Sale of the Club

[Red Frog]

*Actually, don't know if they're sustainable. Is any club, above L1 level, on a long-term basis?

[A Gent Orange]

Agree, you can't really judge footballers on their stats whereas you most certainly can in baseball.

This thread isn't really about sabremetrics but since people are talking about it - this is interesting http://5addedminutes.com/2013/01/03/part-ii-the-january-transfer-window-is-here-so-sit-back-and-relax/#more-1063 Largely due to the emphasis on not signing player based on stats.

Anyway Liverpool hardly applied it as they actually bought players well above market value, which is hardly clever use of the data.

[Ralphy]

Cheaper to buy a lower league club and propel it to the top flight, the returns could be very lucrative, if done correctly. Southampton haven't done badly with foreign backing.
This is all bollocks anyway, no one has any idea who these mystery people are, so I've decided to believe it's the Saudi royal family. They are going to pump in 300 million a year, with the aim of making us European Champions and the new glory hunting club of choice.

Sounds mental. I wouldn't want that. All the glory hunters would fuck me off. Wouldn't feel like my club anymore.

[london_red]

Do you know, I wouldn't even want that. Wouldn't be my club any more. Surely even Man U or Chelsea fans must wonder what will happen if/when their owners bail out / go to prison / die. Just spend enough to make us sustainable, a la Reading/Swansea. God knows, that will take plenty.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Ardiles]

Do you know, I wouldn't even want that. Wouldn't be my club any more. Surely even Man U or Chelsea fans must wonder what will happen if/when their owners bail out / go to prison / die. Just spend enough to make us sustainable, a la Reading/Swansea. God knows, that will take plenty.

Absolutely agree.  All I want is some investment in the club and its infrastructure to enable it to reach its potential...as has happened at the clubs you mention.  The truth is that, at Swindon, there has been huge underinvestment in the last few decades.  (You only have to look at the ground to see this.  We are sweating that particular asset to the point of dehydration.)  I thought we had turned the corner in the last few years...and still hoping that the story has a happy ending.  Not because I want the club to be permanently bankrolled by a benefactor, but because I can see that its full potential to sustain itself and tap in to the local market has not yet been unlocked.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

I'd rather new investors invest in new facilities and infrastructure as opposed to signings. I think we need someone who is prepared to help progress us but in a slower manner as opposed to going gun ho and spending big in the hope for instant promotions. Get a new stadium sorted, get a scouting network and proper youth system going. Get the club's rep back into this Town's good books rather than seeing people comment saying "Swindon are rubbish" or "Why on earth do you support Swindon they're a joke" etc.

I still feel that the last point exists widely amongst local residents here although less so since the current board took over.

It'll be a longer project and would probably mean less excitement on the pitch for a sustained period but it's what happens once the target is achieved. Swansea and Reading only began their rise once they moved to their new homes.

[herthab]

My comment was less than entirely serious....

[FatSmurf]

Just read this, probably bull but could be interesting: -

Al Waleed is currently involved in an ongoing dialogue with the directors of Swindon Town Football Club, England. Al Waleed was introduced to the football club by former UN Diplomat, Sir William Patey, who has been handed the task of selling the football club on behalf of major shareholder and Betfair founder, Andrew Black. Al Waleed's son is said to be very keen on English football and it is thought should the due dilligence be completed, he will have an active role in running the club.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Waleed_bin_Talal

[Costanza]

I WANT WORLD DOMINATION

[Flashheart]

I WANT WORLD DOMINATION

I second this notion

[Red Frog]

My comment was less than entirely serious....

Well obviously, but it got me thinking what the limit of my ambition for our club would be.

[Samdy Gray]

Just read this, probably bull but could be interesting: -

Al Waleed is currently involved in an ongoing dialogue with the directors of Swindon Town Football Club, England. Al Waleed was introduced to the football club by former UN Diplomat, Sir William Patey, who has been handed the task of selling the football club on behalf of major shareholder and Betfair founder, Andrew Black. Al Waleed's son is said to be very keen on English football and it is thought should the due dilligence be completed, he will have an active role in running the club.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Waleed_bin_Talal

Everything on wikipedia is 100% accurate.

[Benzel]

I WANT WORLD DOMINATION

And I want everyone to despise us for it.

[fatbasher]

Seriously, just think of the stunned silence from up the A420 if that came to pass. Mind you you could say that about the rest of the football world.

[Red Frog]

And I'd still be the only one boycotting games. The rest of you will applaud less once they've cut your hands off.