Interested Parties

[Dave_Og]

9 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

My point is whoever takes over is going to have to spend many more millions than the takeover cost to try and make a success of it so if a million or two is such an issue at this stage then what's the point?

It's not that it is an issue in have they got it - it's an issue if they are daft enough to just spend it for no good reason.  That's. What. Abdallah. Did

[maximus1267]

36 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

My point is whoever takes over is going to have to spend many more millions than the takeover cost to try and make a success of it so if a million or two is such an issue at this stage then what's the point?

But a million or two as you put it is a hell of a lot of money in regard to oafc as it stands now.

I sort of understand what you are saying but I cant see ant prospective buyer seeing that sort of money as no issue.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the man buying then maybe he would not see it as such an issue, but he is a multi billionaire.

Sadly our new owners whenever or if ever they arrive may not be at that same level financially.

I hope you are right and any new owner will think its loose change but I linger on the more realistic side.

[Clifford]

If we ignore this mental and unlitmately pointless grab for the North Stand, the issue is that there is debt, some serious in terms of the tax man, a drop in income when we go down and on top of this the asking price. Ignoring any football related issues like no players under contract. 

 

As an insolvent concern with the majority of it's funding going in the next 12 months the asking price should be £0. £0 and a big thank you for taking on the risk (shitshow).

 

That would then leave any new owner taking on a picture of expected income and debts that need clearing.

 

AL isn't trying to sell IMO. No one will buy such a case as above with an added sale price of millions on top.

[bluehobbit]

22 minutes ago, Clifford said:

If we ignore this mental and unlitmately pointless grab for the North Stand, the issue is that there is debt, some serious in terms of the tax man, a drop in income when we go down and on top of this the asking price. Ignoring any football related issues like no players under contract. 

 

As an insolvent concern with the majority of it's funding going in the next 12 months the asking price should be £0. £0 and a big thank you for taking on the risk (shitshow).

 

That would then leave any new owner taking on a picture of expected income and debts that need clearing.

 

AL isn't trying to sell IMO. No one will buy such a case as above with an added sale price of millions on top.

 

I don't disagree with anything you have said. 

 

Where do we see this ending? He's obviously not prepared to spend big money on players or embargo's so where do we go? Surely we drop through the divisions and that's it and he looses money hand over fist every season. Does he just pull the plug? I just don't get what AL is up to. 

 

He's never going to recoup his losses so surely some foresight says I get back what I can quickly and then sell up. Rather than year on year of relegation. It took us years to get relegated from league 1 a couple to get relegated from league 2.  Straight down next year as well? 

[nzlatic]

1 hour ago, deyres42 said:

My point is whoever takes over is going to have to spend many more millions than the takeover cost to try and make a success of it so if a million or two is such an issue at this stage then what's the point?

Lets say it would cost £20 million in total, for the purchase and then subsequent infrastructure investment that would no doubt be required to make OAFC a viable proposition.  You're saying that wasting 10% of that on overpaying the current owners just to get it done a bit more quickly is what we should expect of any new owner. That makes zero sense, no matter how many times you say it.

[BP1960]

Would AL think its not worth paying rent on the North Stand for non league football and return to a 3 sided ground again to cut his losses?

[nzlatic]

Given the information being released in bits and pieces on here by someone in the know when it comes to Barry Owen and his current involvement, do we have to now accept that this looks a very likely proposition? That there is an investor lined up to become majority shareholder who will then install Barry Owen into a senior role at the club such as Chief Executive?

[maximus1267]

1 minute ago, nzlatic said:

Given the information being released in bits and pieces on here by someone in the know when it comes to Barry Owen and his current involvement, do we have to now accept that this looks a very likely proposition? That there is an investor lined up to become majority shareholder who will then install Barry Owen into a senior role at the club such as Chief Executive?

Looks an option, an option that would keep AL to some degree, and also see some people involved who have not had a good experience with some fans in the past.

It could be a better option than our current one, we dont know until we have more information but Im open to listen rather than just dismiss it straight away, especially if it means saving the club and moving us forward, big if though.

[Dave_Og]

1 minute ago, maximus1267 said:

Looks an option, an option that would keep AL to some degree, and also see some people involved who have not had a good experience with some fans in the past.

It could be a better option than our current one, we dont know until we have more information but Im open to listen rather than just dismiss it straight away, especially if it means saving the club and moving us forward, big if though.

 

I'm not entirely sure who Hobson was and what his options might have been but that's where we maybe are

[Undr the cosh]

The only way to move forward is sadly let the club go into administration/liquidation, then set up a phoenix club AFC Oldham Athletic the same way that Bury have and start again. 

 

No so called businessman/woman is going to buy this show, the stadium is dilapidated beyond economic repair. the product on the pitch is mostly overpaid tripe who have no backbone or will to play, it is just a paycheck to most of them. The new stand with the gym, a banqueting hall etc. is never going to pay enough to support the current stadium and on field product and be a self funding business. Ask yourselves, if you were a successful in business...would you?

 

We can ground share with Chadderton or one of the Tameside clubs until we can get back on our feet. There are hundreds of players out there that would give anything to be a paid semi pro footballer, we have the fan base of 3k as a minimum that could make this work.  

 

We have to realise that our fan base alone will never take us to the premier league again, football is a different world than it was in 1990! We are who we are, a promotion or decent cup run along the way would be enough for most diehard fans without the heartache of poor ownership, who lets face it all bought the current club to meet their own agenda. 

[deyres42]

23 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

Lets say it would cost £20 million in total, for the purchase and then subsequent infrastructure investment that would no doubt be required to make OAFC a viable proposition.  You're saying that wasting 10% of that on overpaying the current owners just to get it done a bit more quickly is what we should expect of any new owner. That makes zero sense, no matter how many times you say it.

That's fine but unless relegation forces his hand then the only alternative would seem to be administration and all that entails.

[LightDN123]

1 hour ago, deyres42 said:

My point is whoever takes over is going to have to spend many more millions than the takeover cost to try and make a success of it so if a million or two is such an issue at this stage then what's the point?

I get what you are trying to say, but it makes no sense and no sound business person would want to be ripped off, especially by AL. I’d be more worried if we had someone who would do that, isn’t that what AL did with paying Meing 10k a week ? 
 

Off topic but how have we gone from paying him 10k a week to now only paying 800 a week in 4 years ? 

[nzlatic]

13 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

That's fine but unless relegation forces his hand then the only alternative would seem to be administration and all that entails.

His willingness to accept a realistic offer is another story. And I absolutely agree, unless he shifts his position things are looking extremely bleak.

[Lees Latics]

Lets be honest and have a little eyes opened approach to any potential new owners! The only way this ends is in administration/liquidation, it happens and a phoenix club rises from the ashes under some guise, whether that means playing at Chadderton or Stalybridge for a time, who cares?  For me, non league as a phoenix club is the way forward, maybe a promotion now and then, a decent cup run occasionally, who knows we may even get back in the FL one day and have an identikit stadium somewhere in Oldham. 

 

The days of Oldham Athletic being in the top flight is confined to history, the premiership of 1991 is long gone, those days are over. Yes I am grateful that I was around to witness the cub runs the epic Wembley appearances etc.  

 

Those so called potential buyers are all looking for an angle in which to rinse the club or flip it for a profit, the 3A did it for the land, ALMO are are doing it to get a gold nugget of a player from some non league backwater country, lets face it, if a white knight came in to buy the club what are they buying? A dilapidated stadium that needs millions spending on it, a group of players who don't give a toss about the club. Even if the JR stand was included, what is the income? a peppercorn rent from a gym and an empty function room.  This club can only dream of being self funded in its current guise. 

 

If any fan or reader of this post who is a success in business or rich enough would you invest? I think not 
 

 

[maximus1267]

6 minutes ago, Lees Latics said:

Lets be honest and have a little eyes opened approach to any potential new owners! The only way this ends is in administration/liquidation, it happens and a phoenix club rises from the ashes under some guise, whether that means playing at Chadderton or Stalybridge for a time, who cares?  For me, non league as a phoenix club is the way forward, maybe a promotion now and then, a decent cup run occasionally, who knows we may even get back in the FL one day and have an identikit stadium somewhere in Oldham. 

 

The days of Oldham Athletic being in the top flight is confined to history, the premiership of 1991 is long gone, those days are over. Yes I am grateful that I was around to witness the cub runs the epic Wembley appearances etc.  

 

Those so called potential buyers are all looking for an angle in which to rinse the club or flip it for a profit, the 3A did it for the land, ALMO are are doing it to get a gold nugget of a player from some non league backwater country, lets face it, if a white knight came in to buy the club what are they buying? A dilapidated stadium that needs millions spending on it, a group of players who don't give a toss about the club. Even if the JR stand was included, what is the income? a peppercorn rent from a gym and an empty function room.  This club can only dream of being self funded in its current guise. 

 

If any fan or reader of this post who is a success in business or rich enough would you invest? I think not 
 

 

Do you think Darren Royle and his dads consortium have intentions of just flipping the club and make profit ?

Luton could be a top flight club again, Bournmouth were a top flight club and Brentford are now a top flight club, all 3 would have had fans who thought the same as you.

We maybe a million miles away from any success but never say never.

[Clifford]

Administration for me is the only way to rid ourselves. My understanding is ALs asking price is then null and void. Any new parties simply have the sort out current debts and plan for the future.

 

This tax bill of near £900k (as April 21) and hopefully debts on rent could provide the basis for this. Those debts will increase when we go down and income reduces. Makes starving his access to cash all the more important. Also makes his quest for millions of pounds more ridiculous. 

 

Also makes me conclude that if we stay up, we keep AL. If we go down, we'll get rid of him.

[Lees Latics]

10 minutes ago, maximus1267 said:

Do you think Darren Royle and his dads consortium have intentions of just flipping the club and make profit ?

Luton could be a top flight club again, Bournmouth were a top flight club and Brentford are now a top flight club, all 3 would have had fans who thought the same as you.

We maybe a million miles away from any success but never say never.

I don't know what their intentions are, what I can assure you of is there will be an angle to their buying of the club, we just don't know it yet! There is no such thing as a free lunch, ask yourself, why would they come in, spend millions, lose a couple more million??? Sure there is an angle...

 

The difference between the other 3 clubs? I don't know but I do know that Griffin Park was sold for development, in London...you only need to watch location on C4 to know the land value, the new stadium is surrounded by development, I am guessing the owners of these developments also own the ground? from the outside looking in at Bournemouth, they had a good many years of stability and went about their business under the radar then popped up in the Prem for a couple of years. As for Luton, my most hated club I have no interest in knowing their business. 

 

As I said in my original post, people must be deluded if they think a white knight is coming over the hill to buy this club. 

[Clifford]

If someone can get the club for next to nothing and buy the stadium at a reasonable rate then there is something there. We'd have income 365, a fan base others would love to have and just about still a decent structure within the club youth wise. 

 

2 big ifs but should admin come into play i think people will fancy it as it may only then take what AL wants for the club to get the club and the stadium. Even if they dont buy the stadium signing profit making SLAs with OEC or Blitz would increase current match day income the dicks in charge refuse to use.

[Dave_Og]

16 minutes ago, Clifford said:

Administration for me is the only way to rid ourselves. My understanding is ALs asking price is then null and void. Any new parties simply have the sort out current debts and plan for the future.

 

This tax bill of near £900k (as April 21) and hopefully debts on rent could provide the basis for this. Those debts will increase when we go down and income reduces. Makes starving his access to cash all the more important. Also makes his quest for millions of pounds more ridiculous. 

 

Also makes me conclude that if we stay up, we keep AL. If we go down, we'll get rid of him.

 

Yes indeed, but it's more complex than that.  As I have said on here dozens of times - if there isn't a buyer lined up and ready to go when administration kicks in we will likely be liquidated with a few weeks at most.

[LaticMark]

5 hours ago, Clifford said:

Really? We're about 900k in debt to the taxman according to them. Last financial data states 4 million in liabilities. We've no assets and long term if we go down we are going to lose 1.25 mill a year in income.

 

I'm not sure where you get the idea that we don't have huge debts. They are huge given there is no assets to balance them off against. 

 

The club is technically insolvent according to Kieran Maguire from what he can see. The idea that we don't have club killing finance problems is way off IMO.

 

Also if we don't pay our rent there is no saying we won't be made homeless......

 

Summed up today by Suzanne Geldard in The Oldham Times.

[Canada_latic]

56 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

 

Yes indeed, but it's more complex than that.  As I have said on here dozens of times - if there isn't a buyer lined up and ready to go when administration kicks in we will likely be liquidated with a few weeks at most.

Maybe I am being a tad optimistic? But we hear that there is interest in the club. But they are put off by Al's price tag and conditions. My take is there are people circling around, but are waiting for administration. In order to get the club for next to nothing. If administration does happen? Hopefully it is one of the creditors or Blitz that does it. As the administrators would be working for them, so Al wouldn't have a say regarding terms or conditions. They would be more likely to look for a quicker sale, than administrators working for Al. Please advise if there's more to this?  I am kind of basing this on the Derby County saga and what I heard through "The Price of Football " podcast. 

[kowenicki]

3 hours ago, deyres42 said:

My point is whoever takes over is going to have to spend many more millions than the takeover cost to try and make a success of it so if a million or two is such an issue at this stage then what's the point?

Really? Really!?

 

This is still a business decision, or it should be, so ANY buyer will very much mind spunking a million or two for no good reason. 
 

 

[kowenicki]

58 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

 

Yes indeed, but it's more complex than that.  As I have said on here dozens of times - if there isn't a buyer lined up and ready to go when administration kicks in we will likely be liquidated with a few weeks at most.

100%.  If the club go into admin and we still have split assets then we are in very, very serious trouble. 

[kowenicki]

3 minutes ago, Canada_latic said:

Maybe I am being a tad optimistic? But we hear that there is interest in the club. But they are put off by Al's price tag and conditions. My take is there are people circling around, but are waiting for administration. In order to get the club for next to nothing. If administration does happen? Hopefully it is one of the creditors or Blitz that does it. As the administrators would be working for them, so Al wouldn't have a say regarding terms or conditions. They would be more likely to look for a quicker sale, than administrators working for Al. Please advise if there's more to this?  I am kind of basing this on the Derby County saga and what I heard through "The Price of Football " podcast. 

Ask yourself what is in Blitz’s best interest. 

[Canada_latic]

8 minutes ago, kowenicki said:

Ask yourself what is in Blitz’s best interest. 

The land of course. I only mentioned Blitz because he nearly put the club into administration over unpaid rent for the North Stand. But I guess he won't be able to do anything unless this court case is resolved? Is it possible for the club to be put into administration before Barry's day in court or will it continue as an ongoing concern?