Could Birmingham City finally be getting new owners?
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Could Birmingham City finally be getting new owners?
It appears Laurence Bassini has been pipped to the post as the Blues ownership saga continues.
Counter Cut’s content is this month is sponsored by The New Talbot
There has rarely been a quiet week at St. Andrews over the last 15 years but as we get closer to new owners, the circus is in full swing.
Over the last few weeks Laurence Bassini has been vocal in his desire to buy the Blues and ‘win the league’ with them. He had stated on national radio that he had the funds and the deal would be done within weeks.
So when news came out of Birmingham City that a deal for the club was close, it was understood that it would be Laurence Bassini taking over the club as interest from other parties seemed to have died. (Discussed in last week’s article)
Unlike Bassini, Paul Richardson and Maxi López hadn’t used talkSPORT to declare their interest and make wild claims about personal wealth. They had shown interest earlier in the year but as negotiations with the current owners came to stand still, they decided to back out.
It appears however that they have been working in the background to come to an agreement with owners Birmingham International Holdings Limited (BIHL) to buy the club from under Bassini’s nose.
Lifelong Blues fan Richardson is a local businessman who runs a clothing brand Hera and recently served on the board of GymShark. He has the business acumen it seems and as a fan himself will have their best interests at heart.
Maxi López is an Argentinian former professional footballer who’s 20 year career saw him play in Argentina, Spain and Italy. He has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world and has links to the world's top players. He knows football and knows what is required to succeed even if his own career didn’t ever quite live up to expectation.
After being asked outside St. Andrews last week by Sky Sports News, both Robinson and López confirmed the deal would be done this week depending on clearance from the EFL. As we all know the EFL are neither quick nor efficient, so the fans could be in for a long wait to finally be rid of BIHL.
It might not be plain sailing for the club though, as with any change in ownership, they do like to bring their own teams in. One such name is former Charlton Athletic chief executive Matt Southall who admitted to unlawfully changing the status of the directors for the holding company that owned Charlton during a takeover.
Southall also threatened to sue the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust for defamation after it was revealed that he was using the club to bankroll a lavish lifestyle with Range Rovers and apartments on the Thames. That’s all without mentioning his failed take over of Rochdale last year, where fans stuck together and along with new shares being issued, were able to stop him owning a controlling stake in the club.
Even with new potential owners it doesn’t look like the chaos is far behind.
This month we are sponsored by our friends at The New Talbot. Specialising in Indian tapas and curries you’ll be sure to find something that takes your fancy.
