1. FC Kaiserslautern - Our Sister Club

I've largely believed the investments they've made prior to the SPAC weren't using their personal money or equity. Though it's obviously not possible to know what the structure and funding model truly is because of the opacity of the holding company jurisdiction.

Reading that article, it's just more of their over egged gibberish pending a deal they knew was going to be signed off. I did read that Kaiserslautern were hoping for some debts to be paid off. Given our understanding of this ownership and its actions, I'm not sure thats likely. Unless the SPAC essentially becomes a funding stream for debt that they generate a return on pending the disposal of their clubs which they hope are at profit.

My personal hope is that they look at the mess they've made of Barnsley if we get relegated and consider the likelihood of progress is nominal. So with a greater level of funding through the SPAC, they dispose of us and look higher up the English food chain. They are driven by hubris and greed. Barnsley won't ultimately fulfil those needs for them.

 

The article says they they are wanting a stake in a top tier team in of of the big 5 euro leagues. I don't think that you can own 2 clubs in the same country so yes, all being well they sell us and buy some other sucker further up the English leagues.

 

Finding someone to buy us at the price they'll want will be the problem though.

 

Ah, that'll be when the Facebook buyers will make their move then?

 

I think these new investors will be a bit disappointed if some of the funds are use to bailout little old Barnsley.

 

Why would anyone with a modicum of business sense actually pay for a business losing £4m pa and likely to lose considerably more next year?

Any future owner will need capital to meet the day to day loses.

 

If they generate a good level of return above base rate for a line of credit, I'm sure they'll be content with that.

 

If it's someone else's money thats "paid" for us, and they are able to buy a bigger club that they can skim on a grander scale, a nominal write off on a very small upfront investment is pretty acceptable.

 

Possibly. Any potential buyer would have to commit to taking on the 4.5m debt we’re carrying though. Unless they can wipe it out in the summer with player sales….

 

I think you could apply the first sentence to football generally. But it doesn't seem to stem the flow of people content to by something and see it lose money on a pretty epic scale in many instances.

Having said that, if we look at BFC as it stands and wanted to protect it's future, you could claw back some of those losses pretty quickly and generate some quick fire cash. It would take a fundamental shift in policy and activity and at first, there would have to be some sacrifices. But it could be done. But the people running the club would likely need to care about it, not just see it as a project for vanity or for return.

 

The latter would be the way. We may not get massive returns, but we could at least convert player investment to cash on the balance sheet, and obviously we'd have to stop paying fees and lean on the academy and free transfers, while stripping back the gravy train of directors fees.

 

Think of all the advertisement money they'll be able to generate in "expanding markets" etc.

 

My money is on a Serie A or La Liga club.

 

But the year before, the club made a profit, until the owners decided to loan themselves the 750k from the club.

 

As you may know Martin is my cousin. He's lost interest unfortunately and is now going for Chelsea instead. He had someone start an Abromovich out facebook group first to drive the price down. He's currently recruiting a food taster/door handle operative if you're interested

 

If they do it'll be funny when they inevitably **** it up. Fans over there are a tad 'emotional', shall we say...

 

Reads as 1 Fecked Club

 

Looks like an eagle in a wheelchair..

 

I wonder if they will arrange an away friendly to give fans a chance to pop to Germany to watch us.

 

Mid 90's I think