[Astle1968]

I'm a very firm no. I think what we have achieved over the last 10 years is remarkable and I'm proud to say we have done it all off our own back.

If you look at takeovers in the PL there's only been City and Chelsea which have been a success and numerous failures some of them almost putting the clubs out of business, or leaving the club without a ground to play in or isolating the fans by treating them dirt whilst trying to change club names/colours. I don't think it's worth the risk and I think even the biggest anti Peace fans may well looks back at the last decade as a golden era in the clubs history not to dissimilar to how older fans look at the 70's side for example.

Absolute best case scenario we become a 'huge' club. Just say we did somehow make CL football 5 years down the line. The whole thing would feel completely artificial to me & we wouldn't be successful because we were West Brom. Right now people feel the prospect of European football is to exciting to turn down, but people thought exactly the same about PL football and playing Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool 15 years ago and it only took a few seasons for that to wear off. Ask a City fan (some of the best in the country) about the idea of playing Roma under the lights in the CL 10 years ago they would have been dreaming but after 4 years of CL there's 10k empty seats.

Whilst I'll always support Albion I can honestly say now it doesn't make any difference to me if we are playing in the prem or conference. Of course it's easy to dream about us signing players like Aguero and Silva or even players a couple of levels down from that and watching us draw AC Milan in a Europa league tie, but ultimately if we had millions pumped in from an external source it just wouldn't feel like my club in quite the same way it does now.

[Big Al]

I agree with what you say Astle, whilst the attraction of playing Barca or Milan seems very enticing I personally would get more enjoyment from beating Wulfs or Villans. It is much more fun to beat someone locally who you can banter with. For me it is Stokies so you can imagine the trauma I have faced for many years, and now they just say it is Pulis that beat them not really the team!
Miss playing the Wulfs and Brum much more than Red Star Belgrade.

[cornishbaggie]

I'm happy with how we are. One of the last few Premier League clubs with a British owner who have no financial worries.

Better the devil you know.

this is how i feel.

[kc56wba]

I also agree with the Astle 1968 post. I also have one question, why would ( if it is to be believed) the worlds 29th richest bloke wants to take over our club?

[Standaman]

I'm unsure in part because while I don't know who the bidder is I find it difficult to form an opinion. Even if I knew who they were it would still be difficult to gauge what their intentions are and how they would run the club.

In truth the some of very worst owners ever to be inflicted on a football club Gydamack and the Venkys probably didn't seem terrible when they turned up. Both talked the talk and put money into clubs of similar stature to the Albion but turned out to be poisonous.

My preference would be for Peace to carry on but that is not an option. As ever we have to embrace the change and hope for the best.   

[BB74]

I also agree with the Astle 1968 post. I also have one question, why would ( if it is to be believed) the worlds 29th richest bloke wants to take over our club?

If I was the 29th richest bloke in the world I would take over a lower Premier League side. You could see real progression then and have fun along the way. It wouldn't be as much fun buying a top 4 team and just tweaking a few things.

[divinewind]

I also agree with the Astle 1968 post. I also have one question, why would ( if it is to be believed) the worlds 29th richest bloke wants to take over our club?

I doubt it would be one man who would take us on but a part of his expanding wanda empire. that said they try to be best in the field of anything they takean interest in.

[bradleysrocket]

In an ideal world we would have a mixture of both. The extra financial clout a new owner could bring, along with Peaces astute business acumen. Imagine what he could do with more finance to play with. Unfortunately he'll probably drift away.

[AlbionFan]

I voted yes, although I'm a staunch supporter of JP and am grateful to him for what the club has achieved during his stewardship.

I believe if he himself thinks it's time for change, then it is.

Whatever happens, sold or not, there is a risk and I just think, overall, the risk of a new owner, whoever that might be, offers possibly more benefits and renders the risk more tenable.

Of course, I am assuming that JP will be as good as his word when he said he would only sell to benefit the club and of course he will also benefit and rightly so.

[overseas baggie]

I also agree with the Astle 1968 post. I also have one question, why would ( if it is to be believed) the worlds 29th richest bloke wants to take over our club?

Because it will cost him nothing - the financial return will ensure that's why it's a good investment for him, rather than a money pit.

That's probably why he's the 29th richest man in the world.....

[smethwickw]

I'm a very firm no. I think what we have achieved over the last 10 years is remarkable and I'm proud to say we have done it all off our own back.

If you look at takeovers in the PL there's only been City and Chelsea which have been a success and numerous failures some of them almost putting the clubs out of business, or leaving the club without a ground to play in or isolating the fans by treating them dirt whilst trying to change club names/colours. I don't think it's worth the risk and I think even the biggest anti Peace fans may well looks back at the last decade as a golden era in the clubs history not to dissimilar to how older fans look at the 70's side for example.

Absolute best case scenario we become a 'huge' club. Just say we did somehow make CL football 5 years down the line. The whole thing would feel completely artificial to me & we wouldn't be successful because we were West Brom. Right now people feel the prospect of European football is to exciting to turn down, but people thought exactly the same about PL football and playing Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool 15 years ago and it only took a few seasons for that to wear off. Ask a City fan (some of the best in the country) about the idea of playing Roma under the lights in the CL 10 years ago they would have been dreaming but after 4 years of CL there's 10k empty seats.

Whilst I'll always support Albion I can honestly say now it doesn't make any difference to me if we are playing in the prem or conference. Of course it's easy to dream about us signing players like Aguero and Silva or even players a couple of levels down from that and watching us draw AC Milan in a Europa league tie, but ultimately if we had millions pumped in from an external source it just wouldn't feel like my club in quite the same way it does now.

To me it doesn't feel like my club anymore at present. Treading water for the next few years just doing enough to scrape survival or European football. I know what I'd choose. Although strangely enough I much preferred following our club during the dark days of Talbot, Gould & Buckley etc.

[seteefeet]

I vote yes because I like risk and excitement. Mediocrity is not success and I hate the fact that forces have conspired to make the top 5 of the Greed League almost untouchable. Yes, I would love it if we could compete as we are, but that is Roy of the Rovers stuff and will not happen.
If we can get a bloke in with loads of money and a modicum of integrity and it allows us to break ranks, then I'm all-in!
Come on, we would all love it if someone burst from the pack and beat them at their own game, why can't it be us?

[SmethDan]

Having made the club open to 'outside investment' JP conceded he cannot continue to proceed with our current MO, much less take the club forward into the new age of even greater TV payments. He recognises the need for new external flows of revenue to outpace the immediate competition as they too will have the TV monies.

He knows both his and our current limitations better than anybody on this forum. While I would prefer to be run along similar lines to what we are, even just a little extra finance could make things so much easier for us.  To stand still in the Premier is to effectively step backwards, and I'd prefer us not to be looking over our collective shoulder each season. Many thanks to JP for his prudent stewardship, but time to move on perhaps.

If there is to be a transitionary hand over period then fine, but I have no objections to him handing over the reigns if he feels it is the right time to do so.

[halifax_baggie]

Sorry but what restraints are the media under?

The Secrecy agreement can only be legally applied to parties involved in the transaction...

Which means, the media are only speculating

[overseas baggie]

To me it doesn't feel like my club anymore at present. Treading water for the next few years just doing enough to scrape survival or European football. I know what I'd choose. Although strangely enough I much preferred following our club during the dark days of Talbot, Gould & Buckley etc.

Blimey - you are easily satisfied!   

[Albionic]

I have voted no, Whilst I hate the premier league, I have great respect for JP's achievements.
My ideal scenario is new owners who appoint JP as chief exec on a good wage.

JP has a ten year mission (and budget to suit)  to make us top 4 club.

[divinewind]

I have voted no, Whilst I hate the premier league, I have great respect for JP's achievements.
My ideal scenario is new owners who appoint JP as chief exec on a good wage.

JP has a ten year mission (and budget to suit)  to make us top 4 club.

That would be ideal, but i think Peace will walk away once it is done. With or without a takeover we are a very wealthy club, no one could accuse us of jumping on the bandwagon.

We deserve some success for the way the club has been run.

[tuamigos]

I'm very unsure.
I think that most of us expect the people that take over to be putting their hands in the pockets at the very least, but is that what we really want? I would hate us to become a manufactured team like Man City and Chelsea attracting plastic fans and tourists.
Its going to go one of two ways and I can't really make my mind up which way it will go.
For all we know at the moment we could be being taken over by Carson Yoengs cell mate.
Fingers crossed and hope it works out.

[Vince Pinner]

Another "no" here.

I cannot believe how carried away some people are allowing themselves to become.

[macc_baggie]

I voted yes.

Peace has done a superb job (in my opinion) during his time in charge, and I trust him to have the clubs bests interests at heart when selling.

He can't stay forever, so why not sell up when the time is right for him and makes (hopefully) sense for the clubs long term future?

[Tipton Baggie]

I voted yes.

Why not? Too dare is to dream, have no regrets.

[skyclad99]

I voted no, only because we don't know the full facts yet.

JP has do an excellent job over the past few years and we have an awful lot to be thankful for. I look at other clubs who have had big investors and it makes me nervous. I hope JP is true to his word and has the best interests of the club at heart.

Chinese investment could be interesting - it is an emerging market and he is well known there so the commercial prospects could be huge in China.

I remember when Lakshmi Mittal bought into QPR with Ecclestone and Briatore. I thought to myself there and then that this would mean QPR competing with the big boys, and look where they are now.........

[divinewind]

Another "no" here.

I cannot believe how carried away some people are allowing themselves to become.

We are not getting carried away.
The alternative is for Peace to carry on running a club he no longer wants, or feels he cannot improve.

I do understand the apprehension though.

[seteefeet]

We are not getting carried away.
The alternative is for Peace to carry on running a club he no longer wants, or feels he cannot improve.

I do understand the apprehension though.

I'm getting carried away! 
38 years since my first game and I've put a lot in without a trophy to my name, so the thought of something happening to change that, fills me with excitement. Ok, it may go t!ts up, but it could do that at anytime, whoever's in charge.
If that makes me a glory hunter then so be it, let the hunt begin!

[Yamaka]

If it is the guy we suspect it is and if it is his desire to improve the club then I am cautiously optimistic.  The reason the Chinese are so successful is that like the ethos at our club, they don't do debt. This could be a big factor in our attraction? All this however is still speculation and until I know more I am "unsure".