy a Credible plan for a new Grandstand and most importantly after five years of Bull Shit and Misery, a club Argyle fans can be proud of.

Amen.

couldnt have put it any better suffers

Sounds like jimmys getting a bit
Jealous of brizzs arab money by the sound of it and wants a piece of the action anyway lets have it rite people with money wouldnt even pay jimmy wants he wants 2 and a half mill for the players contracts & f#@k all else

Angry wrote:

Yea Man wrote:

Angry wrote:

Les Miserable wrote:

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

too right he is going absolutely nowhere till he's made his money.

And a bit more for the pension fund on top.

exactly. Mrs Brent has her heart set on a new conservatory to enjoy in her old age with their pet tortoise alan. got to be paid  for somehow.

dont bring me into it

Brent bullshit.

Everything is for sale ... at the right price. I'd sell my black Saab convert for the right offer (actually its going anyway in about 3 months). Freathy would sell his sense of humour, Angry would sell his 4 Argo scarfs, SS68 would sell his pasoti mug collection and his ''I was there when Rubes got a hat-trick'' onesie and Graiser would sell himself ... for the right price.

Brightened up my day no end just to know that maybe there's the tiniest glimmer of light visible at the end of this very darkest of tunnels.

alannotivvy wrote:

Angry wrote:

Yea Man wrote:

Angry wrote:

Les Miserable wrote:

He's got absolutely no interest in selling until he purchases HP from the council, foreshore.

too right he is going absolutely nowhere till he's made his money.

And a bit more for the pension fund on top.

exactly. Mrs Brent has her heart set on a new conservatory to enjoy in her old age with their pet tortoise alan. got to be paid  for somehow.

dont bring me into it

the tortoise is named after alan shearer

Reading this I'm just thinking "come on down arry".
Someone buy us please,it would be nice to have a new grandstand.