[Ska-dForLife-WBA]

I meant re-branded.  Rainbow Stand is now East Stand (although I'll conceded that it was done under Thompson) and Halfords Lane Stand is now West Stand.  Surprised he didnt go the whole way and rename the Brummie as the North Stand and the Smethwick as the South Stand.  No doubt he would have done if they had been redeveloped.

As a matter of fact, when the current all-seater BRE and SME stands were rebuilt in 1994, the club officially re-named them "the Apollo 2000 Stand" and "the Travel West Midlands Community Stand" respectively due to a sponsorship deal which eventually expired in 2004.  Jeremy Peace could have renewed that deal or sought new sponsorship for the stands, but instead allowed them to revert to being the Brummie Road and the Smethwick End (as us fans had continued to refer to them anyway).  So personally, I think that's a big thumbs-up to the bloke for restoring a bit of Albion heritage.

The only "re-branding" you can legitimately lay at Peace's door is the Halfords Lane to West Stand name-change, and even now, most folks I know still call it the Halfords; it's no skin off our nose, and no particular bother what the club officially designate it.  Hardly Vincent Tan territory, is it?

[BB74]

Ska, If i remember correctly the Halfords was called the 'brew xi' stand at one point aswell. So no further sponsorship there either.

[Ska-dForLife-WBA]

Ska, If i remember correctly the Halfords was called the 'brew xi' stand at one point aswell. So no further sponsorship there either.

Yeah, that's true; we actually went a lot more hell-for-leather with sponsorship in the Nineties than we've ever done under Peace, but I suppose a lot of that was just needing every penny we could scrape together.

Also, for the record, the Rainbow Stand was just a nickname fans came up with in the Sixties because of the brightly-painted seats in its upper rows.  The official club name for that stand between its construction in 1964 and its demolition in 2001 was, in fact, "the East Stand". How's that for heritage? 

Back on-topic, I think there's plenty to be naturally concerned about with the prospect of new owners, but hopefully Peace is shrewd enough to know a good buyer from a crook.  Fingers crossed.

[17GD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32202895

Interesting read posted this morning.

[Yamaka]

Back on-topic, I think there's plenty to be naturally concerned about with the prospect of new owners, but hopefully Peace is shrewd enough to know a good buyer from a crook.  Fingers crossed.

Just as there is a world of a difference between a coach and a manager, there's a massive difference between an owner and an investor. The USA in particular have a long and proud tradition of asset stripping.  Surely we want someone who will invest in the club rather than in their own portfolio?

[Aixelsyd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32202895

Interesting read posted this morning.

actually that is interesting.....

My take on it is that JP does not want to damage the brand by saying "no realistic buyer is on the horizon".

Instead we get the "Peace is keen that the process does not drag on" statement so as to save face if nothing eventuates.

This has happened before when he was after investors and similar quotes were made to cover up the lack of interest.

[Jimbo Baggy]

Aixelsyd what are you on about, its been clearly stated in the Press that a group have already been shown round the ground, and training facility’s. Think this is a clear sign that Peace is talking to groups interested in taking over. Five groups I have heard.

Im all for it, as long as its sold to the right people, who are going to invest in the team and ground. Exciting times if we are sold to the right people.  

[WBArgo]

Just looking locally here, is this actually a good thing if we were to sell?
I mean Villa went to a US owner, who has taken them backwards from Doug Ellis, Birmingham's new owners have been disastrous and even Morgan whose heart is in the right place at Wolves took them down to league one and still hasn't recovered from when he took them over.

In fact, has there been a tale in the past 5-10 years where new owners have actually benefited a club? I know Man City and Chelsea have profited massively, but away from a billionaires play-thing, do these sales actually advance a club or am I being too pessimistic?

[FallOutBoy]

Just looking locally here, is this actually a good thing if we were to sell?
I mean Villa went to a US owner, who has taken them backwards from Doug Ellis, Birmingham's new owners have been disastrous and even Morgan whose heart is in the right place at Wolves took them down to league one and still hasn't recovered from when he took them over.

In fact, has there been a tale in the past 5-10 years where new owners have actually benefited a club? I know Man City and Chelsea have profited massively, but away from a billionaires play-thing, do these sales actually advance a club or am I being too pessimistic?

Southampton could be said to be in a better position now since their takeover. Likewise Swansea saw new ownership years ago, and a long-term plan has reached fruition. For all the mistakes Fernandes and co have made at QPR, I doubt they would be a Premier League club at all without them.

There are cases where new owners have proved successful after coming in. It's just that in most cases, the club is a basket case beforehand.

[Standaman]

I wrote this last year and I still think it holds true.

http://lookbackinmildbewilderment.blogspot.co.uk/2014_02_01_archive.html

Ultimately I do think Peace's tenure has run it's course and a new ownership might help the club develop but there is not a snowball in hells chance that the new ownership will throw millions at the club that moment has passed. It always amuses me that fans talk about investment but in general the quickest way to make a small fortune in football is start with a large one and buy a football club.


 

[WBArgo]

Southampton could be said to be in a better position now since their takeover. Likewise Swansea saw new ownership years ago, and a long-term plan has reached fruition. For all the mistakes Fernandes and co have made at QPR, I doubt they would be a Premier League club at all without them.

There are cases where new owners have proved successful after coming in. It's just that in most cases, the club is a basket case beforehand.

I agree regarding Southampton, and arguably Leicester improved under their new ownership. However, I think Swansea was more of a local setup similar to what Peace did with us. I was specifically on about foreign owners who aren't local and will have less of an emotional commitment.
Regarding QPR however, they're in a far worse financial position since Fernandes however. I know they weren't great anyway and they had lots of debt/facing league one, but since Fernandes the debt has increased massively.

[darbolina]

Good blog standaman. I agree a fans trust but with simpler , clearer leadership than we had in the 90s would be ideal to ensure longer term stability if not necessarily investment? This works very well in Germany so why not here?

[SmethDan]

I wrote this last year and I still think it holds true.
http://lookbackinmildbewilderment.blogspot.co.uk/2014_02_01_archive.html

I've often wondered what your Avatar was.........a goldfish.

Thought it was a bloody UFO!  .

Should have gone to Spec Savers.
 .

[Adder]

I agree regarding Southampton, and arguably Leicester improved under their new ownership. However, I think Swansea was more of a local setup similar to what Peace did with us. I was specifically on about foreign owners who aren't local and will have less of an emotional commitment.
Regarding QPR however, they're in a far worse financial position since Fernandes however. I know they weren't great anyway and they had lots of debt/facing league one, but since Fernandes the debt has increased massively.

Yes Swansea currently is a local setup, though they are in talks with American investors at the moment - not sure whether Huw Jenkins will remain as Chairman if anything comes of that.

[SmethDan]

I've often wondered what your Avatar was.........a goldfish.

Thought it was a bloody UFO!  .

Should have gone to Spec Savers.
 .

Just looked at it again.
Playing cards......getting mixed up with your blog avatar.
Need to take some of my own advice from the election thread.....
Time to go outside I think.  .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtvPlFty1rE

[Blowee]

JP must be starting to worry about his £150 million - we'll only be worth a fraction of that if we get relegated!

[robnewbold]

Dear Jeremy,
After deep soul searching and watching the pooh performance of your pin striped Nancy boys over the last two weeks I am afraid to say that our consortium has decided to withdraw it's offer to buy the Club for 150,000.000. However we would be prepared to reconsider our bid and suggest that 250 quid would be more appropriate for the bunch of monkeys that performed today.
Yours sincerely
Abu Ben Bongo

[koren]

We are nearly safe now, I think the negotiation process will be speeded up.

[CovBaggie]

It's no secret brokers have been shown around the club, training ground etc for potential suitors. Question now is, where the investment lies. At the moment, it's within the Far East.

[koren]

It's no secret brokers have been shown around the club, training ground etc for potential suitors. Question now is, where the investment lies. At the moment, it's within the Far East.

No chinese investor please, don't think they will have a clear planning for the club, they just see the club as a toy.

[royhan]

Nobody from Malaysia either if Cardiff's Vincent Tan is anything to go by.

[baggie82]

I'd be very surprised if a sale goes ahead this summer. We need a buyer who is willing to give Peace £150m, and then invest in the club on-top. Given that he bought the club for a circa 4-6m (apparently using a loan which the club then paid back of the years) and has been paying himself a generous salary he is taking the micky. No chance of a Jack Hayward style giveaway I guess. He may be a fan but he's a business man first and fan second.

Why would anyone want to invest for £150-200m? Even with the new TV deal there is little money to be made as it's all going to go on the playing side and greed league wages. Alternatively if there is any money to be made then that's to the detriment of the club and the fans.  Real tension here between the likely profit motives of any outside consortium and the future of the club.

I suspect that anyone investing £200m odd is either going to try to push the debt onto the club via dodgy loans (which would be a disaster for us and a disgrace. We are not Man Utd, we cannot afford a Glazer style debt dump being laid at our door) or is going to want to take money back from the future revenue - which wouldn't appear likely either unless an asset stripping process gets underway.

From a business perspective there appears to be no real incentive. We also need to be careful with getting carried out with the press stories of groups being shown around the facilities. There are lots of dodgy people around who claim to have access to large wealth but in fact are no more than con-artists. Just like what happened down the road with Birmingham.

Peace has done a professional and impressive job in many ways but if he sells to random consortium who then abuse what has been built up then he will be the one responsible.

To re-cap we need an investor who will:

-Invest at least £200m to invest in the club from day one and have access to more dough
-Have no interest in recouping that investment, or trying to make a profit
-Run the club for the long term interest (i.e. no debt, stability, back Pulis long term)

So essentially we need a Steve Gibson type billionaire - there is no chance of this working out.

Best case scenario we are probably stuck with Peace which would be no bad thing - just wish he'd show some ambition to expand the stadium and lower the match day ticket price (not season ticket prices).

[AlbionFan]

What is a recurring nightmare scenario for me is the prospect of a buyer who has no understanding of football, tradition, fans and our history and is persuaded by some smooth talking consultant, maybe a once high profile ex player or administrator, who claims to know everything there is to know about football in general and West Bromwich Albion specifically.

This consultant then recommends Mr X as the ideal manager, who becomes an "Aunt Sally" because he's not up to the job and we face oblivion.

Even the most intelligent and intellectual of men sometimes demonstrate a lack of commonsense and can be fooled.

I hope JP stays on as Chairman for a reasonable period of time when and if he sells.

[hardtobeat]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32202895

Interesting read posted this morning.

The article is a fortnight old ?

[Sessegod]

Hull and Cardiff are prime examples of why we need to be careful here.