It was David Sullivan's last game as part-owner of Birmingham yesterday and he was interviewed by the Guardian. I cannot do links but he are some of the things he apparently said:
He wants to invest in another club but one with potential and therefore with respect not the likes of Barnet, Southend or Dagenham and Redbridge. He would prefer to invest in one near his home but would be prepared to if one was near an airport so he could fly there by jet. He has not approached a club yet as he did not intend to until his time was finished at Birmingham but he says there are ten clubs he has highlighted as ones that are looking for investment that he maybe interested in.
Everyone seems to think he is looking at Westham but I think they are are a complete financial basket case. Norwich fans seem to think that they are near enough to where he lives for him to be interested in them.
He lives near Theydon Bois in Epping Essex, according to google maps that is 13 miles from the Valley and 35 minutes by car. Norwich is 97 miles and 1hour 57 minutes by car.
I am not stating that it is going to happen or that I want it to happen but I would say that we more than match all his criterion. With due dilligence it will take a couple of months or so to buy a club if he started looking tomorrow, remind me what Richard Murray said about November in the programme yesterday again?
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David Sullivan (born 1 February 1949) is a British pornography entrepreneur and newspaper proprietor. He graduated in Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London. Since 1986 he has been the owner of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport. In 2004, Sullivan was named by The Sunday Times as Britain's 68th richest man, with assets valued at over £500 million.[1]
Birmingham City F.C.
In 1993, Sullivan bought into Birmingham City F.C. with David Gold and Ralph Gold.[2] However, in 2007 Sullivan expressed his desire to sell his share in the club. Sullivan stated he had three reasons for why he wanted to leave. "One, the geographical distance. I've said for years the journey to Birmingham is killing me. Two, I think deep down the public have had enough of us. They think we should have mortgaged our houses to buy more players to compete with Chelsea and Arsenal. The honeymoon is long over and we're at the divorce stage now, unfortunately. And I also feel we've had no support from Birmingham council."[3]
In April 2008, Sullivan and Birmingham City F.C. managing director Karren Brady were released on bail after being arrested by City of London Police and questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting in connection with an ongoing investigation of alleged corruption in English football.[4] In August 2009 it was confirmed that no action would be taken.[5]
Sullivan attributed major blame for Birmingham's 2008 relegation from the Premier League to previous manager Steve Bruce's player signings, and suggested he wanted to sell his stake in the club following the behaviour of sections of the crowd at the last game of the 2007–08 season.[6]
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2 + 2 had better make 5 in this case!
We must be on his list of ten clubs . Norwich is only about 50 miles closer to Theydon Bois than Birmingham., so I'm not sure how viable that is
Clearly West Ham are in heaps of debt , in the long term the Addicks could match them for potential a couple of player sales and I could see the Hammers being relegated.
Sacking Curbs could rebound as I don't see Zola as the man for a relegation scrap
Can`t think of any other south based teams that fit the "with potential" bill. If I am right then I genuinely believe that Charlton could well be very high on his list. Apart from West Ham which of the clubs above can hold a candle to us in terms of location, stadium and potential. Just Reading and Norwich in my opinion. I put us on a par with Reading and ahead of Norwich. Will certainly be interesting to see how this unfolds because there is little doubt in my mind that whichever club that David Sullivan buys will be a premiership club within 5 years. The man has money and likes his football. Would be very interested to see if any of you think that I have missed any teams in my lunatic ramblings.
Orient
This all supposes that Gold wants to buy another football club, after the experience at BC, I wonder if there are easier things to do with his time and money? He seems to be a bit disillusioned with football and who can blame him, football as an industry is not viable in the UK unless you buy a cheap League One/CCC club and get them into the Premiership. The advantage of buying us is that the stadium is in good condition and doesn't need millions being spent on it, which might rule out buying Palace.
I think if he buys a club it'll be West Ham who are local and the new owners - a bank who took over from the Icelandic consortium, will want to sell in a year or two.
He did state that he would not be interested in teams like Southend ( did say Southend), Barnet and Dagenham and Redbridge (he actually used these clubs as examples, I did not pluck them from the air as my own examples, which I expect suggests that Orient are also not on his radar, He has also stated that he wants to get back into football. Gold is staying on at Birmingham as a director so Sullivan intends to go it alone. I still hope that it is West Ham but their debt may require a sheik's wealth not the 68th richest man in the UK's pittance!
Palace don't even own their own ground.
Orient and Southend ......? Don't think so.
Reasons ?
West Ham are a basket case? For virtually two seasons now they've generated their own money with no investment from their Icelandic owners. The only reasons the Golds and Sullivan haven't bought is because they are unwilling to pay a premium and take up debt created by the Icelandic takeover. They're holding on until the Icelandic bank are forced to negotiate. West Ham's revenue stream to us is incomparable. Forty five quid for an average seat? West Ham are proving they're one of the only clubs atm in the prem that can generate the revenue stream to run a club without loss; only problem is it's a fine line and they need their excellent youngsters to step up this year and the next, playing wise they can't afford another cull of players.
Whilst Brum fans criticise the Golds and Sullivan for not investing enough, they paid for player acquisition way above their turnover. Although they'd be good for us I'm not sure if they could take us to the next level, maybe the brink of prem and bottom of prem. Personally if our present chairman can keep us ticking over I'd prefer it.
Some good points but I think the Gold / Sullivan patnership is over and does Sullivan really have the financial clout to take on the financial liabilities that West Ham have on his own. I wonder what the relative costs would be in buying Charlton or Norwich and making a real go of them or buying West Ham and getting them on a sound financial footing. I suspect West Ham will be the 1st club he looks at for the reasons you state but who ends up his number two target is very interesting. As for your preference. We already know our current board cannot continue keeping us viable for much longer. They have to sell or get significant new investment within the year imho.
We could quite easily be a target for them, and indeed they would not be the worst as I've alluded to. They certainly backed Francis, Fry, Bruce and Mcleish much more than the results they received.
Murray and Co or the Porn Baron? Don't think anything he has achieved in the game has ever exceeded anything that Richard Murray and his board ever did for Charlton, and a lot of the research Still Addicted put up from Wikipedia is a pretty cogent argument against it too. I even agree with the Orange One's stance on Sullivan, and I seldom agree with him! Charlton could be on his list but Millwall are more his mark he may well play safe and go for West Ham.
Since we will all be in the West Stand tonight we can have a look to see if he's at the game.
Just had Sullivan on ssn, West Ham very unlikely but not impossible, but will be back in football with Ms Peschisolido in tow.
Even I would rather keep the Geordie Smiler.
Oh come on Addicted, the thought of Ms P and her chest would raise a new song or two from the boys at the back of The Covered End
For
Not a fan of the porn industry but it is legal.
No charges brought on the allegations of dodgy dealing.
Have money
Have experience of running a club and being relatively successful
Left Birmingham in better state than they found it
Developed St Andrews
Doesn't like Jordan
Against
Not Charlton fans
Porn background doesn't sit well with the community/family aspect of the club
Rich but not mega rich
Continues the feud with palace
No smoke without fire fears of dodgy dealings allegations.
It is the Gold family that has the more successful business but I'd imagine a lot of their estate is wrapped up in assets and no doubt used to securitise debt; just a guess but the massive adjustment to their wealth in the last 18 months points to their assets being hoiked to debt. Sullivan on his own wouldn't really benefit anyone unless he's bridging to a 'Dubai' lot. If it is at all possible I'd rather keep the Dubai lot.
Don't know why but just don't feel either very pro or very anti Gold and Sullivan.
Can't say that I'd be full of glee if they took over but not sure why I should be dead against them as some seem to be.
Am I missing something?
Adding to Henry's list.
For
He is a football fan not an investor.
Against
He looks like a scrotum.
All the other fans will hate us because of his poro image.