It's Official...............

[fatbury]

My old man said the following ... he reckons

They are just another bunch of investors who will be the face of the club whilst the old lot carry on as normal  .. they will attempt to buy the County Ground off the Council using the funds they have made over the years off the club and then build houses on it .. moving to a new stadium over at Chippenham to make more money for themselves .. the current council wouldnt work with the old board but they might with this so called new investment and it means the CVA can be paid - if they werent shady they would be more transparent ... seen it with these holding companies before

Basically he said its the same old thing just with a new face


I said thanks for that .. there was me thinking it was the start of a new dawn as well ... god I hope hes wrong but I kind of thing he might be right ..

If he was right Id rather the Trust tried to set up a new club .. AFC Swindon and start from scratch .. time will tell

[Whits]

Its the Castro family, including ex athlete brothers. They are backed by Portugese investment bank.

Diamandis and co will leave over the coming months.

That is all I have picked up.

Any personal take on whether this is the dream takeover we have been waiting for, or whether it is the start of a new nightmare?

I guess we'll have to wait and see, that's if all the details come out.

depends on the 5 year plan  :|

[Samdy Gray]

Now come on, everybody loves a 5 year plan.

[Batch]

Does anyone know if " SGPS, S.A." part of the name is something Poruguese akin to "Ltd" or "Plc" in the  UK?

just wondering because I can see loads of SGPS, S.A. on google.

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Edit: 'Psychic' Ed Hadwin just answered the question. SGPS, S.A. just means it's a holding company (of share capital). So we have a new holding company holding control of the club, I guess the old one will be wound down.

[Nemo]

Now, I can't speak Portuguese, but unless I'm very much mistaken these Castro chaps own Dudu Cearense. Now that would be a good signing. Lots of Brazillians, actually. Samba time!

EDIT: And Daniel Carvalho, and Vagner Love. we'll be some sort of feeder team for CSKA Moscow

[HarryFleming]

They are an investment company, which means that they will rip the heart out of any organisation to maximise its earning potential. Something the DTI and IoD are looking into in this country.

Basically, over a short time, the ground will have houses built on it, and we'll get moved down the road somewhere like Chippenham, where another Green Park (ie Madjeski) business area will be created. North Wilts Council would be drooling at that prospect.  We of course will have no say, and be pissed off.

Investment companies, are money companies created to make more money. They don't have an established trade like computing, engineering, retail.

So I would expect STFC to be very flush with money, but souless!!

[Frigby Daser]

Does anyone know if " SGPS, S.A." part of the name is something Poruguese akin to "Ltd" or "Plc" in the  UK?

just wondering because I can see loads of SGPS, S.A. on google.

---------------------------

Edit: 'Pychic' Ed Hadwin just answered the question. SGPS, S.A. just means it's a holding company (of share capital). So we have a new holding company holding control of the club, I guess the old one will be wound down.

Yep, don't know what it stands for but Spa, SGPS S.A, etc are different forms of company

[pauld]

SGPS refers to a company that does not trading in it's own right but exists solely to hold shares in other companies. It's a technical designation in Portuguese law, so Best Holdings SGPS SA basically means "Acme Front Co Ltd"

A pure holding company is defined by Portuguese law as an SGPS ("Sociedade Gestora de Participações Sociais"), whose activity is exclusively the management of shares held in other companies. Portuguese holding companies are exempt from taxation on the income received from EU affiliated companies, in accordance with the EU directive EEC/90/435.

[Nomoreheroes]

So it could really be Bill Power in disguise?

NMH

[Ardiles]

Far too early to either welcome or lament this news - the devil is in the detail.  There are so many questions to ask of the new owners, and if they want to be respected more than the last lot, they will need to make a far greater effort to answer them (and answer them honestly).

If we get answers we are happy with, then I will welcome the news - and not before.  Here are a few questions for starters...

1. Who are you?
2. Is this an investment or a takeover?
3. How much did you pay?
4. How much debt did you take on to finance this move, and which legal entity will be servicing the interest payments on that debt?
5. What is your business plan?  How will you seek to make a return on your investment?
6. Will you confirm now that will you not attempt to move the club from the Borough of Swindon at any point in the future?
7. Will Michael Diamandis have any further influence, in any capacity, at the club?
8. Do you have any plans to repay the £1.2 million invested by Bill Power in 2006?  If not, have you made a provision for this should Bill Power be successful in recovering this sum through the courts?
9. Do you intend to retain Paul Sturrock as manager?
10. What will be the club's playing budget this year?
11. Which division will the club need to be playing in in 5 years from now in order for your business plan to succeed?

That's all I can think of right now.

[magic8ball]

Its all very interesting isn't it? This could be the beginning of a very exciting journey, or the beginning of the end.

One question I have.....Rufus Brevett. He's the middle man in all of this yes? But why? Its all seems very random. I'm pleased that they have somebody with footballing knowledge involved, but does he speak Portugeuse? Does he have any sort of relationship with the investors?

Just curious I guess.

[pauld]

Far too early to either welcome or lament this news - the devil is in the detail.  There are so many questions to ask of the new owners, and if they want to be respected more than the last lot, they will need to make a far greater effort to answer them (and answer them honestly).

If we get answers we are happy with, then I will welcome the news - and not before.  Here are a few questions for starters...

1. Who are you?
2. Is this an investment or a takeover?
3. How much did you pay?
4. How much debt did you take on to finance this move, and which legal entity will be servicing the interest payments on that debt?
5. What is your business plan?  How will you seek to make a return on your investment?
6. Will you confirm now that will you not attempt to move the club from the Borough of Swindon at any point in the future?
7. Will Michael Diamandis have any further influence, in any capacity, at the club?
8. Do you have any plans to repay the £1.2 million invested by Bill Power in 2006?  If not, have you made a provision for this should Bill Power be successful in recovering this sum through the courts?
9. Do you intend to retain Paul Sturrock as manager?
10. What will be the club's playing budget this year?
11. Which division will the club need to be playing in in 5 years from now in order for your business plan to succeed?

That's all I can think of right now.

Can you guarantee that any future revenue streams from ground redevelopment and associated facilities will be legally ringfenced for the football club, not owned by any third party or intermediate vehicle? (The Kassam question)

[Frigby Daser]

12. Can you get some cheap labour from Portugal to get the Town End open for sat

[Samdy Gray]

Anyone know what time the press conference is today?

[pauld]

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords

http://home.austin.rr.com/dulaneyhome/images/hailants.gif