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Rumours of takeover/investment interest


eling-saint

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Not really because we have outgoings that need to be paid. Profit was less than £20million last year I think. Now that the owner can pocket if they so choose...

 

In theory, couldn't a new cynical owner seek to get all the players off the books, pocket the transfer fees and reduce the salary bill by 98%, field a bunch of amateur players, pocket the profits (basically the Sky TV and parachute money and the transfer fees) and possibly even run up a ton of debt? Once the parachutes run out, sell the club and stadium to anyone willing to buy it.

 

I'm not aware of any laws against doing something like this - its basically just asset stripping.

 

I'm not sure the football authorities have any rules that would obviously prevent something like this happening either, more's the pity.

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In theory, couldn't a new cynical owner seek to get all the players off the books, pocket the transfer fees and reduce the salary bill by 98%, field a bunch of amateur players, pocket the profits (basically the Sky TV and parachute money and the transfer fees) and possibly even run up a ton of debt? Once the parachutes run out, sell the club and stadium to anyone willing to buy it.

 

I'm not aware of any laws against doing something like this - its basically just asset stripping.

 

I'm not sure the football authorities have any rules that would obviously prevent something like this happening either, more's the pity.

 

It's not as easy as you think to take large sums of money out of a company.

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Unlike transfer rumors this thread has no insiders with any decent tidbits for discussion. Rarely has a more boring and lacking in real information thread been posted.

I'm certain the rumor was put out to influence players into staying at the club and possible signings on the hook. Once the transfer window closes the whole investment /purchase story will vanish much to the disappointment of any hoping for commercial advancement.

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Unlike transfer rumors this thread has no insiders with any decent tidbits for discussion. Rarely has a more boring and lacking in real information thread been posted.

I'm certain the rumor was put out to influence players into staying at the club and possible signings on the hook. Once the transfer window closes the whole investment /purchase story will vanish much to the disappointment of any hoping for commercial advancement.

 

Nonsense. I don't think we would arrange a company posting news on the stock exchange just to entice players to stay. Especially when players had already left!

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Unlike transfer rumors this thread has no insiders with any decent tidbits for discussion. Rarely has a more boring and lacking in real information thread been posted.

I'm certain the rumor was put out to influence players into staying at the club and possible signings on the hook. Once the transfer window closes the whole investment /purchase story will vanish much to the disappointment of any hoping for commercial advancement.

The Chinese going away will cause me no grief.

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In theory, couldn't a new cynical owner seek to get all the players off the books, pocket the transfer fees and reduce the salary bill by 98%, field a bunch of amateur players, pocket the profits (basically the Sky TV and parachute money and the transfer fees) and possibly even run up a ton of debt? Once the parachutes run out, sell the club and stadium to anyone willing to buy it.

 

I'm not aware of any laws against doing something like this - its basically just asset stripping.

 

I'm not sure the football authorities have any rules that would obviously prevent something like this happening either, more's the pity.

 

There are a number of director's duties that apply to limited companies contained within the Companies Act 2006.

 

1. To act within powers.

2. To promote the success of the company.

3. To exercise independent judgment.

4. To exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence.

5. To avoid conflicts of interest.

6. Not to accept benefits from third parties.

7. To declare an interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement.

 

Duties 2,3,4, 5 and 7 would come into play.

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That depends on whether you're subject to first world levels of corporate governance or not.

 

It's not difficult at all to take large chunks of cash out of a limited company if you own all the shares. If you make a profit you can pay it as dividends, if not take it out as salary or management fees.Not necessarily that tax efficient, but nothing to stop you at all, there all also many complicated ways of extracting cash.Absolutely straight forward to sell all the players play the under 18's and pocket the cash. Nobody could stop you.

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It's not difficult at all to take large chunks of cash out of a limited company if you own all the shares. If you make a profit you can pay it as dividends, if not take it out as salary or management fees.Not necessarily that tax efficient, but nothing to stop you at all, there all also many complicated ways of extracting cash.Absolutely straight forward to sell all the players play the under 18's and pocket the cash. Nobody could stop you.

 

But there would be a hell of a lot of tax to pay. Unless your wife is resident in Monaco or somewhere and she owns all the shares.

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In theory, couldn't a new cynical owner seek to get all the players off the books, pocket the transfer fees and reduce the salary bill by 98%, field a bunch of amateur players, pocket the profits (basically the Sky TV and parachute money and the transfer fees) and possibly even run up a ton of debt? Once the parachutes run out, sell the club and stadium to anyone willing to buy it.

 

I'm not aware of any laws against doing something like this - its basically just asset stripping.

 

I'm not sure the football authorities have any rules that would obviously prevent something like this happening either, more's the pity.

 

So the opportunity is there for "Sir" Philip Green; I wonder why the odious man hasn't got into the football business.

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But there would be a hell of a lot of tax to pay. Unless your wife is resident in Monaco or somewhere and she owns all the shares.

 

 

Yes possibly but that wasn't the point I was responding to- the query which is just hypothetical -can you legitimately sell all the players and pocket the cash and yes you can and it would be straightforward.

The tax position is also potentially manageable but would depend on the shareholders circumstances if you are offshore you wouldn't be liable to UK tax.

If you were a U.K. Resident for tax purposes I'd probably buy a loss making company then bill the company with all the cash in it a couple of hundred million management fee. The cash is now in the loss making company. Use their losses to right down the tax. Then borrow the money from the company (which is also legitimate ) which is a very tax efficient way of extracting cash without paying income tax. You would pay section 419 tax ( from memory) but it's negligible.

 

As I said it's all hypothetical and there wouldn't be a lot of point to it but it can be done without that much fuss.

Edited by AK
Typo
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What you do is set up a large offshore "shared services" business and they charge every subsidiary a set of substantial feea for shared accounting, IT, HR, media and advertising etc - enough to siphon the greater % of the profit off to pay minimal corporate tax on in aforementioned offshore place. Ericb on here may be aware of the nightmare of shared services in his business (I certainly was) - it's common in most global corporations and one of the major failings of globalisation as it means developed economies can only effectively tax the middle class...

 

On this investment tho - who knows why they want to do it. The increasing drift back to autocracy at the top in China has been fuelling overseas investment to move wealth somewhere the government can't grab it. Hopefully Kat is true to her word (and there is NO reason to doubt she is) and she'll only do things in the best interests of the club

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I wonder what the significance is that Lander are a construction company specialising is sporting stadia construction. Do they plan to rebuild St Mary's?

 

I read something saying that the construction industry in China is very competitive and that by Lander being associated with Saints it will differentiate them from the market (they can also say they can build football facilities endorsed by a Premier League club etc.)

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I reckon this chinese mob have been knocked back already by FA PL in wanting to buy the club.

 

Lets not forget the main man of Lander resigned from the limited company within weeks of it being set up here and his daughter now is the only official of it.

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I reckon this chinese mob have been knocked back already by FA PL in wanting to buy the club.

 

Lets not forget the main man of Lander resigned from the limited company within weeks of it being set up here and his daughter now is the only official of it.

 

That's not uncommon for a number of reasons but the thrust of your argument and that of others e.g. 'shared services' (that there are ways and means to obtain a benefit without attracting unwanted attention and thus a 'penalty' e.g. tax) is probably the reason for this and is an indication that the approach from Lander is contrary to that which was the approach from ML at the time (i.e. he came in with open hands, palms showing).

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Bit more in the times today:

 

Southampton have rejected an offer of £180 million from Lander Sports Development to buy the club, The Times has learnt.

 

Negotiations with the Chinese property company are continuing despite considerable irritation inside the club at Lander’s announcement on the Shenzhen stock exchange yesterday that an agreement had been reached in principle, but the two parties are a long way apart in their valuation of the club.

 

 

I Said that here:

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?57377-Rumours-of-takeover-investment-by-Chinese-company-Lander-Sports-Development&p=2446400#post2446400

 

Way before that rag got hold of it.

 

I know more about this club and what actually goes on than any of you on here.

 

Everything I've said (in my 50 posts) on this board has come directly from a pretty damn reliable source.

 

But keep saying I'm talking sh**.

 

The club don't tell you fans F'all and it's the worst I've ever seen.

 

Clubs will say what they have to say.

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I Said that here:

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?57377-Rumours-of-takeover-investment-by-Chinese-company-Lander-Sports-Development&p=2446400#post2446400

 

Way before that rag got hold of it.

 

I know more about this club and what actually goes on than any of you on here.

 

Everything I've said (in my 50 posts) on this board has come directly from a pretty damn reliable source.

 

But keep saying I'm talking sh**.

 

The club don't tell you fans F'all and it's the worst I've ever seen.

 

Clubs will say what they have to say.

 

Itk! :mcinnes:

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For all the doubters, I'm extremely close to one of the current regular first team players..read into that whatever you like.

(no I'm not his Wife or Girlfriend either)

.

 

Players wouldn't be kept abreast of information like this. They'd find out about 5 minutes before Joe Public at best.

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I Said that here:

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?57377-Rumours-of-takeover-investment-by-Chinese-company-Lander-Sports-Development&p=2446400#post2446400

 

Way before that rag got hold of it.

 

I know more about this club and what actually goes on than any of you on here.

 

Everything I've said (in my 50 posts) on this board has come directly from a pretty damn reliable source.

 

But keep saying I'm talking sh**.

 

The club don't tell you fans F'all and it's the worst I've ever seen.

 

Clubs will say what they have to say.

 

Ouch! Desperate stuff. 2/10 at best.

 

"Itk" equivalent of sticking Caulker upfront for the last ten minutes.

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It's not difficult at all to take large chunks of cash out of a limited company if you own all the shares. If you make a profit you can pay it as dividends, if not take it out as salary or management fees.Not necessarily that tax efficient, but nothing to stop you at all, there all also many complicated ways of extracting cash.Absolutely straight forward to sell all the players play the under 18's and pocket the cash. Nobody could stop you.

 

Which is what they have been doing so just more of the same really.

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

 

Are you pretending to be an outsider of the club now, not an insider? Lolz

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

 

We lose players every summer anyway, what's the difference? Normal service resumed......

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

 

Top trolling, now **** off

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

 

I really don't have a clue what you are banging on about.

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Lol what's going on here?...trolled?

 

Best thing you can hope for is this club being sold or you're gonna lose players in the summer.

 

Owner won't pay wages, board will sell you down the river in a heartbeat.

 

Like making players sign contracts then the clubs up for sale.

 

How's it going Vman

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  • 3 weeks later...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4250772/Chinese-bank-set-swoop-Southampton.html - Chinese bank set to swoop for Southampton as £225m takeover bid is prepared

 

A Chinese bank are ready to make a £225million offer for Southampton after a proposed take- over from a rival Far East firm collapsed.

Sportsmail can reveal that CITIC Securities — China’s largest investment bank — have drafted the terms of a takeover bid and are set to make a formal approach once the club’s period of exclusivity with Lander Sports Development expires at the end of this month.

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Same as the Lander talk: its pretty clear that KL will sell to the 'right' bidder, whatever that represents.

 

Would always be initially wary of Chinese involvement as very few Asian takeovers of English clubs have worked out well.

 

Usually these stories make the press for a reason.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4250772/Chinese-bank-set-swoop-Southampton.html - Chinese bank set to swoop for Southampton as £225m takeover bid is prepared

 

A Chinese bank are ready to make a £225million offer for Southampton after a proposed take- over from a rival Far East firm collapsed.

Sportsmail can reveal that CITIC Securities — China’s largest investment bank — have drafted the terms of a takeover bid and are set to make a formal approach once the club’s period of exclusivity with Lander Sports Development expires at the end of this month.

 

Some interesting detail in there.

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