Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

 
 
Wednesday, 20th August 2008

Premium Article !

Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.

Options

Premium Article !

To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the Sheffield Star site.

Subscribe

Registered Article !

To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.

Sign In
Register

Owls fan group prove point



Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 07 August 2008
By Paul Thompson
OWLS fan group Wednesdayite believe that their members' vote in favour of Geoff Sheard's offer proves that the aborted takeover by Paul Gregg last year might have succeeded if he had held talks with them.
Gregg's bid collapsed, with Wednesdayite's 10 per cent shareholding one of the reasons given by him, as it gave them the power to challenge the board.

Wednesdayite chairman Darryl Keys said: "We are delighted that our members have voted in great numbers on such an important issue and emphatically supported our (the group board's) recommendation.

"I hope this sends a resounding message to the club, its directors and the fan base at large that Wednesdayite has never been a stumbling block to any investor and that we have always recognised that at the appropriate time our shareholding had to play its part in securing a better and more successful future for the club."

Wednesdayite's landslide vote

Wednesdayite say in a statement that they were unfairly blamed for the collapse of the Gregg deal, as they had never been contacted by the bidder or anyone at the club throughout those negotiations, and they believe that Gregg might well have enjoyed similar support if, like Sheard, he had approached the group and held discussions as part of his negotiation process.

Keys said that Sheard's 20p-a-share offer, valuing Wednesdayite's shares at a little over £1million, is more than three times the offer from Dave Allen that was originally put forward by the former chairman and rejected in 2006: "That decision in retrospect now appears to have been an astute one," said Keys.

Sheard is confident of taking control soon and intends to be at the Burnley game but City analysts remain concerned about how he plans to fund a long-term strategy for the club and about his mystery backers.

The same sources say that the saga has dragged on for so long - six months - that the ball is in Sheard's court as he will have been asked to provide legal proof of funds.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

Sheffield Wednesday: Preview for the season, including ins and outs and squad numbers. Don't miss Saturday's Green'Un newspaper

READ MORE
Brian Laws: The Owls are raring to go
Football headlines
More Blades
More Owls
More Spireites
More Rovers
More Reds
More Millers
More Ice Hockey
More rugby league
More rugby union
More boxing
Sports columnists
All sport categories

The full article contains 409 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 August 2008 2:42 PM
  • Source: Sheffield Star
  • Location: Sheffield
 
Prev
1
2
Next
Last
1

bobsego,

sheffield 07/08/2008 09:21:50
So Wednesdayite's shares are now worth a staggering "1million pound".
If the take over goes ahead, wouldn't it be a nice gesture to give it back to the club to reinvest in players
2

bigjaytheowl,

07/08/2008 09:38:53
The members of wednesdayite that voted against the shares being sold and so on....What were there intentions for the club? Stay in debt forever? Just keep bringing in free transfers or loanee's for the nxt 10 years? They must reyt Wednesday Fans!
3

Parson X Owl,

Sheffield 07/08/2008 14:16:16
Sometimes better the devil you know, than the devil you don't?

The above article states that city analysts remain concerned about how Sheard plans to fund a long-term strategy for the club and also raise concerns and doubts about his mystery backers. This comes not from my mouth, but city finance experts, although I too remain very worried about this man.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a very bad feeling about this guy and his mysterious backers. They could be the beginning of the end for our club?

We shall see, but the whole sorry situation is making me feel very nervous indeed!!
4

wesps,

07/08/2008 14:31:59
oh for chriiiiiiiiiiiists sake SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP. This is this best news we've had for ages, i'm currently on celebratory beer number 3 even though its early afternoon how the hell how you finding negatives/faults with this news. I know people are entitled to opinions but you need to lighten up mate, you seem to be constantly negative without any real reason or constructive arguement as to why if the dream scenario happened and we got promoted, the FIRST thing you'd probably do is whinge and worry about relegation the next year...baffles the mind
5

Parson X Owl,

Sheffield 07/08/2008 14:46:15
Why is this the best news that Wednesday have had for ages?

Do you know something I don't?

Do you know what Sheard's intentions towards the Owls are?

Do you know who the mystery backers are?

They could be speculative brokers, who break companies up for all we know?

Wesp, you seem to be a man that has a lot to say, but that has no substance, or intellect to back up anything that comes from your mouth. You come across as all hot air, but is perhaps someone that hasn't got a real clue as to what is happening down in S6.

Who are Sheard's backers please? And what are their intentions?? Please answer clearly and concisely, without any waffling, or procrastinating.
6

wesps,

07/08/2008 15:12:41
well compare it to recent happenings relagation struggle, injurys, losing whelan, losing brunt, maclean and buggy, chairman resigning, court threats against fans not exactly Mr Hunky Dory and the chirpy chirps are they?

Not everythings a massive conspiracy or has sinister undertones, why would someone go through 6 months of hassle and pay millions just to wreck a football club makes no sense.

Cant you just support the team and believe that this is a genuine thing. You dont gain anything from thinking its a evil plot just unnecessary worrying. even IF the funds arent what he says then at the very least we are in a better position because the alternative is to sit on the debt with no investment sell beevers grant wood simek spurr mcallister then probably go down maybe admin at the worst.

i honestly dont know how you get through days,why do you focus in on any small negative part and blow it out of proportion stop always thinking and expecting the worst with everything its not all grey misery doom and gloom

as for the saying my arguements lack substance thats what i just said to you, so nice comeback
7

wesps,

07/08/2008 15:21:36
anyway stop trying to bring everyone down firing off your negative spores in the air, im in a mixture of hopeful happiness and blissful ignorance im in a good mood as im sure every other owl is except you
8

Parson X Owl,

Sheffield 07/08/2008 15:30:40
I didn't say that everything down in S6 is rosy.

But, on the other hand, that doesn't mean that we have to sell to someone who we know absolutely nothing about; a man who refuses to name his backers, his intentions, or state his finances and his business plans.

Would you let your 10 year old daughter get in a car with a man that you knew nothing about, or his reasons for wanting your daughter in the car in the first instance? Of course you wouldn't! You would be completely mad to even consider the prospect!

Can you imagine a well run football business, like Liverpool, Man Utd, or even the Blades for that matter, agreeing to be sold to an unidentified bidder? It just wouldn't happen - Not in a million years!

And I'll tell you why. It's exactly because they are well run businesses and also because those well run football businesses realise that a crazy move like that could, and probably would spell disaster and ruin for any business, never mind a footballing one.

The people running those clubs would say, "put your cards on the table and show me what you've got, and if you don't, then get lost pal!!"

We seem to be running in to all this, thinking that there is some fluffy miracle waiting at the end of the rainbow, when the reality might just be somewhat more serious and nasty?

I sincerely hope that I'm wrong, but I feel it's also my duty as an Owl to raise these serious concerns and Wednesday's potential ruin.
9

wesps,

07/08/2008 15:46:51
wouldnt say liverpools that well run gillett and the other bloke hate each got a bit shambolic didntit?
Glazers takeover took over a year people doubted his intentions, turned out ok
10

Parson X Owl,

Sheffield 07/08/2008 15:55:50
OK!

I can tell that you don't want your bonfire weeing on, and so I won't try and persuade you otherwise. For today, I shall let you enjoy your blissful ignorance in peace.

But, I will leave you with this idiom, to chew over-

'Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.'

Meaning that only stupid people do things without thinking about them enough.
Prev
1
2
Next
Last

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.