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Just as their bid for automatic promotion to the Premiership appears to be faltering, Sheffield United's off the pitch strategy is falling into place. Certainly if promotion was achieved it would provide a solid basis for consolidation in the Premiership. The basis of the strategy is finding revenue streams outside football and using them to support the club on the pitch. Last month the club announced that it was planning to buy a health club in Staines to the west of London. The link between the steel city and the home of the Staines 'massive' might appear to be unclear, but the club is seeking to roll out nationwide the Impact health club and juice bar format it has established at its soccer academy. The club is raising £10.7m through an open offer to shareholders to help pay for the £4m Staines deal and fund other projects. Scarborough Property Company, controlled by Blades chairman Kevin McCabe, is underwriting £8.35m of the offer. United's diversification has already taken it into property with the Blades Enterprise Centre, serviced office space adjoining Bramall Lane. Chairman McCabe has also formed a £50m joint venture between United and Scarborough to invest in low-risk commercial property. With China overtaking Japan as the world's third biggest exporter, £34m has been put into Chinese investment company Kinghing, alongside acquiring Chinese second division club Chengdu Five Bull. The latest piece in the jigsaw is that the club has been given the green light by the City Council to build an eight storey four star hotel on land to the rear of the corner stand which is now under construction.
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