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Response From Peter Pannu
Earlier this morning I emailed Acting Chairman Peter Pannu an open letter to ask him some questions with respect to Birmingham City Football Club. I am pleased to say that I have received a detailed and prompt response from Mr Pannu.
I have been asked not to publish the email in full but I can share with you the pertinent points here.
Mr Pannu confirmed that there are or have been talks with three groups. He has confirmed that one party he had advanced talks with in Hong Kong (which the Mail has reported as being the Charles Chan/Shanghai Media Entertainment Group consortium) but they have “somewhat unexpectedly cooled off”; that there are talks ongoing with another big party in Hong Kong and that he has met with Paladini’s representatives but he has said those talks “haven’t been very eventful so far but also not dead yet.”
The Acting Chairman has also confirmed that with the auditors in both the UK and HK being changed, there have been much smoother and efficient publication of accounts, citing the publication of the year ending 2012 accounts. Whilst these haven’t been sent to Companies House I would infer that Mr Pannu is saying that Birmingham City have met the December 1 deadline for financial information to be supplied to the FL in line with new Financial Fair Play regulations.
Mr Pannu has also confirmed that if the club is not sold then
we need to ensure that we do not go in to administration by raising some funds and it maybe the case that further disposal [of players] (one or maybe two depending of revenue generated) will have to be made to maintain the cash flow.
This would confirm my belief that Blues will be selling players in the transfer window if there is no investment – as referenced by the Birmingham Mail today.
Mr Pannu affirmed that with the new auditors in place he was hoping that the overdue accounts would be published and potentially the holding company relisted by March 2013. If this was achieved the parent company could then source other avenues of investment for the football club via share options and rights issues, etc.
In his last paragraph, Mr Pannu said
As fans, including myself, we need to ask ourselves as to why our team seem to play better away (not results but general play) than at home. It is their fear factor from us and the nature of the songs we sing at times. So time for self reflection there too. We just need to consistently support them. Attendances are gradually recovering but again can be better. The least we can do is to pack the stadium and persevere in our die hard support.
It’s my understanding that the club will publish a full statement from Mr Pannu via official channels, potentially around the New Year.
Tags: Peter Pannu
178 Responses to “Response From Peter Pannu”
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Well done mate , some decent info at last, I fear the worst If one or 2 players turns into 3 or 4 we are doomed,,the vultures will be circling im afraid
Well done Almajir.
It goes to show the growing influence of OP.
Still it goes to show that we are perilously close to the edge in several ways and we need investment fast.
Continuing to sell our best assets is a surefire to keep the owners going but leading the club down the chute….
I would also like to add that PP fails to acknowledge why so many fans seem to be on edge at home, and how his and CY’s machinations are partially responsible for this. If he was forthcoming with on a regualr basis with relevant communication and the ‘songs’ continued, maybe then he would be justified with asking for “self-reflection”.
ASKING FANS TO COME BACK AND SUPPORT THE CLUB WHEN THEY KNOW THAT MORE PLAYERS WILL BE SOLD IS A BIT OF A JOKE. SURELY YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE NEGATIVITY FROM THE SUPPORTERS WHEN THEY PAY PRICES LIKE THEY DO SO THEY WOULD WANT SOME KIND OF VALUE FOR MONEY IN RETURN.
Well done to you.
Almajir, you have done extremely well to elicit a response and may even be a key prompter to PP’s commitment to issue a foram statement, for that I thank and laud you.. Unfortunately his responses confirm that we have all read the signals correctly. i.e. the sale of the club is not likely to be resolved any time soon. That current interested parties after many weeks of negotiation remain uncommitted, that we will be selling Butland, Davies and Redmond, if we can get a reasonable price for them and the club is in such a parlous financial state that we do indeed need the funds from such sales to ward off administration.His comments reference supporter reaction is probably aimed at the inane booing of team selections and the pathetic Carson chant. I would suggest that the disgust true Bluenoses feel when observing such events is real, but to suggest that the club’s plight is down to negative reations to negative events and nothing else is wriggling off the hook and scraping the bottom of the barrel. Happy Christmas Almajir and Everyone. KRO.
I hold my hands up didnt think he would even reply, would like to know as to why full email couldnt be shown if as he said ‘as fans including myself” then surely hes got nothink to hide. Doesnt tell us really anythink we didnt officially no ie.takeover talks , players goin in jan, jus confirmed it. Think the last paragraph is quite wrong tho, the dwindling crowds, the atmosphere, the songs aimed at carson, the jus damn rite gloom and doom feeling around the club is everthink that they have caused through inept managment ofthe club, did we have them songs and atmos phere when in prem or carling cup run, no it wen it all went tits up down to you guys, And you talk about self reflection, are you taking the piss, what about your and your stupid boss self reflection of what YOU have turned the club into, and carry on running our club into the ground! I actually thoiught on sat even more so when we went 2-1 down the crowd got behind even more so i believe the crowd get right behind the team, but same time as that the team have got give the crowd sumink to shout about. And if he thinks we will ever have a packed stadium again with these pratts in charge it shows how deluded and far from what the fans think of the owners, the clown really is. Lovely xmas messege pete now hurry up and sell the club and f**k off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
comment edited, please use asterisks in the appropriate places
why couldnt we see the email in full what cant we see ?
Looks like there’s more pain ahead….
Well hands up I’m amazed at the prompt response.Well done Almajir.I suspect that nothing has really changed and we will struggle on less a few players.Regarding rights issues I can’t see how this will raise funds as it seems that those who could participate in the rights issues are in the main skint.Secondly how on earth are share options going to help-is he going to try to convince players to play for nothing but be incentivised by options in what would still be a struggling company with a very uncertain future.If Pannu wants the songs to stop and the ground to be full he could perhaps try communicating with the fan base on a more regular and timely basis.Clearly some issues are sensitive and cannot be discussed in or on a public forum but he could engage on the majority of issues.Happy Christmas everyone-damned shame about the Villa!
Swissjony, is absolutely correct in his assertion, that HAD there been better communication from P,P. in the past, The liklehood of Chants/Songs, would have lessend with the knowledge that Some of our questions WERE being answered, [ even if all ] could not have been — Negotiations, for example, !!.
Thank you for prompting this response from P,P. — Almajir, !!!!!!!!!!!.
Old blue, Trouble is when he does then out come the hatchet squad so you have to say whats the good in talking
Well, PP is risking £8m in parachute payments if he sells Butland and we get relegated…. so that will be Butlands entire (probably) sale fee. And not only that, this would be a temporary solution even if we were to stay up, so we would probably need to sell more players in the new year and tempt relegation again….. WHAT A GREAT BUSINESS PLAN PP?!!?!
It would have been nice if we could have seen a high level income/expenditure summary, so we could at least put our minds to rest that money isnt being funnelled into BIH. Its still so hard to believe that all the income from player sales (£28m?), compo rcvd for McLeish and Hughton (£5m?), the extra income from Europe (£2m?) and the FA cup run (£1m?), season ticket sales (£3.5m?) and the parachute payments (£32m?) over the last 2 seasons isnt enough to keep us going??
I know there must be some serious expenses, but there is a huge great stinkin RAT that i just cant help but smell..
Just to make the Rat even smellier you haven’t allowed for the savings on the wage bill from the loanees going as well as the sales.
Alex
Two words for you mate – Player Wages
45mil the year we went down (and made a £10mil loss which had to be recouped)
prob close to 30mil last year.
The fact is players like Zigic – who will cost the club in excess of £16mil alone when his contract expires are beyond our means.
Great work mate getting something from PP. Often Partisan is the best place out there for blues news etc.
I have to agree with Alex T tho. Yes some players wages are high, but as a squad we are prob average for the league. Remember from the 40m spent in the Prem we have shed, foster, Dann, Johnson, jiranek, ridgewell, parnaby, maik Taylor, ferguson, larrson, Gardner, bowyer, Helb, Jerome, Phillips, martins, beausejour, McFadden, Derbyshire. That is 18 players on decent money. If we have only saved average £1m per player per year on these guys that is £18m per year. And I think that is being prudent with the reduction as most players brought in will be cheap enough. I would think King on 15k being the max.
I am like a record but the unqualified accounts and the fact the kit monies was paid direct to BIH smells more than a rat. They are facts and the auditors didn’t sign off as it all didn’t add up.
I for one will continue to support the team with all my heart( the kids need it more than ever) but I will also continue to sing louder than ever the ‘We don’t care about Carson song’
Merry Xmas all blues fans.
(rant over… Time to start on the Xmas snowballs to cheer me up! 8-0 helped)
Quokkas
I can only reaffirm what trusted sources (not Pannu) at the club have continually told me – that no money has left the club for HK.
Why, oh why,!!. Cannot some people accept that statement, ?. It has been answered often enough, !!.
Because Oldbluenose, there is no reasoning with some people.
Thanks Aljamir.
My personal opinion (as an experienced chartered accountant) is that money has been filtered off to HK. Only the directors of BIH will truly know!
Keep up the great work.
Let’s hope the 2 players are Fahey and Gomis. Ha ha
I think it’s a bit hard to put all this on Nicola Zigic. He was asked to come and play for us, he hasn’t come here to spite us. We got to pay wages to whoever comes here.
I’m not blaming Nikola – I love the bloke. Just pointing out we can’t afford him – the fault lies with those who offered him the deal.
True but it seems the guy will always be betrayed as the one who was to blame because he was greedy. Makes my blood boil!
Well done .
At least we have a line of communication even if the future looks bleak..
You have acheived more in one email than Tatt and Ross in a month.
They should hang their heads in shame.
I am absolutely amazed that PP responded and in such a short time, credit to you. It makes me wonder why so many other people that should be chasing this kind of information are not getting anywhere, or do you think that they are but not sharing what the are told?
One thing that mystifies me and I am sure many others is what PP and co are hoping to achieve but not doing a deal with somebody as soon as possible. I cant help thinking that they main reason that none of these talks have resulted in a deal being done is largely down to price. I understand that they sellers have a figure in mind but like any commodity the value is only what any buyer is willing to pay and surely the longer this drags on, the more players that are sold and the more difficult our playing situation becomes the less we must be worth, or am I missing something?
Does anyone know what the situation regarding ownership would be if we did fall into administration, would that be the end of any of the current owners stake in te club and so also their hold over who buys us, or wouldthey still have a part to play?
Well done for getting a response,and to Pannu for a prompt reply.
I think we all knew Butland was going to be moved on,as he is our prize asset in terms of instant cash windfall.
This sale will not harm us too much in the short term,but in the long run this is a disappointing sale,but i hope there will be a sell on clause added(unlikely though!)
Not sure who else is going to be sold,hopefully not King,i’m sure a few desperate rele-worried Premier clubs would be interested & pay quick/desperate cash,as ‘he scores goals’,but in terms of squad strength/quality we are consistently weakening.
KRO
So it’s as much our fault as carson yeungs! You will no doubt read this pannu i’m a season ticket holder of 35 years and have travelled to every away game in 30 years and in the space of 18 months you and i mean you have taken the club backwards almost 20 years! You should be ashamed of yourself considering i have put more money into this club buying 6 season tickets this season than you ever have! Shame on you!
Tilton. So you have spent 80 million have you Titton. Better you keep your money stay home and shut up as your just another tit bringing us all down.
I’m talking to pannu not carson yeung pannu is an employee!
Tilton. So you have spent 80 million have you Titton. Better you keep your money stay home and shut up as your just another tit bringing us all down.
No doubt another big mouth from the armchair or the loyal block 11!
comment edited – can we not have the personal insults please?
Fair play to PP for answering and for you for asking Dan
I agree with some of his points re our fans. Fill the ground = no sale of players. Moan on the net but don’t go = sale of players. He’s also right about the edgy atmosphere. There are people booing our own players even before the game kicks off. People hoping the opposition score so they can put a banner up. People moaning about every missed tackle/shot. I’ve never known it like this and can’t pin it down to the moment when our fans changed from the best supporters in the land to a bunch of whinging moaning dickheads. Not all of them obviously and it doesn’t happen away from home.
Nothing new really apart from clarification of the runners and riders. Would love to know who the interested HK group are.
it happened at millwall!
There ain’t no interested group pal……don’t fall for that nonsense its total bullshit.
So you’re the typical sceptic, whinge when he stays quiet, call him a liar when he says something.
You know that do you Mickey. Another old lady u are
Must say you are very gullible james! The whole of hong kong believe carson yeung is a crook! The man was a chancer who thought we’d never get relegated and would receive £40m+ every twelve months how on earth do we owe him £17m because he loaned money to the club he wants it all back! What don’t you understand we’ve all been had in the bag mate! Wake up and smell the chop suey!
That’s for a court to decide Mickey. maybe your right maybe your wrong but let him have his day in court then decide. I suspect you don’t actually know anything about his case and indulging in mere mud slinging, but yes you may end up being right, their again you may be wrong. As for the chop suey joke i think that reveals a lot more. Not funny as Chinese laundry jokes just ain’t funny. I think that could be the root of your thinking. But just judge him after he has been judged. Anyway its Christmas day so enjoy the day Mickey, show a little Christmas spirit and wait and see. You may be right but best not talk without knowledge. I don’t have that knowledge, i will let the judge decide. Get behind us Mickey, it really helps. Merry Xmas really..
Shit sorry i got name mixed up my apoligies to Mickey for wrongly naming him. I meant Tilton sorry sorry Mickey whoopsie. Merry Xmas Tillton too.
Paul, fans have a right to be unhappy with the way things are. They, like me, have paid the money for a season ticket/match ticket and have the right to voice their opinions at games (however detrimental they may be). Why I do agree its not at times beneficial to the club and the players, they are all proffessional footballers and get paid a hell of alot of money to play football, which at the moment (and for all the season so far) they have not done consistently to any decent standard. As for filling the ground? Fans pay alot of money to be entertained and the majority know they won’t get that under LC an his cronies.
The buck stops with the players and LC at the end of the day, this is still a squad that finished 4th in the league last season, the only thing changing being the management, the same cloud of uncertaintly was over the club (well actaully there was a transfer embargo for half the season, an no accounts so for me it was worse), there is no excuse for the performances we are seeing.
The only people that can turn this around in the short term, are those players that pull on the royal blue and that clown LC. We as fans do need to get behind the team, but we cant be blamed or abused for having the balls to have a go at the players (& club) when they are not doing what they should be or not performing as should be. So no I do not agree with Pannus comments about the fans based on the fact we sing a derisory song about his mate.
We have enough about us to keep are heads above water, even if we do lose a couple of players in Jan and the status quo remains as is with the owners. KRO
Ye thts rite totally down to the fans got nothink to do with, having no money, no contigicency plans for relegation, no relegation paycut in certain players contracts, no decent sponsors wanting to touch us or be associated with BCFC, appointing crap manager who looks out his depth, our owner on trial for money laundering and stringing the court date out for as long as he can , pannu failure to sell or get any investor on board, having a crap home record and geting spanked by teams we shudnt.
All of the above are the reasons = players sales mate, not the fans by any stretch of the imagination and the only way to get the ground full again been as the plyoffs are million miles away till were sold, is a big cup game or new owners other than that peter pannu wake up and sell the coffee the main reason for the crowds dwindlin is you and your shyster assosciates, the day u lot f**k off i would hazard a guess the first game after u lot of gone no matter who were playin we will easy get 20k plus fans easy just to show it was ur idiotic runnin of the club that people had enuf of and no matter what shite u spout off now no1 believes you, so again hurry up and f**k off pete!!!!!
Another idiot attacking their own fans. Clever. You are a true supporter. Turn on your own kind. Got every reason to moan pal and voice our displeasure. That includes anybody who pays their hard earned money to go down there when they can not just season ticket holders
So what are you doing now? Hypocrite! So you’re allowed to attack the board, the management, the players, anyone that criticises you, but others that have a go at you are idiots! Typical. Dish it out, can’t take it!Grow Up!
At last some comments from PP, even though it’s tough love we’re hearing.
I suggest you ask the question, Why should supporters return through the turnstilles when anything that’s nailed down is to be sold as football is about entertainment? Furthermore if and when players are sold will the selling price of BCFC reflect the loss of said assets?
If Blues are up for grabs for £35M for example then sell Butland for £6M, Redmond for £1M, Davies for £2M, Burke for £500K, King for £500K leaving kids and old pro who are worth nothing. This coupled with the majority of the squad out of contract in the summer all you left with is bricks and mortar and not a football club.
I presume BCFC if relegated which in my opinion is looking more likely after every game would be worth max £10M. Can PP and BIHL clarify he understands this and are prepared to accept this.
If administration comes BIHL have no control over the price BCFC are worth. Any outstanding loans wouldn’t be worth the paper they’re underwritten on as ala Portsmouth the creditors would be lucky to get 10p in the £1.
Playing a dangerous game of pitting potential buyers against each other could result in two things 1) the death of BCFC Rangers style 2) BIHL, CY and PP walking away without a penny.
Birmingham City FC carry the name of the second City and having it dragged through the mud and media is unfair to loyal supporters and anyone who carries the City close to their heart.
Finally it is paramount that a channel of communication must be afforded to supporters and weeks if not months of silence are not acceptable.
Excellent point. By February we will be worth less than 20 million. Very dangerous for all parties.
Not one positive from pannu there…as for blaming the fans singing songs just goes to show how out of touch he is in he first place……anyway pete got a message for you,if that idiot in hong kong you work for never got lifted on dodgy money laundering charges then all this would never have happened would it??the best Christmas present you could all give us is if you sell the club as you and mr yeung are not wanted around here and you are bringing this great club to it’s knees..your communication skills are as pathetic as I’ve ever known..you need to pull your socks up in that dept….as for another group wanting too buy us in hong kong?..I just don’t believe you,as your track record is not the best in finding new investment since yeung got arrested is it…..stick to being a lawyer as you are clearly not cut out for the football business as you have proved when Sullivan and gold turned you over for £80 million….gotta say they pulled your pants down and kicked your arse pete…now shut the door behind you and f… Off out of our great club.
Quite right Mickey07,
There is not a football club in the land, who’s supporters do not get on to them, when they are not playing well. I agree that booing individual players when their names are read out, before the game,is the hight of stupidity. But complaining about the team,collectively,at half time and full time,is ok. Supporters only get paid a fraction of the money players are paid,so they have a right to expect better performances. Pannu’s reply, gives us no information whatsoever, apart from what we all knew already,nothing has been done ! Yeung is under house arrest in Hong Kong and has been accused of commiting a crime, if he hadn,t he would be running B.C.F.C. This and this alone,is the reason,that we have the problems we now have. To blame the fans, who turn up for the matches and pay the money, that helps to keep the club running ,is disgraceful. The fact that the club is not worth the stupid amount Carson paid for it,is his fault and his alone. KRO
I take from that…that Pannu and Yeung are going to sell the best players.
Pocket the money
Run the club into the ground
Then Foxtrot Oscar.
Well done mate for asking him the questions.
They are both full of BS
Well done for getting something out of the brick wall, Almajir! It’s a genuinely fantastic feat and one you should be proud of!
In terms of what he’s said, however, I think it’s panic stations time. Selling players is going to reduce the value of the club, and then they’re going to have to go through more drawn out negotiations as the sale price is re-negotiated.
Bad, bad, bad times ahead. Say goodbye to Butland and Redmond and say hello to zero of the transfer funds being reinvested and some reject loanees heading in. Ridiculous.
Totally agree Kaje
Yeah cheers for asset stripping our club and yeah pack the place out so you can have more money – we just get worry in return. Im not gonna critise the football – what the hell can Clark do under these circumstances? Sell soon as please. The club is not worth that much now, stop being greedy – you reap what you sow. Please sell and go, over a decade of progress just ruined with gold n sully laughing their heads off.
Good work Almajir,
As you stated you could not print all of the reply you received. Are you happy (happy may not be the right word) with the response you got for both the printable and not printable parts of the letter.
Have a great Christmas and keep up the good work, it is very much appreciated by all Blues fans.
Hobba
It was a detailed response, and gave the sort of answers I expected.
Thank you
Almajir, Happy christmas to you. How an unpaid supporter who runs his own blog can obtain the information you do is beyond me. Incredible work compared to Tatts, Tom Ross and those muppets at WM!
As I have suspected there is no sale and players will yet again be sold making a weak squad even weaaker, I think this will almost certainly mean relegation for our club as the air of doom surrounding it will finally choke it before the end of the season.
I feel terrible saying this but I almost hope we now either go bust or down so there is nothing left for yeung to sell, I am thinking along the lines of the Kumars when Sullivan rescued us. I think the people allegedly wanting to buy us will possibly be waiting to pick the club up in the same way sullivan did? Would that be a possibility?
I think there is a potential sale RUPERT – the problem is that BIH/Carson still want too much money for it.
And there within lies is the cut…PP & CY have shown themselves to be appalling businessmen , both within BIH & BCFC ..
You don’t have to be Alan Sugar to understand if you are hawking a commodity around for sale ,
you don’t mid discussion sell of its most sale-able assets , warn of potential administration ,
& still expect any potential buyer to take you seriously……they will inevitably just bide their time like vultures awaiting a cheap meal…
The longer it takes, the less the club is worth. I honestly believe a takeover will take place within the next 3-4 weeks, I also think that Butland will go in January and that is a key component in any proposed takeover.
How can they critique the songs sung in the stands after the way they treated the club we love. They should sell for what ever anyone offers apologise to the fans and never dear to show there scum faces in Birmingham again and I don’t buy the whole pretending to be a fan of the club that’s a load of sh*t they try to use to be on our side. Being a bluenose can be hard but at the moment it’s not just hard it’s painfull.
I am sorry but what did any of you expect PP to say?!!
This isn’t news. It’s confirmation of what we all expected.
Get on an have a Merry Christmas and lets worry about 2013 when it arrives. I for one am quite positive about the rebuilding process this club will HAVE to go through as it means we get the Academy kids playing more and strip out some dross.
Every cloud eh??
Neil;, My thoughts, almost exactly, mate, !!!.
Totally agree. Maybe this needs to happen to rebuild the club from the ground up. Get rid of the Dads Army as their contracts are mostly up come seasons end and bring in youth with pride and passion from our academy. Once any sale goes through and assuming there isn’t relegation and or administration I will be very positive and look forward to the future.
As discussed before I hope the new regime change the pricing structure so there are more bums on seats at Stans and a better atmosphere within our club.
KRO.
Almajir,
Two things:
1) Congratulations on getting a response. To finally get some straight words is a breakthrough in itself.
2) You seem to be skirting over the fact that you have not published his response in full? Can you please offer us a PROPER explanation why you have not published his full letter? This is not like you.
KRO
In answer to your second point, because I was asked by the club not to. An email is legally a private communication and thus they are in within their rights to ask that I don’t publish it in full.
just another thought,
if PP think the support is not great now just wait and see in April when the crowds hover 500 above season ticket holders.
I’m a season ticket holder and will go come what may but no one in there right mind will pay on the £25 to watch unproven kids and old castoffs. that’s not the players fault it’s just realism.
Money is tight for the majority off supporters and to spend what little disposable income they have watching our beloved Blues eaten from the inside out is not going to happen.
if avatar was on at the cinema along side a cheap B movie which would you go and see? certainly not the B movie.
Brilliant work Almajir! I’ve always found your blog extremely informative and although it may have seemed like a pointless task initially (it may have been a reasonable assumption that Pannu would have ignored you) you’ve managed to get some answers so well done.
Unfortunately though with the takeover seeming increasingly unlikely before the window I see our three main assets leaving in January; Curtis Davies, Jack Butland and Nathan Redmond. I am a big fan of all three but feel we could get by with Doyle moving in to replace Butland and Redmond hasn’t been a regular starter this season in any case. Losing Curtis Davies however I feel could cost us our Championship status as a Caldwell-Ibanez partnership would be incredibly vulnerable.
Also this would leave us incredibly light on numbers. I know Clark has faith in the youngsters but I fear that many of them are simply not ready. I have been a season ticket holder for 10 years and while previous struggles which draw similarities may have been slightly before my time I am well aware of the dangers of the current road we seem to be travelling down.
I am extremely disillusioned with things and if I am completely honest I am seriously regretting renewing my season ticket for this season. The negativity around Saint Andrews is so absorbing and because the club is such a big part of my life it really hurts.
I don’t see how Pannu can question the fans with regards to the songs and attendances. For me the way he has represented himself has been completely unprofessional and the constant slanging with Paladini is completely unnecessary. They have ruined our club there is no two ways about it. I understand why fans stay away because quite simply it is a waste of money. It is a depressing situation and I can’t see a fix unless they sell the club asap. I don’t understand the reluctance to sell to Paladini if I’m honest and can’t understand why it has taken them so long to sit down and talk when the original bid was made two months ago.
In short I don’t trust a word that comes out of Pannu’s mouth and can only see things getting worse.
They are gonna run it into the ground, stripping anything of value, and then sell for a pittance at the end regardless of where we are football wise. I believe the bank has some sort of charge on the ground, meaning they can’t sell it, can anyone confirm this?
I respect your response.
However it is the response I would expect to come from the lips of Peter Pannu. I dont need to be quoted the legalities on communication and publication.
You yourself have become frustrated with the lack of communication from St Andrews, but it stinks of ” theres a bit more info in the email that you lot arent privvy to”
You described in your post that we are receiving the “pertinent points” All I am asking then is that you confirm that Blues fans wouldn’t find the remaining correspondence pertinent or important. To say it is private is fine.
Don’t think I am having a go in any way, I love your blog and your total honesty. It is what sets you apart from other blogs and websites out there, but this just seems a little unlike you not to offer just a little more to put our minds at rest, whilst keeping your promise.
KRO
Parchy
There isn’t anything more to take from the email in honesty. I’ve given as much as I can without publishing the whole thing.
Another thought……….what happened to Pannu’s ‘we will only accept eye popping offers for players’ has this been conveniently forgotten now as we move towards another potential fire sale?
Who’s to say it will be Butland going? Depends how much money we need to keep going. Personally I think Burke would be no loss, as the guy left at the end of thelast season, same with Fahey. And if we could give Zigic away, that would be of huge financial benefit! And when was the first fire sale? Which players left after relegation below market value?
We are in an absolute mess and it looks like it is going to get a lot worse. It’s clear they are asking too much for the Club which is no surprise when you consider they got ripped off by the Cockney gangsters.
Dark times ahead. If they can’t sell the Club soon then the assets will be sold and those supporters who wanted Paladini to sling his hook are going to get their wish. I just hope they are happy staring relegation in the face come the end of January.
Still we’ve been here before, it’s Blues, its what I signed up for 38 years ago and when there’s talk of relegation I’ll be there.
Do your bit, get down there, stop moaning and get behind the Boys in Royal Blue.
Classic Pannu. Curries favour with a fan blogger and doesn’t actually tell us anything that hasn’t already been reported. He’s using you, he’s using us all. Go NOW
What about the Blues badge batman sign? Isit going to happen? Is this why you won’t publish the mail? To keep it a surprise?
or are you just a coward?
Erm, no.
Merry Christmas Thongsy
;)
I still can’t see if the are committed to sell or are trying to keep their hands on it.is the HK consortium just the same people in another guise?
I respect and acknowledge your attempt at getting a response however, Pannu has done what you would expect Pannu to do, not take or accept any responsibility for, previous actions, current shambles and selling players is solely the responsibility of the owners, it just goes to prove that people oi is ilk are simply vultures on an ego trip business venture, he’s been totally asbent for far too long, why is he back here, because the transfer window opens soon and he and his clan can smell the cash otherwise he would not be anywhere near the place.Golds and Sullivan had there critics but you never saw David Gold hiding when the chips were down.
It’s about time Blue noses grew some determined balls ‘a la’ Liverpool, Man Utd etc and stopped tolerating bullshit from these people, whilst Pannu is being all PR savvi and ‘speaking to the fans’ they are playing Russain Roulette with our club, w do have a habit of being all nicey nicey whilst the club are being shagged unmercifully
Is PP for real? ..blaming the poor ‘home’ performance on the fans?
For those of you new to BCFC we have always been a selling club and have always had to sell to balance the books. Not exclusively but mainly due to the fact that our fans don’t come to the matches. This is not a new situation and not one exclusive to our club. It applies to most clubs.
How all these ST holders can say they regret renewing amazes me? What exactly were you expecting this season? I’m proud to renew my ST every year come what may. I may be working abroad for most of next year but I’ll still renew (as I have every year since 1973). THIS is my club, whatever crisis we’re in will never force me away. So we’ve got no money, the team aint that good and we may have to sell our best players? Is this your first season??
Merry Xmas to all of you especially Dan and lets get up to Barnsley and Bolton in numbers. KRO.
What exactly were you expecting this season?
Well after finishing fourth last season , & beginning a new campaign in a non-vintage Championship season , I was expecting a team to challenge for the play-offs..
What I did not expect was a relegation battle, & if you take off another 10pts off for administration ,it will become a certainty.
Tatts expected automatic promotion.
I couldn’t give a sh*t what Tatts thought.
Blind passion I’m afraid Paul.
Happy Xmas though.
Well said PC. Too many supporters are either new or have short memories. We have always had it tough and like 90% of football supporters all over the world we live in hope and dream of just one day in the sun. Well we had ours on February 27th 2010. And because of that day I will never turn my back on my Club.
Every dog has his day but for the rest of the time we live on scraps or, like yesterday we relish in the misfortune of our enemy. If you expect more then you really do support the wrong club!
I think there are to many people using the ‘R’ word here. We may not be doing well in the league, but despite a poor run of results we haven’t yet been sucked into the relegation zone. Yes we need a few wins to keep us safe, but I think that we are showing signs of improvement.
Let’s be realistic – in this period of transition for the club, anything above the bottom three come the end of the season will be enough – there’s no realistic hope of promotion for now. Provided we can get the ownership and finances sorted out this season, with genuine investment coming in over the summer, then maybe the 2013/14 season will give us more to cheer about.
At the dead half way point of a 46 game season, we are just 5 points above the relegation zone.
We have six points from our last six games-relegation form.
We can’t win at home- teams that can’t win at home get relegated.
We concede lots of soft goals-relegated teams do that.
Players will be sold in the transfer window-weakening a team just above the relegation zone.
We have the worst manager in the league.
Sir, we are in a relegation battle. Open your eyes.
Coventry scenario all over again.
we’ll be lucky to stay up after January ecause of either selling players or going into admin, the former being most likely going by his rhetoric.
Obviously doens’t like carson song, well tough we don’t like you or him.
Won’t go again till they have gone, they are not getting a penny more while they run the club into the ground.
Saying they need more fans so they don’t have to sell is an unproven statement, because last year pre Xmas they sold players even though they had good crowds.
Sorry don’t trust him and yet another Far East prospective buyer / investor now so this will drag on till they pull out as well.
Notice he never mentioned if they want investment or to sell the club?
the accounts for year ending June 2012 should have been out in October 2012, so they are late again.
BIH ones are yes.
I think Pannu was referring to the BCFC ones…
OP is it worthwhile taking an overview of the fans replies here and reporting it back to PP? For example the majority of fans agree that further player sales could lead to relegation and a further loss of value in the club? So how would that benefit the owners who want a return for their investment. In fact relegation might mean the club being worth less than in administration??
I have already emailed him with the link and pointed him to your comments
I think it is indeed a very risky game and fine balance. If the club avoided administration but were relegated and had no players of value then a price of £15-£20 million would come into place. In administration then very similar. Therefore they need to sell now without fail, otherwise I think there can only be losers for all parties, the club, the fans and the owners.
almajir,
I have a sneaky suspicion that PP may be logging onto the Net to have a little look at your blog regarding his reply.
He is not all interested, in our comments. His reply to your e-mail has answered absolutely nothing.
He never said he was doing the “best he could” for the future of B.C.F.C. As for the songs the fans sing, they only sing songs supporting the team ,the only derogatry song they sing, is about Carson Yeung. But as he is never there,he wouldn’t know that.
Don’t you think he’d be even a tad bit interested even just to confirm his suspicions about some of our fanbase??
Almajir I appreciate someone has to talk with these low life non entities, as much as your efforts are applauded I think your endeavours are being met with piss taking and Peter Pan is pulling your plonker and you are just another avenue to spout his PR Bullshit that everyine can see straight through and pleases no one.
Gary
PP says nothing – then people say the silence is deafening
He answers my questions … and now you saying he’s playing me for a fool.
How many times in the past when people have demanded Tatts and Rossy to interrogate Pannu have I said that it wouldn’t work precisely because people wouldn’t believe him? I rather think that this nicely proves my point.
I think the owners only hope is to sell Butland, maybe provide Lee Clark with £500 k to purchase a keeper in the same standard as Myhill and pray to avoid relegation?? Unless a deal is forthcoming now.
Anyone listening to Talksport this evening would have heard fellow blue Ian Danter with his ‘daily bluenose’ article featuring some of these issues although Darren Gough managed to change the subject,showing that most people don’t care about our plight-in all honesty i wouldn’t expect them to.
What concerns me is the Pannu iron curtain/veil of secrecy beginning to maneuver itself into the world of OP,very disturbing and distressing,the quicker this cloak and dagger regime moves on the better.
Al just a question did you give him a response to pannu’s take on crowds/atmosphere/ songs at St Andrews being the way they are. Its not rocket science to work out and if he is really struggling to come up with an answer and put it solely at the fans feet for this the man is dillusional, and does he not realise that if we do sell any other playing assests in jan that these crowds will probably take another few thousand of the gate, and does pannu honestly ever think that these fans are ever goin to fill the stadium again with these in charge,???
I asked him to read the comments on this article.
well hope he has cus all it has seem to do espec his dig at the supporters (which is what it was) is piss fans off even more not just on ur site but another forum too. He really hasnt learn to keep his bif fat gob shut yet has he, ye crowds are crap and dwindling, so his genius idea is to lay ito us fans that are still goin and try to put it down to us not him or his cronies why it is the way it is. The man is a Grade A w*nker and really hasnt learnt anythink 3 years into his job. There is apart of me now that would not mind at all goin in to admin if it ment these two didnt get a penny from us after avin the chance to take so many millions, and get owners that no what there doing and arent inept bussinessmen and people come to that, even if it ment league 1
almajir i would like to thank you for your efforts throughout 2012 great blogs mate happy christmas to you and all my fellow bluenoses kro
almajir, i’d like to thank you for letting 1 in 6 of my posts through…without your blog i’m not sure I could function as an internet troll.
Merry Christmas
Why does PP have to be prompted to keep us informed? We should be updated every home game in the programme or at least issue a statement to allay our fears when it needs be. Instead we get erm nothing? Gold and Sullivan were always updating us one way or another.
I dont think it is realistic to expect a full house in the championship playing dire football tbh. Anyways – no mention of LC and his brand of football. That’s a contributing factor as well!
People moan when they are not happy and there is no hope Peter. We are not masochits. How many fans have had enough?
Question: is it acceptable to boo your own team at half time when they are not earning their money? e.g Barnsley debacle. Is it acceptable booing a player when a manager persists in playing someonedespite their performances whatever? i.e. Mullins. Is it unacceptable to sing songs about the invisible ownership ?
Not condoning it but is it surprising?
I think Mullins is a scapegoat, he’s not actually half as bad as some make out.
To be fair he(Mullins) played ok last game. But thats one game – how many other games has he been dire? Then you can add LC’s other signing into that Mr Ambrose. Enough said. The only reason Blues fans are giving the team the benefit of the doubt now is because we have been forced to play young playlers. Of course fans will support effort.
LC I think has realised that and is probably getting ready for January
If it’s LC’s brand of football, how come we had over 17,000 for the Burnley game this season, and only 16,200 last season? Maybe crowds are starting to recover, maybe Pannu has a point about the negative atmosphere, a few supporters on here have said the same, maybe booing one of our own before a ball is kicked, doesn’t exactly give the players the confidence to perform?
I’m amazed that the hairdressers muppet actually replied so congratulations on that.Unfortunately we are struggling to even win a game so selling whats left of the better players can only seal our demise in this division.As for trying to blame any of this on the fans is a disgrace.We get very little communication from the club,the owners embroiled in self distruction and i guess we are just an asset to strip now . WE DON’T CARE ABOUT CARSON !!!lets face it he doesn’t deserve us to…
So Evesham Blue, we should just say, well done mate your a Blues supporter and I must not criticise you, to rantings like this? How pathetic are you?
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
THE GOOD
For around £150,000 (?)-a-year less, Almajir is more effective than Tatts & Ross put together.
PP can read AND write.
And BREAKING NEWS: The Club MAY yet be sold soon… Players MIGHT NOT be sold in January… The Directors get along BETTER with the new Hong Kong auditors… PP is not too impressed with Mr Paladini… The so called ‘owners‘ don’t like chants denouncing the ‘owners’… and… The Club will, at some point, publish a statement to let us know something.
THE BAD
We can’t off-load Tatts & Ross in January.
There’s a hell of a lot of typos in PP’s email.
And BREAKING NEWS: The Club WON’T be sold soon… Players WILL be sold in January… The new auditors have confirmed that we’re broke… There’s still a £20 million gap between seller and buyer valuations… Some Blues fans may be morons… and… There’s NO news!
THE UGLY
The next few months.
It may be a long, long road, but some of us will be there at the end of it. KRO
Summed up nicely Ted
But its something we have to endure for the long term good Ted. Your way of putting it made me smile, but we have to ride this out for the long term betterment. Quick fixes like Palidini would be long term disasters. In some respects im enjoying the fact that this situation means that kids are being brought through and given a chance and again that’s long term positivity. Whatever happens we aint going down that much i know. So lets just ride it out and take what positives we can.
I will always be a blues fan. But i totally disassociate myself from the fans or at least the ones who crawled out their coffins to post garbage and ill informed dumb and ignorant statments based on their own dumb negative thinking. If you stayed away you people we would have reduced gates sure, but a better atmosphere and we would pick up points at home. Go back to your self imposed misery . Take care Blues im with you. Others please dont attend as your killing us more than a group that lost millions in trying.
Comment Edited – Please tone it down a bit, thanks.
Sure Al but i have said nothing worse than a good many have but just from the other point of view. I dont see how calling PP muppet and get out etc is good. They really are bringing people down and i know many who cant take sitting next to them no more. Really would lift the place if they stayed away. I dont think my comment is anything like as strong as many but im just not with them. If they can be insulting to those that have put millions in but messed up themselves as much as anything, i dont see that them paying for a ticket gives them the right to bring us all down. Hope thats toned down enough for you.
I know where you’re coming from James, just trying to stop a fight before it happens.
Really sorry Al just they not helping and don’t even know what the hell they are talking about. again im sorry, but please can they be moderated too. Just a request. Many posts lately been very positive and feel good went up with it. Its like every now and then they crawl out the pond and puke over us all with statements that aint even true. But free speech etc i know. Sorry again al.
The worst of it is, believe me. If you ever see a comment that’s beyond the pale (and this goes for everyone), drop me a line – almajir@oftenpartisan.co.uk – and I’ll take a look
We are all blues fans whether you think negative thinking or not.some may say more realistic.do us all a favour and stop being a tool and thinking you are a better supporter.this is a forum to express all opinions as blues fans we feel all emotions.i’m hurting and I feel shit now about blues.thats still valid
Evesham Blue, I hear you, not making any such claim, just simply wondering how is it helping? How does stirring up all this rebellion, bad songs which the team hear and the constant bickering help. Just tell me how? You really need to sit next to you guys and hear yourselves and how it simply pulls those that are trying to lift us up down. How are you helping by telling everyone what we already know. It dont help one bit and PPs comments as per usual are taken out of context. His not blaming, i think its simply saying the same, it affects the players. You don’t need to keep on telling us that things aint good we know so do the board and so does the manager and so do the team. How is it helping pure and simple. Your simply ruining somebody else s Saturday. On a good day the fans are a twelfth man if you will excuse the cliche. OK you bought your ticket, you feel you have the right. Well others have the right to tell you to button it too don’t they.
So calling another fan a tool is acceptable Evesham? They can say what they want, but no one can criticise them, you know you come across as a sanctimonious hypocrite?
If I were a businessman looking for a good deal, I would wait for BCFC to go into Administration. I suspect that is the case at present. That is why, in my opinion, interested parties are “cooling off” after getting confirmation that Pannu et al are desperate to sell. I believe the survival of the club is at stake here and it’s something we’ll just have to endure. Hopefully someone as good as the Golds will take ownership and run it as a business as they did (oh for the heady days of being in the black!!).
There is a rough storm ahead and we have to ride it out…..We have done it before and we will do it again. IMO Butland will be no great loss I think he is a little over rated and may well serve his purpose better as a cash cow than a player. He is absolutley fated to leave us anyway so why not cash in when we need the dough most?? Redmond has faded under this current manager but I think could blossom under a different regime. Curtis Davis or even Marlon King going will be the bitterest pil for me as Davies defending and Kings goals will defo keep us up at least. Booing players and creating scapegoats is nothing new and happens at every club, I can remember back as far as the 70’s when Pendrey who played over 300 games for us was booed most weeks. The brand of football being served up at the moment is not condusive to positivity or cheers, players that had us on the edge of our seats last season (Burke, Redmond, Fahey, Gomis, Murphy) are a mere shadow of themselves…….You have to ask yourself why??????
I’d rather we go into administration if it means getting rid of these crooks. We’ll be bottom of league 1 next year and these idiots will still be looking for £40m under crowds of 10,000 and complaining that the support is bad.
crooks?????????? Crooks take money not lose it.
Quite right James…
Jazzy please replace the word Crooks for…Incompetents..!!
Dan – thanks for you blog all year.
If Peter is reading this, I would have the following observations.
1. Thanks for your reply to the Open letter.
2. I would urge you to sell the club as soon as possible – even if it is to Paladini’s bid. As far as I can see the value of the club is depreciating and a quick sale is the best way to minimise BIH’s losses. We know that revenues will decrease by at least another £8m next year. Sales in January are likely to be either of experienced players (e.g. King) who are doing most to keep us up – without them the threat of relegation, a loss of the remaining £8m parachute payment and almost certain administration awaits – or younger players (e.g. Butland or Redmond) where the risk is we sell them at less than their potential value (and also add to the risk of relegation). You mention the possibility of a rights issue if the sale falls through. My recollection is that the last Share issue was undersubscribed when the club were much better positioned. Realistically I think it will be difficult to raise such finance for a club towards the bottom of the Championship (or worse) with a declining revenue stream. There have been plenty of examples in other industries this year where businesses have to be sold at well less than half the price previously paid. I would urge you take this opportunity whilst you can.
Its like this for me Al, and excuse me labouring my point. Ive been out the country for best part of a decade now but before that i never used to miss a game. I considered myself a good fan and took the rough with the smooth. But i was surrounded by racist comments, unbelievable hate towards the then board that wasnt half as bad as some seemed to think as well we really was in the poop when they took over and elevated us to a premiership side. Me and a few friends actually considered not going no more as i paid my ticket too but they was making my sat afternoon an unenjoyable event when i was so happy to go and watch the blues. They were like the ones that start a fight at a party and week in and week out i had to endure them. We all bought our tickets and we have the right to not have our saturday ruined too. I would see the sons of these people behaving as badly copying dad and i really did consider not going and so did many of my mates and some could take it no more and did stop going. This argument of i pay my ticket that gives me the right is just not right. We all bought our tickets.
i would like to know from PP exactly what will happen if he can’t reach agreement with any of the interested parties?
Administration? Then sold for a pittance.
Carry on selling every window until only kids and Zigic left?
And will if found not guilty in April Carson return through the sunset to save us from potential oblivion?
The problem with selling Butland is we will only get a fraction of what he WILL be worth in a few years time (see De Gea 21 million).
However I do agree with him about the crowd we really need to support Clark and the team more than ever and dare I say it I’m actually starting to enjoy the matches and find them very entertaining!!!!!
Isn’t Butland one of the players who is out of contract in the summer anyway, we’d only get the tribunal price for him, which for a goalie is pittance. Sell him to the highest bidder and send him on with our best wishes.
Nope, he is contracted to 2015
My word, people are getting their knickers in their twist from a simple email from Pannu. Nothing he said surprised me. It is not his fault that the gulf in finances between the Premiership and Championship is so huge — THAT is the big problem for all relegated clubs and we are suffering because of it.
Guess what folks, your team needs you right now, the youngsters need you right now. If you were a 17,18,19 year old playing for Blues in front of a 20000+ crowd hearing keep right on being sung how would you feel. Put your grievances aside, try to enjoy the day like you used to, maybe with a couple of pints, a bovril or a pie, get an atmosphere going and enjoy supporting your team. Give them the vocal backing they need. Make your excuses if you can’t go but I won’t be making mine. After the game you can come on here, the mail or wherever to moan about the finances, ownership etc but for any sake get down there and support the team you so dearly love. This might be the way to get another 3 points especially at home.
As a supporter for 56yrs what we are witnessing at the moment is nothing new, we are Birmingham city us older supporters have been through some very dark days ,but hey o we will ride this no one is bigger than bcfc please just keep the faith these owners will not win ,they will have to sell ASAP
[…] clearly there are extenuating circumstances (a raft of injuries, chronic uncertainty off the pitch) Clark has demonstrably failed to galvanize the team, and unlike Chris Hughton last season, seems […]
Almajir.Merry Christmas.Could you please ask Mr Pannu for a copy of his CV.I am intrigued to ascertain why he feels he is qualified to lead a Club like ours.I am even more intrigued as to why he feels he is qualified to lead important negotiations regarding the sale or refinancing of our Club.Thanks.
Swiss, His a business lawyer and he has studied football admin at university. I think that kinda qualifies him. Merry Xmas.
Happy Christmas James.Just a rather pedantic but relevant point.PP was a Junior Criminal Barrister.He was never a Commercial lawyer.Furthermore he has no experience of running a business and rather obviously no experience whatsoever in the field of buying and selling companies.He was however a Policeman for a number of years-if this counts as relevant experience.
If so Swiss i bow to your better knowledge. I believed he was, i only got it here so i cant argue as i am not sure of the facts. maybe Al knows.
Did not hear any anti Carson singing last Saturday
Merry Christmas almajir
Great work almajir don’t know what we would do without OP for updates. We are in a relegation battle and maybe administration and league 1 beckons but might not be so bad as there will no doubt be more interested parties ready to invest in blues just like Sullivan and gold did previously. No one is going to pay what they are looking for and do we as fans want Pannu and yeung getting 30 odd million? I too also find it hard to believe that all the money went on wages alone? we have been relegated to the third tier and rose again and them times were just as tough if not worst than now as many of you wil recall. Kro merry Xmas OP readers!
Anyone on here going to Barnsley? We have only sold 610 tickets.
It always makes me laugh to read comments on here of fans scathing at others because they aren’t dancing for joy and bending over and taking one for the team from pp.The reality is they have run our club into the ground and are solely responsible for us ending up with kids on the pitch with an inept ,clueless manager.I go to every game and if i feel i’m being shafted i’ll moan and complain as much as i want because i will still be there at the next game regardless of how far these idiots cause our club to fall .
But u dont have to sit next to you do you Toby.
and i don’t have to sit next to you .I don’t boo the players when the teamsheets announced before kick off,i don’t boo them when they screw up during the game.I will boo at the end if i think the players haven’t at least given 100% effort which i think is the least we deserve from them.
Ok Toby i guess that’s a fair enough answer
Well thanks to Carson digging in his heels not caring a jot for the future of Birmingham City Football Club we are truly doomed. There is a fair chance right at the start of the transfer window we could be occupying BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE. Two tough games on the road then facing champions elect.
Negative songs???? GIVE US SOMETHING TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT!!!!!
We sing “WE DON’T CARE ABOUT CARSON” because it’s blatantly obvious that he doesn’t care about us.
To say this club has been managed badly on the financial side for two years is a massive understatement. A hotch potch of loans and unattached players who simply make do with a temporary contract at our club. No offence but it’s hardly conducive to stability and a squad togetherness. Add a manager into the mix who is simply not up to it and we have a disaster in waiting. A common happening at all clubs who are in limbo behind the scenes is RELEGATION.
As fans we have every right to be miserable and apathetic because somehow YOU MR PANNU AND THE IDIOTS YOU WORK FOR have taken a team from domestic cup and european football heaven to the brink of LEAGUE ONE & POSSIBLE EXTINCTION IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE…
Merry Christmas to all my fellow fans, but I fear my feelings about the other factions at this club would need censorship..
There should be a like button for comments.yeah until you have suffered mr pannu it’s not a wise gambit to insult our intelligence or our support and allegiance!
So you can call the owners idiots, but not another fan, Evesham you take hypocrisy to the extreme!
It’s not hypocritical.pp is one person not an entire fan base
No one on here has ever criticised the entire fan base. I criticise the fans that boo before a ball is kicked, call the manager a muppet, then get all precious when the compliment is returned. You don’t seem to have a problem with the fans being agressive to the players, management or owners, yet you get all upset when other fans have a go at their aggressive behaviour, if thats not hypocrisy in your world then you need to educate yourself.
I think the overall objectives of the club which are to avoid administration and at the same time not get relegated are impossible to achiveve don’t you OP?
Especially if we sell Davies, King and Butland. With those gone the backbone of the side is decimated.
Might just scrape it.already playing the reserves which would be fine if we were Man U.considering we had no reserves last year.disaster
without butland,king and davies we are doomed because the squad players that we have in those positions are either too inexperienced or just not good enough.
If we sell off Butland, Davies and King (The only 3 we would get any money for) then relegation would be quite likely. If we are relegated then we would lose the 8 million parachute payment, so immediately wiping 8 million pounds worth of value off the club. By the same token if we are relegated due to a 10 point deduction following administration again this would devalue the club also. So a balancing act for PP who is really only interested in his and Carsons agenda ie. Making as much money as possible from the sale or getting investment so that a sale (And a huge loss of 50 million pounds) is not required. The only thing that may force the issue is the trial. KRO and Merry Christmas everyone.
The whole purpose of being a spectator is to see the team perform well
If this does not occur then they vocalise their dis-satisfaction. No team
is immune from this whether they support a sunday side or spend money
on attending. The wonderful performance of the team under chris houghton
showed in the attendance figures. It is a simple economic fact if the team
is doing well and this does not necessarily mean being at the top of the league.
then fans feel proud of a depleated side displaying courage and fight.
The danger is that if the crowd base reduces then the income reduces and
transfer fees and wages dictate the quality of players available
If no progress is made to put the club into action as a progressive side then
the obvious consequence is decline. This is the danger of our present position
It is understood by all supporters as a simple fact. The club is stagnating.
I would have thought that people possessing the wealth of the present owners
would realise possession of a declining asset reduces the value. The simple
answer is that if through legal restraints or whatever prevents decisions being
made then sell for whatever you can get otherwise there will be nothing worthwhile
to offer for sale A football club carrying the name of the second city in this country
is not a plaything. It represents an aspect of life maintained to a respected level
if it is lost then more than a business closing the heart of a city is damaged
I don’t think PP gives a toss about Birmingham as a place or the people it represents, or even the fans..! It all comes down to to money in the end, and l think we will see players being sold off to raise cash to keep the clip afloat short-term. This will then see the club being sold while we are still in this division before any investment has to be made by CU. I don’t think CU or PP has any real connection with the club apart from a financial investment. They are not interested in the people who work at BCFC, the players or the fans, they are just interested in their investment and making money. Bring back the British Porn Barons anytime…at least you know where their money comes from. In the longer term we will look back at Sulivan and Gold as saviours of our beloved club. We would not be in this mess now if they were still the owners, look what they have done at Their new club. I think we should start supporting the team and not be too frightening either LC or the players, they must be feeling pretty awful at the moment. I know they earn loads more than we do, but they also have their personal reputations at stake. Give the young players a chance to show what they can do…and be realistic about our chances of survival. Good humour is far better than bile comments and chants..! Remember this is our club through thick and thin times..we are not the only club in a difficult situation there are plenty more scattered around the UK.
KRO. Paul
Cares so little he lost 80 million hmmmmmmmmmmmm
So losing 80 million proves his only interested in the money. Kinda weird logic
James your wasting your time mate.
I know Blue, Im thinking wall head and bang but not in that order.
I don’t get all these comments saying PP does not care for the club or the fans. Of course he does. But he is also the person running the show and naturally sees it differently from the rest of us.
Please explain why PP has lost £80m to support your claim that he does care about the club.
Cornish Bluenose has got it right.
Sorry guys -blind loyalty will get this club relegated and It won’t affect Pannu one little bit.
Seems your quite happy to settle for second best!
He has NOT lost 80 million,he hasnt lost a penny yet. No one knows where money goes the x-tep deal confirmed that, money appears to be moved from one company to another, our big wage earners have all but gone transfer money has come in nonr or perhaps 1 million has been reinvested over the last 1 and a half seasons. The TV money parachute money kept most relegated clubs going, Does anyone actually know how much carson borrowed to buy the club and how much he has to pay back and at what interest rate, because I am starting to thing its the mortgage he cant pay, just like most of us couldnt pay back a loan for a 5 million pound mansion, but most of us live within our means and dont have the ego trip to support.
Another point does anyone actually know if any of his buisnesses have or are making a profit ? I ask because most things i see him connected with appear to be an absoloute financial shambles.
Rupert.
Have a read re the purchase of the club – Carson owes nothing on that deal.
I will tell you once again, what is reaffirmed to me by trusted sources at the club – NOT ONE PENNY HAS LEFT THE CLUB FOR HK. I can’t keep saying this often enough.
I suppose I am thick, but are you saying the club owes no-one ie BIH ANY money ? So the money raised by some holding company ie Grandtop, Kingston or Bih has been repaid ? Surely the money was raised through companies to purchase the club ? That has to be paid back in some way ? So money must be being paid back, Sullivan and Gold lent the club monet through thier other companies didnt they ? BCFC paid them back.
I know you say NO money has left the club for HK, but didnt the x-top sponsorship money find a way out ?
I know you know a hundred times more than me but I just cant get my head around it, if I bought a corner shop with a big mortgage from any type of bank mortgage company or holding company I would have to pay it back ? At an interest rate to suit, if that was a high interest rate say 14 er cent it would take up virtually all of my profit, especially if trade slumped??
Rupert
I wouldn’t say you were thick at all – confused maybe which is perfectly understandable cos it’s confusing.
Carson borrowed £57million from a company called Kingston Securities to buy the club. He raised this money by selling extra shares (what’s known as a rights issue) in Birmingham International Holdings, and once the shares were sold he repaid the £57million. There is no debt from him buying the club, either with BIH or leveraged onto BCFC. It’s important to remember that they are different companies.
BCFC owes money to BIH and Carson as both put in loans to fund the club. This isn’t connected to the sale of the club, and is normal. David Gold and David Sullivan used to put money into the club in the same way, taking it back out when the money was there (plus interest).
The sponsorship money never made it to Birmingham in the first place, so it didn’t leave the club – it never got to the club. That was the problem.
I can understand why you don’t understand, but the club wasn’t bought with a mortgage or anything like that. Basically, it was bought by asking small investors to put money into BIH to own a piece of it, and using a loan to have the capital to buy the club to be repaid with the small investors money as it came in.
Thanks Almajir.cleared up some points, now left me even more confused as to how a club our size with all the big earners apart from ziggy and possibly Davis gone find ourselves in such a financial meltdown!
Two reasons which are interconnected.
Firstly, player wages. Now people will say, oh but other teams pay the same wages in the division but they neglect to mention the second issue which is our chronic lack of cashflow due to the problems Carson has (ie asset freeze etc). Back before Carson was arrested, he covered the cash needed to get through the fallow months (ie before the chunks of tv money came in etc) so that Blues could continue paying the wages. We no longer have that facitlity – or an overdraft. Therefore we absolutely have to make sure we have enough money in the bank at all times to pay wages – we can’t borrow the money off a director to fund us until the next chunk of parachute money comes in (August).
In the relegation season, we lost £10mil – mainly due to having an astronomical wage bill of £45mil. That £10mil had to be recouped – and then the Carson thing hit, and we lost our overdraft meaning that we had to have money coming in from further player sales to keep the club running. It’s also worth remembering the previous incumbent board didn’t leave us debt-free as claimed – we owed around £11mil when they skipped town (paying themselves a huge wage as a golden handshake to the bargain).
What hurts most is right now the club is a good prospect in many ways – barring the Carson/BIH debt it’s virtually debt-free, it’s had to be self-sufficient and there are kids coming through that point to a rosier future.
What needs to happen is the ol’ Jerry Maguire thing. Paladini needs to show Pannu the money – ie the whole amount, in one lump sum rather than a fee akin to a Sullivan/Brady transfer fee. If Paladini can’t, then someone else needs to stump up the dough – or we’re screwed. It could be that Pannu is holding out for too much – in which case he needs to rethink his strategy cos he could lose it all.
Thank god for you Al. I just cant argue with the detail as i know its beyond me. I hope the explanation which youve made before, is actually sufficient to make people realize that calling people thieves and not caring using false information just dont say a lot for the mindset. If Carson hadn’t been hit by this charge and his assets wasnt frozen, we would be fine basically. Thanx Al and enjoy the Holiday.
I wouldn’t describe them as thieves. I would describe them as incompetant. 2 years of prem money, 2 years of parachute & a multitude of cup games and here we are for the 4th transfer window in a row having to sell players in order to survive. All that in just over 3 years.
I hope PP realises that its a very dangerous strategy he is involved in. OP I think we are of the same conclusion in this that a wholesale sale of players in January might lead to certain relegation and a further reduction in value of the club. With no sale that is acceptable to both parties (Carson paid far too high a price in first place) the only choice will be to achieve a large sum of money from the sale of Butland and to spend a small amount on a credible replacement (Myhill?). I don’t think the club can afford to sell King and Davies too as it would weaken the side too much. Maybe the sale of Fahey and Burke for a combined £1 million might also help. Then negotiations continue and hopefully admin avoided and relegation avoided too. Obvious?? Unless the financial situation really is totally dire.
always a good read…..
this is my first post,what comes across is that all of you are blue and that all of you care….after suffering the late 80,s and early 90,s i never ever thought we would be in this position again.
i personally think our loyal fan base has shown an awful lot of restraint and dealt with our troubles with just a laff and a moan so to say.
What worrys me is that things could turn ugly as with thee Blackburn game under sully…
very worried for the future of our club.
great blog….and all who post in it, KRO and all that.
Bottom line is Pannu isn’ t the good guy doing his best to save the club.
His and Yeung incompetent stewardship of BCFC/BIHL and Yeung getting himself criminally charged has brought us to this point of no money, sale of best players and a fan base who think it is all Clark’s fault. Pannu’s email told us nothing new, told us nothing to give us hope. He doesn’t care about us. Full stop.
Logic tells me that CY is not as desperate to sell as we all think and that potential buyers are willing to wait for a BCFC administration or CY’s conviction, which means no chance of a deal before transfer window. From press reports on CY’s case it appears that it’s less about money laundering and more about tax evasion. Perhaps CY can avoid getting out of trouble by paying out a lump of back tax. It makes me wonder whether it wold actually be possible for him to settle with the authorities in an out of court settlement? There must be some reason that hehis holding out for more money than currently being offered. At least we are are relatively lucky to have e very saleable asset to keep the club afloat for a while longer in Butland. I just hope that there is sufficient interest from more than one club as his sale now looks inevitable and avoids King,Redmond & Davies going.
To be honest, based on today’s performance and the performance most of this season, Nathan Redmond wouldn’t be much of a loss. He’s not as good as what people make out.
pannu considers himself a fan??? well i wonder how much of a fan he will be IF the club gets sold and he gets a nice pay off from yeung. He can moan at the fans but what does he expect full houses and a standing ovation?? maybe its time they dropped there price i dont believe so many different consortiums can not be interested at all its just that obviously they arent willing to pay over the odds. also P.P there is only so many of our players we can sell to avoid administration