Post by Neko Bazu on Jan 8, 2008 9:47:19 GMT -1
Latest news, from various sources:
BBC Three Counties Radio:
www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2008/01/07/luton_latest_070108_feature.shtml
This from The Guardian:
football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2237065,00.html
And, on BBC 606, where rumours have been surprisingly accurate for a change:
That latter sounds like a bit of a no-brainer, if the money's reasonably equal!
BBC Three Counties Radio:
www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2008/01/07/luton_latest_070108_feature.shtml
The BBC has learnt today that that three bids have been made for Luton Town Football Club.
The first bid is believed to be from Siemens Executive and Luton supporter Gary Sweet, another is from a local un-named property developer, and the third a partnership between the former England manager Graham Taylor, TV presenter Matt Lorenzo and the football lawyer Matthew Clarke.
An official announcement is expected today (Tuesday 8 January 2008).
The Monday deadline passed at 5.00pm for all serious bidders and speaking from the club's Kenilworth Road ground, BBC reporter Pam Melbourne told BBC Three Counties Radio Drivetime programme that a consortium was hoping to buy the club.
"I can confirm tonight that a party has made a bid to save Luton Town and they have confirmed that to me" she said.
"The club itself and the club's administrators aren't at this stage going to be making any statement until tomorrow, but I have spoken to one party, and this party is made up of a group of wealthy Luton Town supporters, two of whom have been season ticket holders at Kenilworth Road for 30 years each.
"It's a serious bid and they are hopeful that it would rival any others that have been made" she added.
Pam has also spoken to the club's current Chairman, David Pinkney, who revealed that he has not as yet made a bid to buy Luton Town, but he has been in discussion with the group who have made themselves known as making a bid.
"They have told him that they have the funds to take Luton forward and he's happy for that to be so, providing that they do have the funds" revealed Pam.
"But we must reiterate that we don't know how many bids have been made other than this one."
The first bid is believed to be from Siemens Executive and Luton supporter Gary Sweet, another is from a local un-named property developer, and the third a partnership between the former England manager Graham Taylor, TV presenter Matt Lorenzo and the football lawyer Matthew Clarke.
An official announcement is expected today (Tuesday 8 January 2008).
The Monday deadline passed at 5.00pm for all serious bidders and speaking from the club's Kenilworth Road ground, BBC reporter Pam Melbourne told BBC Three Counties Radio Drivetime programme that a consortium was hoping to buy the club.
"I can confirm tonight that a party has made a bid to save Luton Town and they have confirmed that to me" she said.
"The club itself and the club's administrators aren't at this stage going to be making any statement until tomorrow, but I have spoken to one party, and this party is made up of a group of wealthy Luton Town supporters, two of whom have been season ticket holders at Kenilworth Road for 30 years each.
"It's a serious bid and they are hopeful that it would rival any others that have been made" she added.
Pam has also spoken to the club's current Chairman, David Pinkney, who revealed that he has not as yet made a bid to buy Luton Town, but he has been in discussion with the group who have made themselves known as making a bid.
"They have told him that they have the funds to take Luton forward and he's happy for that to be so, providing that they do have the funds" revealed Pam.
"But we must reiterate that we don't know how many bids have been made other than this one."
This from The Guardian:
football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2237065,00.html
Luton Town appeared to be edging closer to financial salvation last night after a number of bids, including one from an Anglo-American consortium fronted by the television presenter Nick Owen, were received by administrators seeking to secure the club's long-term future.
The administrator Brendan Guilfoyle, who had set a deadline of 5pm last night for interested parties to formalise their offers, will spend the next few days scrutinising bids from up to four prospective purchasers before announcing which will be granted an exclusivity period as the preferred bidder. There is quiet confidence among the club's fans that the group backed by the three principal supporters' groups, including the supporters' trust, will be given the green light to take over the debt-ridden League One side.
A mood of optimism suddenly envelopes the club, not least as a result of Sunday's magnificent performance against Liverpool which earned Luton a lucrative televised replay at Anfield next Tuesday and, potentially, up to £500,000 of revenue. "There will be a future for Luton Town," stressed Gary Sweet, the bid manager for the Anglo-American consortium which is made up of Hatters' fans. "We have entered our bid, which is first-rate. We will see how it now progresses."
Owen, once of breakfast television and currently a presenter for the BBC in Birmingham, has been a fan for 50 years and is the president of the Luton Town Supporters' Association. He has been earmarked to become chairman of the club should that bid succeed. "The supporters' groups have seen the books and we are confident it is manageable," said Liam Day, chairman of Trust in Luton.
The administrator Brendan Guilfoyle, who had set a deadline of 5pm last night for interested parties to formalise their offers, will spend the next few days scrutinising bids from up to four prospective purchasers before announcing which will be granted an exclusivity period as the preferred bidder. There is quiet confidence among the club's fans that the group backed by the three principal supporters' groups, including the supporters' trust, will be given the green light to take over the debt-ridden League One side.
A mood of optimism suddenly envelopes the club, not least as a result of Sunday's magnificent performance against Liverpool which earned Luton a lucrative televised replay at Anfield next Tuesday and, potentially, up to £500,000 of revenue. "There will be a future for Luton Town," stressed Gary Sweet, the bid manager for the Anglo-American consortium which is made up of Hatters' fans. "We have entered our bid, which is first-rate. We will see how it now progresses."
Owen, once of breakfast television and currently a presenter for the BBC in Birmingham, has been a fan for 50 years and is the president of the Luton Town Supporters' Association. He has been earmarked to become chairman of the club should that bid succeed. "The supporters' groups have seen the books and we are confident it is manageable," said Liam Day, chairman of Trust in Luton.
And, on BBC 606, where rumours have been surprisingly accurate for a change:
My understanding is that there are only 2 bids left as the 3rd bidder are believed to have pulled out.
So it's a straight-fight - the Owen-fronted bid backed by the fans' groups v Cliff Bassett.
So it's a straight-fight - the Owen-fronted bid backed by the fans' groups v Cliff Bassett.
That latter sounds like a bit of a no-brainer, if the money's reasonably equal!