[caravanc58]

its great news that Peace is staying on for 12 months, this should help the club cope with the change of ownership in a more professional manner.

[Droitwich Baggie]

Does anyone have the feeling the Sakho dealing could have fallen through due to the fact we might be looking at a higher quality of player maybe? Wishful thinking maybe on my part as I'm sure Pulis etc will have met the prospective owners before today but maybe the all clear came only a few days ago and we called the deal off as we have been given bigger funds to chase better players.

No. We don't have to take lame horses, now.

[geoff]

Does anyone have the feeling the Sakho dealing could have fallen through due to the fact we might be looking at a higher quality of player maybe? Wishful thinking maybe on my part as I'm sure Pulis etc will have met the prospective owners before today but maybe the all clear came only a few days ago and we called the deal off as we have been given bigger funds to chase better players.

We haven't sold Sadio yet & JP has gone all but in name. new contract maybe.

[glosterbaggie]

We haven't sold Sadio yet & JP has gone all but in name. new contract maybe.

Could be who knows what is going on behind the scenes.But if he stays would like another striker as insurance if he does not perform.Not saying he wont try but we will be short in that dept.

[Hunnington Baggie]

I went through a few pages, but couldn't find the posting.
What was the Chinese for Hawthorns please.

Shãnzhã is hawthorn berry(berry of Hawthorn) so singular would be Zhã, said without any change in pitch. not sure how plural works yet.

[Droitwich Baggie]

Cheers...Will send this on to a friend who has called his house The Hawthorns. He is a long standing Baggies fan.

[Hunnington Baggie]

Cheers...Will send this on to a friend who has called his house The Hawthorns. He is a long standing Baggies fan.

im useless at characters so had to google it, the plural is Shānzhā qiúchang (literally field of Hawthorn bushes) and the characters are 山楂球场

[Droitwich Baggie]

I also used Google Translate and listened to the sounds.
You'd think they would have put it in pigeon English.   

[Aixelsyd]

OK here is my thoughts. 

I had been quite worried about the potential new ownership of the Club, especially when you see and hear what is coming out of some of the other newly purchased teams.

The Club ownership business model which they all seem to use is... Buy a Team and hang your brand name all over it. The Club's fame builds your Brand's name in the European/World market place to try to increase your profits.

So far reported our new Owner has a different take on it.  Buy a Team and hang the Club's Logo on your business to increase the fame of the Club, to increase it's fan base / turnover, which generates your profit.

It is a big difference and at this moment I like the sound of it.


EDIT: and just to mention that Palms major client is the Chinese Government so it is not like they need to World Advertise.

[charlebaggie]

Ok! Let's hope all the back slapping , happy clapping ,congratulations,well done mate is all done ,because in a weeks time we kick off the new season and we need some new faces in .

[royhan]

Well worth a read - more of the new owner's plans in this Club Q&A

http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/west-brom-albion-qa-guochuan-lai-premier-league-takeover-3227313.aspx

[BAGGIE5]

I remember reading a takeover article awhile ago, when it mentioned williams taking over as chairman. Just out of interest does anyone remember who which paper and who wrote it?

[royhan]

I remember reading a takeover article awhile ago, when it mentioned williams taking over as chairman. Just out of interest does anyone remember who which paper and who wrote it?

I recall reading something to this effect too. Sorry, can't remember where or when.

[baggie96]

He has bought the club for cash so there is no debt. Very positive as I have been told the deal was close to £200 million. He mentions the government a bit in that article. he doesn't want to change our identity or a new stadium so that's positive. I am 100% sure that our stadium will be developed into 35-40k in the next 5 years

[Standaman]

One of things that I was most concerned about was the level of debt involved in the transaction reading the Q&A it would seem that there is none either at the club level or within the new Parent Company. Obviously that can change but it would suggest that the takeover is well funded and that Lai is a serious entrepreneur rather than a silver tongued chancer, which is a relief.

[baggie96]

One of things that I was most concerned about was the level of debt involved in the transaction reading the Q&A it would seem that there is none either at the club level or within the new Parent Company. Obviously that can change but it would suggest that the takeover is well funded and that Lai is a serious entrepreneur rather than a silver tongued chancer, which is a relief.

You seem to know your stuff, what does it mean when he says the parent company has funded it through equity?

[section5]

You seem to know your stuff, what does it mean when he says the parent company has funded it through equity?

Basically he's used his capital gained from shares/assets he already has, as opposed to financing the deal against the assets of the club, I think lol

[Zebidee]

Could we also be backed or linked to Chinese government then? This would mean we would have limitless funds or a hell of a lot of funds. Some say wanda are linked too, could they also be one of the backing/support companies

[Zebidee]

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2016/08/06/wolves-v-albion-v-villa-how-do-the-new-chinese-owners-compare/

[telford baggie]

does anybody have any idea of the wealth of the chinese takeover? have we been taken over with alot of money behind them or not much really? not that it matters now just wondered

[MarkW]

"In case there is any doubt, I also want to make it clear that I have no intention of changing the Club’s identity, its famous colours or the stadium."

I'm really starting to like this guy. He's saying all the right things. Hopefully it will be backed up by the right actions

[telford baggie]

"In case there is any doubt, I also want to make it clear that I have no intention of changing the Club’s identity, its famous colours or the stadium."

I'm really starting to like this guy. He's saying all the right things. Hopefully it will be backed up by the right actions

fully agreed and the right action at the moment is getting some decent first team players in. ideally more than 2/3 aswell

[B_H_Baggie]

He's made all of the right noises so far. He seems very level headed but with a clear vision of how he wants to develop us.

[HampshireBaggie]

At last, a vision and some direction. Something we haven't had since Ashworth.

[Zebidee]

An old list as puts us as worth 50 million in 17th place. We would have jumped up to 11th or 10th now... Or maybe a lot higher, if you take into account the worth of the investment groups behind him or the total worth of all tge companies he owns or involved in.. Like palm and the Chinese government

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/509191/Revealed-Which-Premier-League-owner-richest-wealthy-your-club-s-chief