Manchester City

[mrbojangles]

from purelymancity

More on the takeover talk

A 58% rise in City’s share price is fuelling speculation that a takeover bid is in the offing.

City’s shares have risen from 22.5p to 35.5p on Plus Markets since Thursday’s announcement that the club were in talks with a potential investor. That values the club at £19.2million - close to what an investor would expect to pay in a takeover.

The Sunday Mirror believes Phones4U tycoon John Caudwell is the man in the picture. The 53-year-old sold his company for £1.46billion last month and the Mirror claims Wardle “plans to have further long discussions with Cauldwell over Christmas”. The paper ruled out Norwegian shipping magnate Inge Steensland and ex-Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson as potential buyers.

But the Daily Telegraph claimed on Friday that Caudwell wasn’t the person referred to in Thursday’s announcement. It is possible, though, that discussions with Caudwell were already ongoing and that Thursday’s announcement refers to another potential investor.

Late last month representatives from City attended the Soccerex conference in Dubai. Also represented there was Hermes Sports Partners who recently announced it was giving City “ongoing general corporate finance advise relating to, amongst other things, capital raising and restructuring”.

Three days ago Hermes’s managing director Harry Philp told the Sunday Times that City could be the next club to be bought by a foreign investor, though he does have something of a vested interest in making that claim.

Rumours of an Irish consortium headed by Formula 1’s Eddie Jordan and an unnamed American/US institution are also doing the rounds. It’s still possible that the share price rise is little more than a reaction to the gossip, particularly as the volume of shares changing hands is relatively small. But what is certain is that the club is available at the right price.

Here are the details of the main shareholders:

John Wardle & David Makin (29.95%): Short of hanging a ‘For Sale’ sign outside Eastlands, Wardle & Makin couldn’t be more explicit about their desire to sell.

Rumour has it that they would accept as little as £2.5m (15p per share) for the stake as long as the £22m the club owes them is repaid in full.

The Boler family (18.75%): Director Mark Boler, along with his brother and two sisters, inherited the stake following the death of father Stephen Boler in 1998.

In 2003 he told EN magazine: “My father bought it (the stake in City) as an investment and at the moment the share price is not as high as it should be. There are no plans to sell, but if someone offered a great price…”

I understand an offer of around £4.5million would be enough to buy the stake.

BSkyB (9.88%): City is the only club BSkyB now has a stake in, and the broadcaster appears to have little interest in holding on to it.

Francis Lee: (7.13%): It’s unclear whether he would want to sell his stake.

The £70-75m figure being bandied about is not what it would cost to buy the shares, but reflects the full investment needed to get City trading profitably.

Here’s the breakdown of the likely costs:

£18m to buy the shares

£22m to repay Wardle & Makin’s loans

£20m to reduce the debt to levels which would allow City to break even each season

£10m for transfer funds

Total: £70m

The big question is whether anyone would be willing to spend that much to buy us.

Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea has the look of an expensive insurance policy which he hopes will protect him from oligarch-eating Vladimir Putin, the economics of the Glazer takeover of United follow different rules to City, while the West Ham and Villa deals hinged on lucrative landholdings.

While the prospect of big increases in Sky’s TV payments next season might seem a tempter, Ken Bates once described TV revenue as “prune juice, that passes straight through the clubs and into the players’ wallets”.

This weekend the Mail on Sunday reported that any takeover talks would wait until after Christmas to see whether we would be relegated. Considering that buying a football club is a long-term investment and that relegation is a fear for any club mid-table or lower in any season, that seems an unlikely reason.

Unless a potential buyer is coveting City as a rich man’s toy, the fear that this club could become a money-pit might ensure no firm bid ever materialises.

[Bredbury Blue]

mate we won i am very happy at the moment,we are top of the league,and how things have changed we now have almost everyone wanting us to win the league makes a change,and i just tell it as it is, you came to old traffofd and put up a good show.

"and how things have changed we now have almost everyone wanting us to win the league makes a change". Where oh where did you come up with that one? I'd be amazed if the neutrals want your lot to win it - you're still the most hated team - and i didn't say i wanted you to win merely that i think you will win for the reasons that you seem to be playing well and importantly having good fortunate and until chelski sought their shit out and revert back to the 4-3-3 system that has worked well for them (and stick with the players they know instead of trying to accommodate the new boys Ballack and Ruski) they are going to struggle to catch up those points.

Come on Nev, get a grip man! (your comments reminded me instantly of that posting by Redbus since the weekend on the differences between City and Utd fans - how right it is).

[jjp]

I watched the game in the Terrace Bar on Siam Country Road on a nice big telly, Never again will I make a quip about MU fans coming from London !

I was the only City fan from Manchester there!

Other city fans there were from Birmingham (Farang owner), his mad Thai Wife, Jumbo, brainwahed into becoming a City fan and a cockney guy shouting 'cam on city' although methinks he was a gooner.

I think I have found my local ! City games will def get preference there

Did you read this Bred Stockport Blue

Funny I was at a bar with 5 Mancs with 4 Utd and 1 City fan, go figure

Honest we all come from the Far East

[nev]

come on bred blue i did not expect city fans wanting us to win anything, thats why i put almost everyone!

[mrbojangles]

come on bred blue i did not expect city fans wanting us to win anything, thats why i put almost everyone!

I also doubt "build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the scousers on the top" would want you to win.

Oh, and definately not Newcastle, Leeds, Blackburn..............I actually think it would be far easier to name the actual supporters who have "apparently" said this!!

[nev]

actually go on red issue there is a newcastle fan who writes there fanzine and he has a post about wanting us to win the league.

maybe we should set up a poll on here to see who wants who to win, i dont give two <deleted> who wants us to win,as i prefer to be the most hated and envied team in the league, mean we are not in decline and never have been,and also gives you blues more to be bitter about

[mrbojangles]

as i prefer to be the most hated and envied team in the league

Mission accomplished

[mrbojangles]

BARTON FACING A WRITE LASHING

JOEY BARTON was last night bracing himself for a major bust-up with the England players he has publicly criticised.

Steve McClaren suggested last night the Manchester City midfielder was on course for an England call-up for February's friendly against Italy.

McClaren admitted he was keen on the Scouser and appreciated his "forthright" style, but the 24-year-old Barton is set to walk into an ambush from many of the established players.

In a devastating attack on members of Sven Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad, he slaughtered the likes of Steve Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole for writing books after England's flop.

In a weekend interview, Barton said: "England did nothing in that World Cup, so why were they bringing books out? 'We got beat in the quarterfinals. I played like s**t. Here's my book'.

"Who wants to read that? I don't. If I'm buying a book, I'll buy a book about someone who's won something, not a book someone's written for the sake of it because their agent's telling them they can cash in on the English public on the back of the World Cup. It's bulls**t."

McClaren, aware of the nature of Barton's comments, made it clear that he was not concerned about the impact of bringing the City man into the fold next year.

"You need forthright people like that, not just on the field but off it as well," said McClaren.

Barton added: "People might think I'm not good enough to play for my country - and I might not be - but if I do get in the squad, I'll want to play.

"I'd be going there and rattling some cages and wanting to take someone's place. I might never make it, but if I don't, it won't be for lack of trying."

Well said Joey He may not be my most fav player but there's alot truth in what he has said

[nev]

a lot of truth in what he says,would be a good player for england.

[totlanh]

CityvSpurs-Methinks Citys first home defeat of tge campaign,someone fill me with optimism and say im wrong

[mrbojangles]

CityvSpurs-Methinks Citys first home defeat of tge campaign,someone fill me with optimism and say im wrong

YOUR WRONG !!

[totlanh]

CityvSpurs-Methinks Citys first home defeat of tge campaign,someone fill me with optimism and say im wrong

YOUR WRONG !!

Thanks Mr Bo!!!!!Come on City!!!!!

[mrbojangles]

Man City v Spurs preview, from SkySports

After clinching top spot in their Uefa Cup group in midweek, Tottenham turn their attentions to domestic concerns when they visit Manchester City on Sunday.

Click here to vote on the outcome of the game.

Spurs beat Dinamo Bucharest 3-1 with a stylish display on Thursday night, and another victory would see them home in on the European places in the Premiership after a sluggish start to the season.

City meanwhile are still unbeaten at home this term, but have the weight of recent history against them with Spurs winning all four of the meetings between the two sides in the past two seasons.

The North Londoners will be without midfield dynamo Didier Zokora due to suspension, whilst Teemu Tainio missed the Uefa Cup tie due to illness and may miss out again.

Robbie Keane is absent from Martin Jol's front line due to a knee injury, but Mido, Dimitar Berbatov and Jermain Defoe will all be competing for a starting place.

City boss Stuart Pearce has a number of injury concerns, and his medical staff will be working flat out to try and ensure that four key players return in time to play Spurs.

Goalkeeper Nicky Weaver suffered a dead leg in the derby defeat to Manchester United, but summer signing Andreas Isaksson is ready to step in should he fail to recover.

England international Micah Richards is also struggling with a dead leg, whilst Claudio Reyna (hamstring) and Dietmar Hamann (knock) are further doubts.

With Ben Thatcher and Bernardo Corradi suspended, and Trevor Sinclair and Sun Jihai (both knee) long term absentees, Pearce has a number of problems to consider as he looks to steer City further away from trouble.

COME ON YOU BLUES

[JacknDanny]

CityvSpurs-Methinks Citys first home defeat of tge campaign,someone fill me with optimism and say im wrong

30 minutes gone, and it is a f##### embarrassment!!!

They look as if they have got lead in their boots

[JacknDanny]

My 2 questions are these?

1) Has Dunney hit the bottle again? I do not understand the difference in how he is playing lately!!

2)Is it a bit cold and chilly for Samaras? He seems to have zero interest in playing football right now!!

[Bredbury Blue]

First half - what a load of bobbins. Total embarrassment and we should have been dead and buried at 0 v 4.

I was screaming at the telly for Pearce to take off Dickov and our softy Greek and put Miller wide left, Vassell up front and Ireland (when is he ever going to start?) in the hole. Well SP semi heard me but took off the injured Micah putting Trabelsi at right back (who was looking better than most at wide right - why move him?) with Ireland wide left and Vass going wide right (???) - should have been a straight swap of Nedum for Micah.

At least SP saw the light taking softy Greek off (we'd have been better playing with 10 men) at half time and sorting out the rightback spot and suddenly we started looking like a football team again.

A game of two halfs as they say.

Dickov came alive. Ireland, Barton and Reyna were bossing, Vassell was working hard, even Jordan was looking comfortable pushing on but what about the shocking showing of Dunne and Distin - woeful.

Great goal. Definite penalty turned away five minutes to go but how important was Ireland's blast over the bar when clean through!

Take a look at that league table, its so close from 11th down to 19th, a couple of defeats and you're in the sh*t. Those 3 teams below us with games in hand on us win them and suddenly we're 17th and battling the drop! From those next 3 games against Bolton home, Sheff U and WHU away we need a minimum 5 points and no defeats.

We've got to buy 2 forwards in the sales and sort out that wide left poistion freeing up Vassell. Samaras is looking out of touch and doesn't like a fight so drop him (i hear you, pick who instead). Let's throw Miller up front for 30 minutes and see what he's like. Corradi seems to like a battle and works hard so is ok against lower placed teams with lesser ability defenders.

It's all looking very bleak all of a sudden!

and Vassell wide right

[totlanh]

It's all looking very bleak all of a sudden!

Bredbury,What do you mean "all of a sudden,ive been telling you all how bad things are for weeks!!!!This City side is dire and again if your having to rely on Dickov to be your best player well you really are in the <deleted>!!!Sorry to digress again but SP OUT!!!!!The man aint got a clue am i the only one who sees this(well actually if you go onto the Manchester evening news online and read Fans opinions you will see im not)I honestly think we are in SERIOUS trouble and jsut look at our record since W.Ham last season i think we,ve lost 18 GAMES.If we have any chance of survival this season we need to get rid of Pearce and most of the crappy signings he made as well especially that tit Samaras.What says you Mr bo???Told you we were going to get beaten and TBH i think our home good home record was down to luck and some bad performances by away teams.

[Bredbury Blue]

BB:

Totlanh, Well we all know that you’re a glass half-empty man, but what did I mean by “It's all looking very bleak all of a sudden!”? What I meant was we haven’t been doing too good or too bad for most of the season, middling along but always with a cushion over the team in the dreaded 18th spot (see below), but its looking very bleak now as that cushion is being whittled away and apart from Watford and Charlton (who we couldn’t put away) there’s not much between teams from 18th to 11th with us looking the dodgiest on current form, and we’re back to within 3 points of WHU in 18th who have money to spend in the sales as do Sheff Utd.

games (game 3 to 17) / points difference betwen City and 18th.

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3 2 1 4 3 4 4

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

6 3 4 6 6 6 6 6

I don’t go with we are so dire; we can be very good but on our day…and before you say it, our day comes round about 1 in 5 games. I certainly don’t think we’re any worse than we’ve been in the past 15 years or whenever the roller-coaster started, in fact for a change we have players to covet. Without throwing everything out of the pram, we are a left-back short of a defence, a left-midfield player short of a midfield, and a striker short of a forward line.

I agree with your comments on Dickov who I belief they bought as a back-up player but with Andy ‘show me the money’ Cole leaving last minute plus the rough diamond and the one paced Italian failing to perform Dickov has come to the fore, and lets get this right, though he’s got as much chance of scoring as my wife letting me out of her sight night time, he does battle, he does come up with the odd bit of skill occasionally (the goal the other night being an example), but I agree that we shouldn’t be having Dickov in the team more than the last 10-15 minutes of a game.

From my comments you’ll see that I was distraught with SP’s non-sensical use of substitutes – I am every bl**dy week just as I was with Keegan. Some times it’s very simple but they seem like rabbits in the headlights unable to react. I reckon either SP or Wigley need to get up in the stand and take a calmer and clearer overview of the game as it pans out. From reading the various forums the knives are out for SP but I’m anti- continually changing managers – stability is the key to successful football clubs – if SP isn’t good enough then bring in an older head to offer him some guidance (isn’t Venables, the so called Golden man, looking to leave international football for club involvement) and change in a summer not mid-season when the rots set in.

I can not understand why Ireland can’t get a regular game, even if its 30 minutes. And get Miller on more often – remember how Crofty’s enthusiasm used to gee up the crowd when he came on as sub. We're wasting Vassell at left-midfield cause there’s apparently no one else – get him up front chasing Corradi’s knock downs (can anybody tell me how few game they partnered each other?). Samaras isn’t going to make it so get rid.

Here’s a simple solution based up our most recent showings. Show some spirit in the first 20 minutes to get ahead and win the game rather than have a decent second half showing when its just too late - simple isn't it.

It's a mystery how a team can be so good one game (Villa away) and so bad in the next. There's something mighty wrong with the team makeup and spirit which needs sorting out, you may be right, maybe it is SP and his backroom boys that are the cause and if so then cut out the cancer, but, i don't think we are any worse than a dozen other teams in the Premier, that adding one or two better players wouldn't improve.

I could on, they depress me so much currently, but I can’t chuffin be mithered.

Sort it out City, now!!!

[JacknDanny]

BB:

Totlanh, Well we all know that you’re a glass half-empty man, but what did I mean by “It's all looking very bleak all of a sudden!”? What I meant was we haven’t been doing too good or too bad for most of the season, middling along but always with a cushion over the team in the dreaded 18th spot (see below), but its looking very bleak now as that cushion is being whittled away and apart from Watford and Charlton (who we couldn’t put away) there’s not much between teams from 18th to 11th with us looking the dodgiest on current form, and we’re back to within 3 points of WHU in 18th who have money to spend in the sales as do Sheff Utd.

games (game 3 to 17) / points difference betwen City and 18th.

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3 2 1 4 3 4 4

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

6 3 4 6 6 6 6 6

I don’t go with we are so dire; we can be very good but on our day…and before you say it, our day comes round about 1 in 5 games. I certainly don’t think we’re any worse than we’ve been in the past 15 years

It's a mystery how a team can be so good one game (Villa away) and so bad in the next.

This is the big mystery which has followed City for the past many years. Inconsistency is an understatement!!!

I never have understood it, but its been like this for as long as I can remember

[totlanh]

BB:

Totlanh, Well we all know that you’re a glass half-empty man, but what did I mean by “It's all looking very bleak all of a sudden!”? What I meant was we haven’t been doing too good or too bad for most of the season, middling along but always with a cushion over the team in the dreaded 18th spot (see below), but its looking very bleak now as that cushion is being whittled away and apart from Watford and Charlton (who we couldn’t put away) there’s not much between teams from 18th to 11th with us looking the dodgiest on current form, and we’re back to within 3 points of WHU in 18th who have money to spend in the sales as do Sheff Utd.

games (game 3 to 17) / points difference betwen City and 18th.

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3 2 1 4 3 4 4

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

6 3 4 6 6 6 6 6

I don’t go with we are so dire; we can be very good but on our day…and before you say it, our day comes round about 1 in 5 games. I certainly don’t think we’re any worse than we’ve been in the past 15 years or whenever the roller-coaster started, in fact for a change we have players to covet. Without throwing everything out of the pram, we are a left-back short of a defence, a left-midfield player short of a midfield, and a striker short of a forward line.

I agree with your comments on Dickov who I belief they bought as a back-up player but with Andy ‘show me the money’ Cole leaving last minute plus the rough diamond and the one paced Italian failing to perform Dickov has come to the fore, and lets get this right, though he’s got as much chance of scoring as my wife letting me out of her sight night time, he does battle, he does come up with the odd bit of skill occasionally (the goal the other night being an example), but I agree that we shouldn’t be having Dickov in the team more than the last 10-15 minutes of a game.

From my comments you’ll see that I was distraught with SP’s non-sensical use of substitutes – I am every bl**dy week just as I was with Keegan. Some times it’s very simple but they seem like rabbits in the headlights unable to react. I reckon either SP or Wigley need to get up in the stand and take a calmer and clearer overview of the game as it pans out. From reading the various forums the knives are out for SP but I’m anti- continually changing managers – stability is the key to successful football clubs – if SP isn’t good enough then bring in an older head to offer him some guidance (isn’t Venables, the so called Golden man, looking to leave international football for club involvement) and change in a summer not mid-season when the rots set in.

I can not understand why Ireland can’t get a regular game, even if its 30 minutes. And get Miller on more often – remember how Crofty’s enthusiasm used to gee up the crowd when he came on as sub. We're wasting Vassell at left-midfield cause there’s apparently no one else – get him up front chasing Corradi’s knock downs (can anybody tell me how few game they partnered each other?). Samaras isn’t going to make it so get rid.

Here’s a simple solution based up our most recent showings. Show some spirit in the first 20 minutes to get ahead and win the game rather than have a decent second half showing when its just too late - simple isn't it.

It's a mystery how a team can be so good one game (Villa away) and so bad in the next. There's something mighty wrong with the team makeup and spirit which needs sorting out, you may be right, maybe it is SP and his backroom boys that are the cause and if so then cut out the cancer, but, i don't think we are any worse than a dozen other teams in the Premier, that adding one or two better players wouldn't improve.

I could on, they depress me so much currently, but I can’t chuffin be mithered.

Sort it out City, now!!!

Good and balanced post and i pretty much agree with all that you said.You know i totally dont understand why Ireland does not start evety game and i would love Miller to get a go playing centre forward,after all that is where he started and look at the kid,hes HUGE and has got pace to go with it,im sure he,d scare the hel_l out of a few defences.He certainly could,nt do worse than"i could,nt be bothered running"Samaras!!

[Bredbury Blue]

J&D and Totlanh - totally agree.

I'm old enough to remember winning things and competing but its my nephews who are under 19 that i feel sorry for who have had to put up with dross and being ridiculed in Tesco's by County fans when we've lost to them. I'm desperatly hoping my two sons (under 4's) might see a return to glory so that they don't end up cursing me for making them Blues!

[JacknDanny]

J&D and Totlanh - totally agree.

I'm old enough to remember winning things and competing but its my nephews who are under 19 that i feel sorry for who have had to put up with dross and being ridiculed in Tesco's by County fans when we've lost to them. I'm desperatly hoping my two sons (under 4's) might see a return to glory so that they don't end up cursing me for making them Blues!

Holy s#it BB you must about 150yrs old

FA CUP in 1969, I just about remember that (7yrs old)

League Cup 1970/1976

Cup Winners Cup 1970

Thats about it in my lifetime!!!

[totlanh]

J&D and Totlanh - totally agree.

I'm old enough to remember winning things and competing but its my nephews who are under 19 that i feel sorry for who have had to put up with dross and being ridiculed in Tesco's by County fans when we've lost to them. I'm desperatly hoping my two sons (under 4's) might see a return to glory so that they don't end up cursing me for making them Blues!

Holy s#it BB you must about 150yrs old

FA CUP in 1969, I just about remember that (7yrs old)

League Cup 1970/1976

Cup Winners Cup 1970

Thats about it in my lifetime!!!

More than me!!!Just the League cup in 76 and i was only 6 then and thus no memories!!!!Best City moment for me was when we beat Chesterfield to get out of the 2nd division,now that must speak volumes of how City have slumped from their "glory days"!!If i were to be honest i cannot ever forsee the afore-mentioned ever returning,and sad as it may sound i think the best we can expect is that we will be a mid to lower table team who may get the odd good cup run and MAYBE one day perhaps win something(ive been hoping for that all my life!!)

[mrbojangles]

I have absolutely nothing to say, about that aweful (i'm being nice) performance on sunday !!

[totlanh]

I have absolutely nothing to say, about that aweful (i'm being nice) performance on sunday !!

Go on MR Bo,release the Fury

[Bredbury Blue]

Jack, reckon i'm 3 years old than you. Started going regular in the season after the Championship, been to all the cup finals after '69 except the play-off (you know i've never seen that game / video to this day, have to track a copy down when i'm back in Bredbury for a visit next year). The last decent side, in my humble opinion, was the Tony Book managed one (with Doyle / Watson as centre-backs) that just got pipped by Liverpool - i can remember now the buzz, the feeling of pride of being one of the top teams in the country - how things have changed eh!

Regarding my earlier posting about my kids. They're almost 2 and 4 and already brainwashed in to seeing any football on TV and saying "look Dadda, City". I don't actually blame my dad or my granddad for brainwashing me or taking me to the games at an early age - football is a tribal thing and i love being part of the City tribe, fills me with pride, it must be chuffin awful being a Red though eh

[soihok]

Ah....roll on boxing day!

Now that Sheff Utd are level on points with Man City,it will not be one to miss.

I would love to go to the match but a winters day in the UK is as inviting as herpes.

May the best team win.

Cheers.

[Bredbury Blue]

Can't say i'm looking forward to it soihok, though we need a bit of form in the next 3 games against Bolton (H), Sheff U (A) and WHU (A), i reckon we'll be lucky if we pick up 2 points from those games - prove me wrong City, prove me wrong!

Travel over the hills from Bredbury to Sheffield, though a short hours hop, ain't a pleasant trip in wintery conditions but no doubt my brothers / nephews will be going - wish i was!

[soihok]

The things the way they are in the Premiership leaves it incredibly close towards the bottom.

Watford and Charlton-Under-Dog are propping us all up ,,,thankfully.

Theres a long way to go however.....great innit?

[mrbojangles]

I don't actually blame my dad or my granddad for brainwashing me or taking me to the games at an early age - football is a tribal thing and i love being part of the City tribe, fills me with pride, it must be chuffin awful being a Red though eh

Same here Bred But i do wish we would win something. If for no other reason than the scum would have to rip that sign down