Article Taxonomy: Takeovers

Articles on football club takeovers and related issues

New Blackburn owners sack Allardyce

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The new owners of Blackburn Rovers, Indian poultry firm Venky’s have sacked manager Sam Allardyce although the club is in no real danger of relegation from the Barclays Premier League.   The 2-1 defeat at Bolton yesterday was hardly a major setback.


Blackburn fans rightly castigated us yesterday for locating the game at Ewood Park.  That’s one of the perils of running a site on an amateur basis around the day job and supporting one’s own club.  Nevetheless, we think we were on to something in identifying tensions between Allardyce and the new owners.

Imps need more investment

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Lincoln City have been through some rocky financial times, although in the period during which they reached the play-offs in five successive years they managed to make a cumulative profit of £1m,   At tonight’s annual general meeting a loss of £200,000 is expected to be reported.

Qatar to move for Premiership club

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There has been quite a lot of criticism of Fifa’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.   The country does not have a footballing tradition and even with super cooled stadiums, it will be a very hot environment in which to stage the tournament.

Palace has big plans

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Crystal Palace nearly went out of business in the summer, but under its new owners it is looking to a brighter future, even if the club is currently in the relegation zone in the Championship.   They seem to have systematic but prudent plans for long-term development.

Watford is latest takeover target

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There has been so much takeover activity outside the Premier League in the last couple of days of this week that I have had difficulty in keeping up.   Watford has emerged as the latest target, but I have no inside knowledge about the identity of their mystery suitor.   However, it was announced on the stock exchange yesterday that Lord Ashcroft was in talks which could lead to a full takeover.

Bid in for Port Vale

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Local businessman Mo Chaudry, who owns Stoke Water Park, has emerged as a potential investor in Port Vale.   He launched a takeover bid in 2003, but was rebuffed.  He has been linked with two Championship clubs, but would prefer to spend his money locally.


American investors have also been linked with the club.   One would not have thought that Burslem would appeal to them, but one never knows.

Charlton sold

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The second takeover of the day has been announced with Charlton Athletic being taken over by a consortium fronted by popular former chief executive Peter Varney.   Such a consortium has been known to be interested in bidding for some time.


They are currently undertaking due diligence and it is hoped that the deal will be sealed on Christmas Eve as a yuletide present for the Addicks.

Hicks and Gillett versus Fenway and others

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The Liverpool saga may have yet another day in court early next year.  Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr were aggrieved about the way in which the sale of the club, which left them out of pocket, was handled.  Hicks complained that he was the victim of an ‘epic swindle’ and they felt that the British establishment had lined up against them.  An alliance between the British establishment and the red half of Liverpool would certainly be a new page in history.

Rushden and Diamonds Football Club sold

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Conference club Rushden and Diamonds has been sold by its current owner who does not think that he has the financial resources to secure promotion which he believes the new owners do have.   The new owner is Gary Calder, former Weymouth chief executive.   The sale price has not been revealed, but it is believed that chairman Keith Cousins has written off his loa