New Owner(s) For Man City ?

[Sparkles]

As the judicial noose appears to be tightening around the Thaksin families collective necks it will be interesting to see, if they are all convicted, the future of ownership of Man City.

I am sure somehere in the FA's requirements that persons owning a football team under their jurisdiction must be a "fit and proper person" ie no criminal record.

Its all hypothetical of course but interesting no less.

Does this mean that for the first time in history a driver and maid will own a British football club ?

[MSingh]

Possible so, you just want to hope the Drivers name's not Franny Lee & you'll be alright...

[Farma]

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA could be forced into selling Manchester City — just over a year after buying the club.

The former Thai Prime Minsister is facing corruption charges back in Thailand.

And that means he cannot release the funds he thought he would have when he stepped in to buy City for £81.6million last summer.

Shinawatra has since committed the club to £70m in transfer fees and also underwritten £50m debts.

He has already started to search for extra investors. But that could extend to selling the club outright if he could attract an offer of around £120m.

Continued http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle1518755.ece

[Plus]

What about other members of his family on Man City board?

His wife was convicted, does she hold any official position? Or is it only his kids? Their case is in the works, too, as he used them to hide his money.

[george]

Man City rocked as Thaksin is ready to sell the club : UK media

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, owner of Manchester City FC, has tentatively explored the possibility of selling the club, UK media reported Wednesday.

The reports put the long-term future of Manchester City in doubt again.

The Daily mail online revealed Thaksin has spoken to an intermediary in the financial world over the past month about finding prospective buyers.

And sources close to the situation revealed last night that two anonymous parties have been approached as Thaksin has investigated ways of selling the club he bought for 80 million pounds last summer or bringing in fresh investors.

At present, there is no prospective deal in the pipeline and it is not known whether Thaksin, 59, is actively trying to sell now or merely testing the water for the future.

But as he struggles to get 800 million pounds of assets unfrozen in his Thailand while currently facing trial on corruption charges in Bangkok, it appears he is considering cutting his losses at the City of Manchester Stadium.

New manager Mark Hughes is currently trying to remodel a playing squad that he considers to be ill-equipped for a top-six Barclays Premier League challenge, but it is understood there is not a huge amount of money for him to spend this summer.

Furthermore, it is believed that Thaksin's cash-flow problems were such last season that he twice had to borrow substantial amounts of money from former owner John Wardle in order to pay the wages.

This money has since been repaid to Wardle, who quit his post as deputy chairman earlier this summer. Since Hughes took over, City have spent ฃ3m to sign Israel defender Tal Ben Haim from Chelsea and announced a ฃ19m club record deal for Brazilian striker Jo. Nevertheless, it is understood that the down-payment on Jo was actually a much more modest ฃ4m, with the rest to come in instalments.

The club are close to sealing the ฃ7.5m sale of Croatia defender Vedran Corluka to Tottenham as Hughes endeavours to release cash for new players such as Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz and West Ham defender Lucas Neill.

A recent bid to buy goalkeeper Brad Friedel from Blackburn fell down because City would not match the wages offered by Aston Villa.

Last night a Manchester City spokesman said: 'It is not true to say that Dr Thaksin Shinawatra is trying to sell Manchester City, nor that he is looking for a buyer. Since he bought the club a number of potential investors from his wide network of business associates have spoken to Dr Thaksin about investing in the club. These discussions have been nothing more than exploratory.'

-- The Nation 2008-08-06

[LeungKen]

'

The plot thickens

see today's Manchester Evening News

"Taksin's Cash Plea"

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/spo...ksins_cash_plea

[mrtoad]

I hope that the authorities boot the little <deleted> out of the country. It's a scandal that he passed the fit persons test.

As for Man City, with any luck the club will progress, and will not be affected in the long turn by the poisinous little <deleted>.

Taxi for Toxin.

Edited August 6, 2008 by mrtoad

[redrus]

redrus

[Jimjim]

Think it was a mistake for them to let Thaksin buy it considering all the ongoing trouble with him in Thailand. Now they're subject to the politics of another country. The money and the possibility of become a bigger club was just too appealing, apparently.

[LeungKen]

redrus

Go easy on the laughter RR - we're a bit behind on bragging rights after last season.

Today's press release from city says Taksin's not selling the club but only looking for investors - perhaps he's looking for Mr.BoJo as a partner. (Don't let Toxin get his hands on the Mighty 'Dale... )

[mrbojangles]

perhaps he's looking for Mr.BoJo as a partner.

Nah, i'm saving my money to buy Man United. Then i can drive them down into the second division.

Don't let Toxin get his hands on the Mighty 'Dale...

He'd fit right in Ken. He always looks like he has a Ferret down his trousers

[chavy]

perhaps he's looking for Mr.BoJo as a partner.

Nah, i'm saving my money to buy Man United. Then i can drive them down into the second division.

Don't let Toxin get his hands on the Mighty 'Dale...

He'd fit right in Ken. He always looks like he has a Ferret down his trousers

Yeah, but it would be good to see Ronoldihno (spelling) strutting his stuff at Spotland...then having a swift pint o mild after the game in the cemetery

[redrus]

redrus

Go easy on the laughter RR - we're a bit behind on bragging rights after last season.

Today's press release from city says Taksin's not selling the club but only looking for investors - perhaps he's looking for Mr.BoJo as a partner. (Don't let Toxin get his hands on the Mighty 'Dale... )

Calm down calm down, I don't for one minute believe this is going to happen (fate), it's just funny....!

Bragging rights is bragging rights, we are not like Ciddy, we would rather win trophies every year and lose to them. They'd rather beat us every year.

redrus

[LeungKen]

This was taken from a football forum website:

from an alleged employee of MCFC -

"I'm sorry to say this, as a life long fan and - for the last few (for me at least) unforgettable months - employee, MCFC as we know it is finished. Here are the FACTS, for those who really want to know. Thaksin is, as of midlnight 10th August, 2008, an international fugitive.

He now has to be found guilty of corruption in Thailand in his absense, offering no defence. Extradition requests will surely follow. The PL will then have to find him short of the fit and proper ownership rules (and believe me, the pressure for that from fellow 'members' has been growing since June).

Thaksin is trying to palm off City onto whoever will now take it, an insolvent mess of a business, completely incapable of sustaining itself. The truth is that the only interested party (until recently) - Wardle - is not now able to bail City out now , he cant come close on his own and no partners have been found. The wage bioll and committments due on the last 2 years' transfers have spiralled out of control.

The Corluka affair is the last straw - I personally worked on the deal and can assure anyone interested that he has already been transferred to Spurs. Spurs have this evening started legal action, and he will be barred from playing for City following an injunction in the courts tomorrow.

Personally I expect Hughes to then resign on principal (he has no choice now, he is on record as saying that he will have final say on all transfers). Many wont believe any of this, but a few will.

I am very close to this situation (readers will never know who I am or how close - a few would know my name but it isnt appropriate to for me to come 'out') - trust me, I am close enough to know what has happeneded in the last fortnight, I am pissed off with it (as a fan, and as someone who has worked hard for the club durinig the ast 18 months or so) and it must be said, a little drunk.

I am posting this message on a few sites - apologies for those that keep reading it, but I want City fans to know what is happening. The sad truth is we are finished, and that as a result, the PL will be facing its biggest challenge since inception within 2 weeks of now."

This was in another similar thread. I wonder who the poster really is and how close they are ?

Seems to talk the talk - but only time will tell how true the dire predictions turn out.

I said it at the beginning of the saga when Thaksin bought Manchester City that my dear old Grandad would be spinning in his grave .

Sorry Grandad (4 years fighting in WW 1 and now this).....

[LeungKen]

I really feel for the Sparky, the players and the true City supporters at a time like this. Nobody deserves the sh*t that Taksin has brought them (only the people that sold the club to him and the F.A.)

This from today's M.E.N. :-

Comment: City fans deserve better

Chris Bailey

11/ 8/2008

CITY were attempting to batten down the hatches today ‘claiming business as usual’ despite owner Thaksin Shinawatra fleeing to London while the Thai authorities issued warrants for his arrest and that of his wife.

But the claims had a hollow ring to them with the Premier League poised to revisit their ‘fit and proper person’ test if and when the former Thai Prime Minister is convicted.

In the meantime, Blues fans are left to feed on rumour and counter- rumour about the future of their beloved club.

It is a scandalous state of affairs that needs rectifying as soon as possible.

Last week the MEN urged someone to get a grip and lead Manchester City positively and with openness – and those words have become more and more relevant with every minute that has since past.

There is an unwelcome stench of uncertainty surrounding the football club and the supporters are people of Manchester are more concerned with what happens to the Blues than the personal future of the Shinawatras.

It is now highly unlikely that the Blues owner will ever see the £800m he has frozen in his homeland and claims that he still has a fortune at his fingertips do not ring true when set against the evidence of the attempted sale of players, a wage freeze, emergency loans from a former owner and a lack of trading in the transfer market.

City fans deserve better than what is becoming a daily farce and not many of them would now be sad to see their club change hands again.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/spo..._deserve_better

[markg]

I feel sorry for city, i really do.

According the the MEN site, "But the big fear amongst fans, who had thought last year's £80m purchase of the club would at last bring stability and huge investment in players, is that the club is effectively up for grabs."

Really and truly, how on earth could the fans think Thaksin would bring stability? He was in exile when he bought the club for gawds sake. I realise city were desperate. Someone on one of the city forums on here even said they would take anyone's money. And that short-term view is what half the problem at city is. Take it today and dont think about the long term. Thaksin was never going to be good for city and i said that from day one. I implored city fans to take heed. But to no avail.

And now look at the bloody mess they are in.

I'm not an international law expert, obviously, but i wonder what would happen if an arrest warrant is issued and the Thai government request extradition? How can Thaksin possibly take his seat in the directors box? He would make a complete mockery of the extradition system. He would be on TV in front of thousands of people.........

Never mind Thaksin wanting to offload city. City need to bite the bullet, and with the cooperation of the FA - get shut of him before he becomes even more of an embarrassment.

[boiledegg]

Many modern day fans are so blinded by the prospect of getting some multi billionaire who will copy Abramovich and pour endless millions into champagne signings, they dont seem to grasp that most these new Billionaires (apart from Abramovich) are in it to make money and not to waste cash on jumped up footballers, hence are using the clubs credit facilities to fund these unaffordable playboys.

Leeds got what they deserved because of this, and Newcastle and Chelsea got lucky with new owners just in the nick of time, im sure someone will buy Man City and they wouldnt go the way of Leeds.

Doesnt Thaksin still have a couple of Billion pound on top of whats been confiscated.

[Plus]

Thaksin can probably find some clean faces to hold shares on his behalf, and get Arabs or Indians on board, too.

That way every one can pretend he doesn't own the club. Worked like a dream in Thailand, why England should be any different, they've been proven just as gullible and accomodating so far.

[mrtoad]

As much as I think politics shoulkd be kept out of the Football forum, I have become more and more disenchanted with the UK government and the Football authorities in allowing this scenario to happen. In no way should Toxin been allowed to take control of a football club in the UK, and now to use it as a political tool, along with numerous other fabrications to remain in the UK, which he surely will do is abhorant.

The fact that significant memebers on the board have probably had to endure all sorts of BS from the immigatrion authorities when bringing in partners to the UK and then to allow a sentenced criminal Pojamon and a bail jumper Toxic entry is nothing short of scandalous.

I feel for the Man City supporters, but when you dance with the devil, there's always a chance that you're going to get burned.

The best scenario is that football club is sold quiclky to a genuine person with no hidden agenda, and Toxin is booted out of the UK. Sad thing is that, it's pretty unlikely.

[mrtoad]

It's not looking good for Man City....

EXCLUSIVE: City in crisis as Shinawatra forced to borrow £2m from ex-chief Wardle just to pay the players

By Ian Ladyman

Last updated at 12:11 AM on 12th August 2008

Daily Mail

The shocking extent of Thaksin Shinawatra’s financial difficulties at Manchester City can be revealed today as it emerged that only last month he had to borrow £2million from former chairman John Wardle to pay staff wages.

Sportsmail can reveal that Wardle, who resigned in protest at Thaksin’s reign on July 9,was so concerned City staff were not going to be paid that he agreed to loan the club’s owner £2m for the third time in less than a year.

Although Wardle has been repaid and no staff wage payments were missed, it is

clear City are operating on a hand-to-mouth basis each month. There are fears

within the club the problem will soon recur, with Wardle no longer around to bail

Thaksin out.

Barclays Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is demanding urgent talks with Thaksin, who fled Thailand to avoid facing corruption charges.

He said: ‘We are clearly going to have to establish the status of his return to England and where that leaves him in regard to the legal process in Thailand.

‘Our rules are clear that somebody has to be convicted of something to fail the “fit and

proper person” criteria and, until someone does, he still falls within our rules. But there is no point in having this test unless it is meaningful, as we have always said it is, and it has to be applied.

‘We need to make sure that, if somebody is guilty of something, we will deal with it.’

It is understood that if Thaskin is convicted in his absence, the Premier League

would investigate whether they could force him to relinquish control of City.

Last night Wardle would not comment, but he is known to be distraught at the manner in which the club he sold last summer are struggling under Thaksin’s leadership.

Thaksin has invested considerably less of his own money in City than first thought and has been seeking fresh investment while relying more heavily on other borrowed capital.

Meanwhile, City manager Mark Hughes faces a struggle of his own to gain direct

control of transfer policy after a weekend in which he came into confrontation with the

club’s new chief operating officer, Paul Aldridge, over the proposed transfer of Stephen

Ireland to Sunderland.

Hughes was said to be incandescent when he learned Ireland was not at the City of

Manchester Stadium for the club’s friendly against AC Milan on Saturday and blamed

Aldridge for allegedly trying to engineer the transfer.

Aldridge, formerly at West Ham, has denied this and the club have insisted that the

blame for the embarrassing affair lies at the door of agents.

Nevertheless, it is understood Hughes has made it clear to the club over the last 48 hours that he must be left in control of transfers if he is to continue in the job he took on in June.

Bookmakers have slashed the odds against Hughes being the first managerial casualty of the season over the last day or so and although there is not thought to be much likelihood of the former Blackburn boss quitting, he is said to be shocked at the manner in which the club is run.

The official line from City on the Ireland situation, and indeed Vedran Corluka’s aborted transfer to Tottenham, is that Hughes was in the loop throughout

and has not been undermined.

But Spurs are so angry at the way they feel City messed them about over Corluka that

they were considering legal action last night against their Premier League rivals.

With the Croatia defender having undergone a medical and agreed personal terms at

White Hart Lane, the transfer was about to go through until City pulled out on Sunday.

Last night the Premier League revealed that although Spurs’ transfer documents had been completed and submitted, City’s had not. This should leave City in the clear.

City are also known to be in negotiations for two new players, though given the financial turmoil now gripping the club, they are unlikely to involve large sums if players cannot be shifted out first.

As revealed in Sportsmail yesterday, Thaksin is back in London after refusing to

return to Thailand to face trial on corruption charges.

[mrtoad]

League ready to subject Thaksin to second fit and proper test

Andy Hunter The Guardian, Tuesday August 12 2008 Article history

Thaksin Shinawatra has skipped bail in Thailand and fled to Britain.

The Premier League is facing an unprecedented trial of its fit and proper persons test after arrest warrants were issued for the Manchester City owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, in Thailand yesterday. His next step may be to apply for political asylum in Britain but, should he be convicted in Thailand in his absence, the Premier League would be prepared to reassess his suitability to own a club.

In what would be an unprecedented case the Premier League would take legal advice before making a decision that could result in Thaksin having to sell his stake in Manchester City. Whether the league would recognise a conviction in Thailand should Thaksin receive political asylum has yet to be determined. The league could yet be spared that difficulty if Thaksin elects to sell the club, although a City spokesman yesterday said the businessman has no such plans.

Under the fit and proper persons test "any director is automatically disqualified if convicted of one of a number of offences by a 'competent court' anywhere in the world". Thaksin is currently a "fit and proper" owner as he has not been convicted. He has denied the charges, claiming they were politically motivated.

Legal officials in Bangkok have confirmed the case against Thaksin will continue in his absence. The Thai authorities may also seek to extradite the billionaire and his wife unless they are granted political asylum. Two weeks ago Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, was sentenced to three years in jail for tax fraud but was granted bail.

Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, said: "If we feel the rule has been breached, we will invoke it. We will not turn a blind eye to issues of a serious nature. As always, we will take advice from the Home Office and the Foreign Office."

A court in Bangkok issued the warrants after the deposed Thai prime minister and his wife fled to Britain on Sunday rather than face corruption charges. They travelled to London from the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing . Thaksin claimed "that there is a continuation of dictatorship in Thai politics ... which is followed by interference in the justice system".

Of more concern to City fans is the club's increasingly uncertain financial future. Thaksin is unable to release an estimated £800m in assets frozen by the Thai government in June last year and was seeking new investors in the club prior to his latest exile

[The Vulcan]

Sparky: I'll quit City

MARK HUGHES is ready to quit as the Manchester City crisis spirals out of control.

The furious Eastlands boss feels his authority has been undermined after the club tried to force through the sales of Stephen Ireland to Sunderland and Vedran Corluka to Tottenham.

With owner Thaksin Shinawatra facing corruption charges, the club appears to be on the brink of ruin.

A City source said: “This is not the dream package sold to Mark.

“The club is falling apart and nobody knows how much longer Shinawatra will hang around.

“It feels as though we’re in meltdown and all Mark is trying to do is hang on to everything for the sake of the club.

“But if it carries on — and players are sold without his consent — he won’t stand any more. He’ll just walk.”

Hughes hit the roof after Saturday’s friendly with AC Milan and tore into City’s chief operating officer Paul Aldridge, who was involved in an attempted £8million move to sell Ireland.

The insider added: “Some harsh words were exchanged and Mark left everyone in no doubt how he felt.”

Hughes reckons the club have failed to deliver on assurances he was given before he left Blackburn.

Shinawatra promised him big money to spend when he persuaded him to replace sacked boss Sven Goran Eriksson.

The club record was broken with the £19m purchase of Jo but Shinawatra faces financial ruin and is desperate to recoup cash after £800m of his assets were frozen in Thailand.

He was due to face corruption charges in a Bangkok court yesterday but instead flew to London from the Olympics in Beijing.

The former Thai PM may even be forced to stand down at City. If he is convicted in his absence, he would fail the Premier League’s Fit and Proper Person rule.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: “We have to establish where it leaves him in terms of the legal process in Thailand.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle1545281.ece

[mrbojangles]

Hughes was said to be incandescent when he learned Ireland was not at the City of

Manchester Stadium for the club’s friendly against AC Milan on Saturday and blamed

Aldridge for allegedly trying to engineer the transfer.

That's weird cos Ireland played against Milan

Sometimes you gotta take this stuff in the papers, with a pinch of salt. It's obviously very quiet in England at the moment.

As for me. I'm pretty p1ssed at what is allegedly happening but the thing with City fans is, we'll still be here no matter what. A football club is for life, not just for when they are winning.

My little girl will be born in about 3 weeks and she'll be wearing a City baby grow. She can frekkin suffer all her life, like i've had to