The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
I'm not suggesting there is an easy solution. If there was surely it would already be in place.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
I'm not suggesting there is an easy solution. If there was surely it would already be in place.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
Before the ink was even dry on the contracts the facts re Standard were out there, who wasn't worried ?
The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
I'm not suggesting there is an easy solution. If there was surely it would already be in place.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
Before the ink was even dry on the contracts the facts re Standard were out there, who wasn't worried ?
I wasn't worried. I was cautiously optimistic due to potential network advantages combined with FFP.
Ok, I was wrong, but I'm not going to pretend I knew the future all along.
Understand it is difficult if not impoosible for them to interfere in ownership of commercial clubs. Perhaps too simplistic but maybe the EFL could take it upon themselves to conduct this kind of a survey on a regular basis and then impose sanctions on owners falling below reasonable standards in the eyes of fans?
Understand it is difficult if not impoosible for them to interfere in ownership of commercial clubs. Perhaps too simplistic but maybe the EFL could take it upon themselves to conduct this kind of a survey on a regular basis and then impose sanctions on owners falling below reasonable standards in the eyes of fans?
Perhaps the 'fit amd proper' should be an ongoing test ?
Understand it is difficult if not impoosible for them to interfere in ownership of commercial clubs. Perhaps too simplistic but maybe the EFL could take it upon themselves to conduct this kind of a survey on a regular basis and then impose sanctions on owners falling below reasonable standards in the eyes of fans?
What sanctions though. I can't think of much that doesn't punish the club and, by default, the fans.
The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
I'm not suggesting there is an easy solution. If there was surely it would already be in place.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
Even if he EFL were to grow some teeth I still don't think there was any evidence that RD should not be allowed to own a football club. I'm not aware of there being any question of illegal or improper practices by him. I'm not aware that he took money (net of investments) out of any of his clubs. They can't insist that owners and their appointed CEOs take an IQ test.
The EFL don't but, realistically, can't do much to control who owns the clubs. The truth is that most clubs are looking for someone, anyone, that will bank roll them and 'invest' millions of pounds of their own money into the club.
In most cases the club has so much debt that the only criteria is that the new owner has money, or pretends to. In reality beggars can't be choosers. It's ok having a survey asking if the fans are happy with the owners and if the EFL do enough to protect the clubs but all the while they have huge debts and running deficits the EFL's hands are tied.
I totally disagree, of course The EFL can and should control who owns the clubs.
So if a club goes into administration and one, potential, buyer offers to clear the existing debt at 25p in the £ and another, more popular, buyer offers 1p in the £ should the EFL have the right to force the creditors to accept 4% of what is on the table from the higher bidder? I have a feeling that there would be a legal challenge in that situation.
Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
I'm not suggesting there is an easy solution. If there was surely it would already be in place.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
Before the ink was even dry on the contracts the facts re Standard were out there, who wasn't worried ?
I wasn't worried. I was cautiously optimistic due to potential network advantages combined with FFP.
Ok, I was wrong, but I'm not going to pretend I knew the future all along.
Who did ? Who could have predicted the complete & utter shambles they have taken us too but certainly the selling of all the star players at Standard after a highly successful season to be replaced by nobodies was warning enough on the playing side at least. I didn't see the future but I was certainly worried
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Also if a club is up for sale and the only bidder that can satisfy the EFL is forcing the seller to take a big hit what happens then?
However, when I said that the EFL's hands are tied I didn't mean that they don't have the power, just that if they refuse to allow 'shady' characters to buy clubs we could well have 90% of EFL clubs going to the wall. There would come a point when they wouldn't be able to pay any staff, players or admin and then the clubs would all fold.
However, more significant to the point, and us in particular, if RD couldn't pass the tests then who the heck would? Clearly RD is a fool, and he has overseen untold damage to our club but on paper, particularly before he bought the club, he looked like the best thing to ever happen to Charlton. The joy when we realised that we had a billionaire owner (all be it in Euros) was unparalleled.
However, there has to be a better process to decide who is a fit & proper owner.
I don't think there was unparalleled joy when RD took over. Some fans were already aware of the damage he had done to his other clubs and the EFL could have taken more time, if their process was more robust.
There has to be a better way than the EFL saying we can't do much to control who owns clubs.
Ok, I was wrong, but I'm not going to pretend I knew the future all along.
I didn't see the future but I was certainly worried
"Thanks to the great work of my team, Charlton Athletic is de cloob with the most amount of potential to improve".