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OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!!

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801OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Fri Jan 26 2024, 15:13

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Ten Bobsworth wrote:
Sluffy wrote:

I never thought anyone would?

Unlike most I've never been afraid to admit to having made a mistake or simply being wrong and this is exactly what I've done here.

I saw that you had used my incorrect figures and apologised for unintentionally misleading you.

That in my book is the right thing to do.

Up to you if you want to accept it or not - I've done what I needed to do.
I quite agree that its better to hold your hand up if you inadvertently get something wrong, Sluffy. So thank you.

I've done my own figures now. The most interesting thing about all this is that the shares in Sharon's name no longer amount to overall control.

That caught my eye too and really was the reason I went sniffing around BMLL Ltd to see if I could somehow see who they were (could it me Mason funding the club another way perhaps?).

Obviously there was nothing to find other than the accounts seemed to be factually wrong (if FV's statement of ownership for Jan 23 was factually right?).

Anyway another 'lead' I followed from the change in share ownership percentages I worked out above was that all the Ordinary shares sold in 2023 were to BMLL, so all the money they spent buying them, there were three issues Jan, July and Oct which I calculated totalled to £5.25m bought themselves 11.5% additional share ownership, which would value FV at just over £45m.

I also noticed something trivial but at the same time got me thinking.

The shares bought in Jan 23 were at £6.52674 but it increased to £6.67982 in July (and stayed the same price in October) - why the increase?

Ok not much just 15p per share but why had they gone up?

IF those investing via BMLL Ltd (the so called Swiss consortium - are there others too?) then surely they would not put millions into any company unless money was no object to them or they had taken some form of due diligence on the company they are going to invest in and been advised that the company was worth the share price or at least had the potential to be?

My point being it doesn't matter what I think FV is worth, it is what someone (commercial credit agencies perhaps or something like that) advises the investors to what they believe it is worth.

I know the old saying about a fool and his money - but it occurs to me that there seems to me to be three obvious reasons why someone has paid £5.25m for 11.5% of FV namely, they have money to burn (super rich), they are being played (the fools) or that they really are genuine investors (speculators) who have done their homework and someone somewhere have advised them that the share prise is fair and indeed has gone up slightly over last years Jan amount to the amount paid in July and Oct.

Fwiw FV's stated Hurdle Value is £39m and the last purchase of shares puts their value at £45m.

Just my thoughts.

802OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Fri Jan 26 2024, 22:03

BarrygoestoBolton


Nicky Hunt
Nicky Hunt

For what it’s worth, possibly not a lot as it’s just conjecture, I don’t think the rationale has to be limited to super rich/fools/speculators. 
BMLL has always been described as a consortium, so not an individual and quite possibly a reasonable number of people. My expectation is that for each member it’s not a huge amount of money and that perhaps while they don’t expect huge returns, they would prefer not to lose their investment, but for the fun of being involved they’re prepared to risk it. 
Obviously, we can dispute what the club might be worth, but is it unlikely to be a lot less than the level at which they invested and if we were promoted, a decent amount more. So, worth a punt for the pleasure. If we had the funds might we not do the same? After all, without access to huge funds, who gets the chance to be a football club owner!

803OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 01:04

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

BarrygoestoBolton wrote:For what it’s worth, possibly not a lot as it’s just conjecture, I don’t think the rationale has to be limited to super rich/fools/speculators. 
BMLL has always been described as a consortium, so not an individual and quite possibly a reasonable number of people. My expectation is that for each member it’s not a huge amount of money and that perhaps while they don’t expect huge returns, they would prefer not to lose their investment, but for the fun of being involved they’re prepared to risk it. 
Obviously, we can dispute what the club might be worth, but is it unlikely to be a lot less than the level at which they invested and if we were promoted, a decent amount more. So, worth a punt for the pleasure. If we had the funds might we not do the same? After all, without access to huge funds, who gets the chance to be a football club owner!

All fair comment Barry, and you may be spot on for all I know but just over £5m has been invested by (or should that be better described as 'through'?) BMLL.

So, using your model would that be say 5 people with £1m each to lose 'for the fun of it', or 10 people with half a million spare, or 20 people with a quarter of a million each to piss away?

These sorts are not folk like us are they?

That's why I term them as 'super rich' - maybe my labelling of them could be better but I think you get my drift.

And they aren't going to get their stake money back unless someone buys their shares at the inflated amount they paid for them, irrespective of what division we are in.

And I can't get my head around the amount they paid for the shares - who has valued FV to be worth £45m (the valuation the share price represents)?

If they have the money to throw about (and FV want's their investment strong enough) then why not sit down and tell FV we value the company to be say £30m and will buy shares to the worth of £5m at a price per share that reflects that?

What is the true worth of FV?

When you buy a house, the bank loans the money based on an independent valuer's assessment, when you provide goods on credit to a company, you check with independent credit agencies that they are financially sound in order to be able to pay for the goods - my point is that no one blindly just pays the asking price (unless of course they don't expect to see their money back anyway).

Why did the shares rise in value?

Its not as though they are being traded - everybody apart from BMLL have held the same number of shares they started with at the beginning of last year, so why did their value increase?

Ok only 15p per share but someone somewhere placed an increased value on them - otherwise why not keep the price the same as before?

And if it is really just a group of people playing football owner as you suggest, then why isn't there groups of people in numerous other football clubs doing the same?

Why just apparently at Bolton?

Oh and fwiw I think we can dispute what the club is worth, do we really think it has gone up 650% from FV's take over, as that's what the value of the share price has risen from £1 per share to over £6.50 per share, which reflects the value of the company.

As I say maybe you are right, I just don't see it being so myself.

804OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 10:28

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Its all a bit cloudy with some of the Companies House records appearing almost indecipherable.

However I believe that there are about 30 members of the Swiss group and that the first match they attended was the 6-0 thrashing of Sunderland on 29 January 2022.

Since then they have been regularly increasing their stake and now appear to have invested c.£9.75m in total and now own 24% of the ordinary/voting shares.

This money has been needed to help fund operating losses whilst another £4.5m has come in from bondholders on expensive terms, with little if any representation and with a significant risk for the bondholders.

Sharon's consortium seem willing to allow others to take over the funding of the club whilst their control is significantly diluted. Do they have their eyes set on their exit route?

72% of EFL clubs are insolvent according to EFL Chairman, Rick Parry, whilst at the moment Reading are desperately looking for a new owner with several parties allegedly interested. But if you had the money and wanted to acquire a League 1 club with prospects, wouldn't Bolton be the more attractive proposition?

805OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 12:11

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

On the face of it and without looking at the numbers, I would definitely say no.

From the centre of London (Paddington) to Reading station now just takes just over 20 minutes on the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow airport is about equidistance between the two and is serviced by the M4  motorway, so I suggest that alone would be a major factor in attracting players, especially those from abroad, than a hike up to Horwich would.

The players with family's have the choice of the Berkshire countryside to live whilst their wives and kids have easy access to London and the world - which beats for me Farnworth and Blackpool's pleasure beech!

The stadiums are both relative new and both are on the edge of their respective towns and relatively accessible for matchday crowds.

I understand Reading's owner now owns the ground, so that would be a deal breaker if he didn't play ball but if you had silly money and wanted a club to play owner with then I would see Reading as having clearly more of a draw to player signings than Bolton ever would have.

If you believe I am going somewhat bonkers however, then I give you the example of Brentford which is located in the west of London with very similar travel times to central London and Heathrow (closer to both but on the underground commuter services which are that much slower) and is basically the next club away to Reading.

They've done ok for themselves don't you think?

806OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 13:10

BarrygoestoBolton


Nicky Hunt
Nicky Hunt

Of course, you’re right that London is attractive to players, but the Manchester area is also a huge football hub. My guess is that unless they’re snapped up by one of the Manchester giants or Liverpool, then London is the preferred destination for international players, but I’m not sure that applies to players at our level. 
Also, if you’re in Switzerland I don’t suppose it makes much difference if you fly into a Manchester airport or London one!

807OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 13:10

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Sluffy wrote:On the face of it and without looking at the numbers, I would definitely say no.

From the centre of London (Paddington) to Reading station now just takes just over 20 minutes on the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow airport is about equidistance between the two and is serviced by the M4  motorway, so I suggest that alone would be a major factor in attracting players, especially those from abroad, than a hike up to Horwich would.

The players with family's have the choice of the Berkshire countryside to live whilst their wives and kids have easy access to London and the world - which beats for me Farnworth and Blackpool's pleasure beech!

The stadiums are both relative new and both are on the edge of their respective towns and relatively accessible for matchday crowds.

I understand Reading's owner now owns the ground, so that would be a deal breaker if he didn't play ball but if you had silly money and wanted a club to play owner with then I would see Reading as having clearly more of a draw to player signings than Bolton ever would have.

If you believe I am going somewhat bonkers however, then I give you the example of Brentford which is located in the west of London with very similar travel times to central London and Heathrow (closer to both but on the underground commuter services which are that much slower) and is basically the next club away to Reading.

They've done ok for themselves don't you think?
Players are interested in the money and will go where the money is. Sam Allardyce would like everyone to think that Anelka, Djorkaeff, Okocha and Hierro came to Bolton because of his charm, wit and warm personality. No they didn’t. They came for the money.
I expect there would be some that would think that proximity to Khan’s London was attractive. I would take the same view as Carlisle’s American new owners. The further away the better and you can’t get further away than Carlisle and still be in England

808OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sat Jan 27 2024, 14:07

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

You asked for an opinion and I gave mine.

Of course players go where the money is but if the same money was offered in Bolton or Reading, then no matter what you think most young men, and particularly their wives and girlfriends, would choose London over Manchester.

You might not think much of London but youngsters around 50 years younger than you certainly do!

Players of our level take what is on offer but if the owners are ambitious enough to challenge the big boys, then I suggest down south, particularly London centric (or easily accessible) is the place to be - eg, Brentford, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Bournemouth are all relatively 'little clubs' historically but are all now fairly established in the PL with the financial backing of their owners - and compare these clubs with clubs with rich owners outside the PL, such as Stoke and Boro, where the really top players clearly prefer not to be.

And I'm not suggesting the Swiss are swayed to much between Manchester or London, they simply are at Bolton where the opportunity seems to have presented itself, as I'm unaware of any other club which seems to have such consortiums investing in football club share ownerships.

Maybe there are but none that I've ever heard about?

809OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 09:45

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Sluffy wrote:

All fair comment Barry, and you may be spot on for all I know but just over £5m has been invested by (or should that be better described as 'through'?) BMLL.

So, using your model would that be say 5 people with £1m each to lose 'for the fun of it', or 10 people with half a million spare, or 20 people with a quarter of a million each to piss away?

These sorts are not folk like us are they?

That's why I term them as 'super rich' - maybe my labelling of them could be better but I think you get my drift.

And they aren't going to get their stake money back unless someone buys their shares at the inflated amount they paid for them, irrespective of what division we are in.

And I can't get my head around the amount they paid for the shares - who has valued FV to be worth £45m (the valuation the share price represents)?

If they have the money to throw about (and FV want's their investment strong enough) then why not sit down and tell FV we value the company to be say £30m and will buy shares to the worth of £5m at a price per share that reflects that?

What is the true worth of FV?

When you buy a house, the bank loans the money based on an independent valuer's assessment, when you provide goods on credit to a company, you check with independent credit agencies that they are financially sound in order to be able to pay for the goods - my point is that no one blindly just pays the asking price (unless of course they don't expect to see their money back anyway).

Why did the shares rise in value?

Its not as though they are being traded - everybody apart from BMLL have held the same number of shares they started with at the beginning of last year, so why did their value increase?

Ok only 15p per share but someone somewhere placed an increased value on them - otherwise why not keep the price the same as before?

And if it is really just a group of people playing football owner as you suggest, then why isn't there groups of people in numerous other football clubs doing the same?

Why just apparently at Bolton?

Oh and fwiw I think we can dispute what the club is worth, do we really think it has gone up 650% from FV's take over, as that's what the value of the share price has risen from £1 per share to over £6.50 per share, which reflects the value of the company.

As I say maybe you are right, I just don't see it being so myself.
Maybe FV got it cheap, Sluffy, but can you explain where you got your £45m from?
I can't seem to get to that figure and am beginning to wonder if the abacus supplied with my bath chair was built by Fujitsu for the Post Office.

810OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 12:21

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Ten Bobsworth wrote:Maybe FV got it cheap, Sluffy, but can you explain where you got your £45m from?
I can't seem to get to that figure and am beginning to wonder if the abacus supplied with my bath chair was built by Fujitsu for the Post Office.

I showed my workings out here Bob, namely that I calculated that if BMLL had accrued 11.5% more shares from paying £5.25m, then 100% of the shares would at that rate be £45m

I take the point you have made though in that if I had taken the total shares in existence 6,063,029 and multiplied it by the last price per share paid £6.6798 the total would be £40.5m.

So my logic (and thus my calculation) was indeed wrong, thank you from bringing it to my attention.

As I doubt either figure is really a meaningful representation of a true price for anyone to pay for a completed sale of FV right now, it still however on paper at least, still shows that FV have reached their 'hurdle value' as stated in their Articles - which presumably is somehow meaningful to them (and their investors/shareholders) and for their business plan for the club?


Sluffy wrote:Share changes in the year - current holding first, previous holding from last years statement, total in year

Sharon 2666406 - 2666406 = No Change
James - 952,500 - 952,500 = No Change
Luckock - 455226 - 455226 = No Change
UK FF NOMINEES LIMITED 393881- 393881 = No Change
BMLL LTD - 649399 - 1441801 - 649399 = +792,402
IAN RILEY - 153215 - 153215 = No Change

IAN EVATT - B Shares - 135475 - 135475 = No Change
NEIL HART - B Shares - 106445 - 106445 = No Change
LUDONAUTICS LIMITED - B3 Shares - 189148 - Nil = +189,148


Percentage ownership.

Total Ordinary shares - 5,270,627 (Jan 2023) 6,063,029 (Jan 2024)

Sharon 2666406 - 50.59% - 43.98% = -6.61%
James - 952,500 - 18,07%  - 15.71% = -2.36%
Luckock - 455226 - 8.64% - 7.51% = -1.13%
UK FF NOMINEES LIMITED 393881- 7.47% - 6.5% = -0.97%
BMLL LTD - 649399 - 12.32% - 23.78% = +11.46%
IAN RILEY - 153215 - 2.91% - 2.53% = -0.38%


In theory therefore in the last calendar year BMLL LTD were the only purchaser of new shares in FV and paid £5,250m for an additional 11.5% of the company thus valuing it on paper at least at an incredible £45.65m

Fwiw FV have in their Articles of Association of October 2022 stated their 'hurdle value' to be set at £39m.

(As I understand it the hurdle value is the point which a company believes it has to achieve in order to in order to make a return on the original investment into that company)

811OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 13:18

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Thanks Sluffy. The old cogs have seen a lot of service but they still seem to work quite well even if they aren't as efficient as they might once have been.

I suspect its largely down to Nick Luckock to suggest how much the whole thing is worth at any one time and what share you can buy for the money you have in your piggy bank but it would have to be agreed between them all.

812OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 14:02

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Ten Bobsworth wrote:Thanks Sluffy. The old cogs have seen a lot of service but they still seem to work quite well even if they aren't as efficient as they might once have been.

I suspect its largely down to Nick Luckock to suggest how much the whole thing is worth at any one time and what share you can buy for the money you have in your piggy bank but it would have to be agreed between them all.

Obviously I don't play with the big boys on things like this but I would have thought myself if I was in that league that surely their must be some form of a conflict of interest if Luckock is the one telling me how much the shares value is, when he himself owns shares in the company?

I would have though that surely there most be some form of independent professional valuation advise sought before anyone would put their money into any company?

Why the (small) increase in the cost per share for instance?

Maybe these people don't bother much if the money they are investing are insignificant sums to them?

813OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 14:30

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Sluffy wrote:

Obviously I don't play with the big boys on things like this but I would have thought myself if I was in that league that surely their must be some form of a conflict of interest if Luckock is the one telling me how much the shares value is, when he himself owns shares in the company?

I would have though that surely there most be some form of independent professional valuation advise sought before anyone would put their money into any company?

Why the (small) increase in the cost per share for instance?

Maybe these people don't bother much if the money they are investing are insignificant sums to them?

This is the commercial world, Sluffy. Its not local government, the Post Office or the NHS.

If someone wants to buy, the vendor tells them what it will cost them and they decide whether they want it or they don't. And if you can convince someone that summat's worth more than the last time they bought some of it you ask 'em to pay more. Its that simple.

If you asked me if I wanted to buy 25% of Bolton Wanderers for £10m I'd politely tell you I wasn't interested but if that's what these Swiss guys (if they really are all Swiss) want to do, good luck to 'em.

Maybe they are looking forward to trips to Blackpool Pleasure Beach or Farnworth Market and intend buying more shares. I don't know.

814OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 15:10

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Ten Bobsworth wrote:
Sluffy wrote:

Obviously I don't play with the big boys on things like this but I would have thought myself if I was in that league that surely their must be some form of a conflict of interest if Luckock is the one telling me how much the shares value is, when he himself owns shares in the company?

I would have though that surely there most be some form of independent professional valuation advise sought before anyone would put their money into any company?

Why the (small) increase in the cost per share for instance?

Maybe these people don't bother much if the money they are investing are insignificant sums to them?

This is the commercial world, Sluffy. Its not local government, the Post Office or the NHS.

If someone wants to buy, the vendor tells them what it will cost them and they decide whether they want it or they don't. And if you can convince someone that summat's worth more than the last time they bought some of it you ask 'em to pay more. Its that simple.

If you asked me if I wanted to buy 25% of Bolton Wanderers for £10m I'd politely tell you I wasn't interested but if that's what these Swiss guys (if they really are all Swiss) want to do, good luck to 'em.

Maybe they are looking forward to trips to Blackpool Pleasure Beach or Farnworth Market and intend buying more shares. I don't know.

Yes, I understand that but it wasn't exactly the point I was trying to make, which was that as a buyer I would expect to do my own independent due diligence as to whether what was on offer was reasonably priced - or not - and not simply taking the word of the seller.

I'm sure even their anticipate excitement of visiting Farnworth's Asda and donkey riding on Blackpool beach wouldn't be worth it to them if it meant that they have been taken for mugs.

815OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Sun Jan 28 2024, 15:16

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

One further thing that occurs to me, that I don't think anyone has ever picked up on(?) is that BMLL Ltd owns over the EFL threshold of 10% (or is it 9.9%?) share ownership and thus must have passed their fit and proper persons ownership rules (or whatever is the test they do now?) and has done since prior to the January 2023 Confirmation Statement.

Which seems to be somewhat surprising in due of this...

Sluffy wrote:Just out of curiosity I've just had a look at BMLL Ltd.

On the Confirmation statement for FV on the 10th Jan 23 it clearly states that BMLL Ltd held 649,399 shares in FV which were bought for roughly £6.50 each which in round figures come to £4.25m

On BMLL Ltd accounts made up to the 31st Jan 23 (signed off by Luckock on the 14th September 23) it states the company had been dormant and hadn't traded nor held any assets?

scratch

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816OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Mon Jan 29 2024, 10:32

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

Sluffy wrote:One further thing that occurs to me, that I don't think anyone has ever picked up on(?) is that BMLL Ltd owns over the EFL threshold of 10% (or is it 9.9%?) share ownership and thus must have passed their fit and proper persons ownership rules (or whatever is the test they do now?) and has done since prior to the January 2023 Confirmation Statement.

Which seems to be somewhat surprising in due of this...


I haven't looked at the latest fit and proper rules, Sluffy, and don't intend to but I did look at the BMLL accounts and was as surprised as you were. It reminded me of Holdsworth's 'dormant company' accounts when Blumarble appointed the liquidators.

The whole thing is curious but there is serious money coming in at values that have plainly not persuaded Team Sharon to put up any more or PBP to convert its long-outstanding loan into shares.

Equally curious was the alleged interest of a hedge fund (Genevra Associates) wanting to buy Reading. Why?

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817OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Wed Feb 07 2024, 11:41

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Saw this and as I suspected it sounds very much that Ludonautics are tied to the club long term than just a one of job paid for with 'worthless' B shares -

(Not sure how Chris Markham fits in to this 'new way' though?)

Peterborough owner on Bolton Wanderers Ludonautics deal

Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony has weighed in on Wanderers’ deal with Ludonautics.

It was confirmed by Companies House a couple of weeks ago that Bolton owners Football Ventures had secured a share deal with the Essex-based firm to bring on board their expertise.

It is hoped that the move could open new doors in the transfer market, at home and abroad, and supplement the club’s existing good work in recruitment.

Speaking on his Hard Truth Podcast, MacAnthony said: “I think the owner of Bolton, Sharon (Brittan), deserves the benefit of the doubt in any decision that people might not agree with because she has pretty much got all of her decisions right.

“It is not what I think, I guess it is what your manager thinks. If you recruit in a certain way and it is based around this – and they have had a solid manager for a good few years now – I guess it is explaining to them, ‘We are doing a new thing’.

“It is how open managers are to new things. I am sure he is open to it and I am sure it has gone fine. Bolton are a big club, I have said this already. (Michael Edwards) is no mug, he did very well at Liverpool and has turned them down so he obviously believes in it.

“It is not something I would do because obviously recruitment is a big part of what I do with Baz (Barry Fry) and everyone in the building. But I think you have to be open minded to all of these approaches now. We live in a world where we can easily dismiss things.

“The whole share thing, that is good value. You haven’t got to pay silly fees and you are giving someone a small bit of equity. That is brilliant because if it works, it is a win-win for everybody.

“Again, who might question the Bolton owner? She has done a magnificent job since day one, going in and saving the club.”

MacAnthony took over Peterborough in 2006, becoming the youngest owner of a professional English club at 30.

“I love the EFL and I want good owners,” he added. “I don’t want any more Readings, I want more success stories. I want more Boltons!

“You can never be jealous of people’s success because you want our league to thrive, you want everyone to do really well.”

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818OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Wed Feb 07 2024, 11:56

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

Also found this from Iles - seems from what he says is that Ludonautics scouts the foreign markets and Bolton are looking for bargains for next season when we are in the Championship -

Bolton Wanderers: Who are Ludonautics and how can they help?

WANDERERS have brought sports data advisory firm Ludonautics on board in a move they hope can open more doors in recruitment, at home and abroad, in the future.

The newly-launched company has been issued B class shares by Bolton’s owners, Football Ventures (Whites) Limited, and will help supplement the data-driven approach already taken by the club.

But who are they? And what should Wanderers fans expect?

WHAT IS LUDONAUTICS?

According to the company’s website: “Ludonautics is a sports advisory business dedicated to helping sporting organisations improve their decision-making capabilities through access to insightful statistical analysis.”

Ludonautics was launched in late 2023 with an aim to assisting ownership groups and sporting organisations implement a data-driven approach to player recruitment and performance analysis.

The company claims to be “uniquely placed” to offer this sort of advice because of their staff expertise, which includes two of the people who were instrumental in Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp.

WHO IS IAN GRAHAM?

Wales-born Cambridge physics graduate Graham is the owner of Ludonautics and a former director of research at Liverpool regarded as one of the leading operators in the field of football data analytics.

Alongside Michael Edwards at Anfield, he played a major part in establishing the club as Premier League and European champions.

Before arriving at Liverpool in 2012 he worked for Decision Technology, who along with establishing the Castrol Index – an early player ratings system which ranked players according to various metrics – also worked for Tottenham Hotspur on a consultancy basis after being brought to the club by director of football, Damien Commoli.

At Tottenham he established a relationship with Michael Edwards, who had previous worked as Harry Redknapp’s head of video analysis at Portsmouth, creating one of the first data science departments in football in what was regarded as groundbreaking work at the time.

Commoli left for Liverpool in 2010, taking Edwards with him as sporting director. After attempts were made to bring Decision Technology to Anfield, Graham would eventually link up with Edwards once again a couple of years later after striking out alone.

Graham and Edwards left Liverpool in late 2022 and had turned down several offers to return to work for clubs around the Premier League and Europe, preferring to act in a consultancy basis.

Edwards is a non-executive director of Ludonautics.

WHAT IS LUDONAUTICS’ ARRANGEMENT WITH WANDERERS?

Ludonautics have been offered class B shares – i.e. not shares that have voting rights – to help improve Wanderers’ recruitment, specifically overseas, as they look to push further up the football pyramid.

The company plan to expand their portfolio beyond football and it has been reported that they are already working with at least one other top-level club.

Should Wanderers be sold in the future, Ludonautics would be paid pro rata to the value of shares they have been issued in Football Ventures (Whites) Ltd. It is hoped that their input can help the work already being done by the club’s recruitment department.

WHAT CAN WANDERERS FANS EXPECT NOW?

In one sense, the club won’t change the way they current operate in the transfer market. Wanderers have embraced data in their recruitment and player analysis throughout Ian Evatt’s time as manager, and Chris Markham’s arrival as technical performance director at the start of 2021 has been a pivotal appointment.

With Ludonautics on board, however, the club should have access to more resources and expertise that they would not have had solely in-house.

The club is aiming for automatic promotion to the Championship and has expressed an interest in looking abroad for signings who can provide value for money and fit the technical requirements of the club’s style of play. Markets in the Netherlands and Belgium have already been scouted with one eye on the summer.

It seems ambitious to think that things will change in the current transfer window – and when working at Liverpool, Graham is thought to have asked for six months to set up the necessary structures he needed to operate.

In this case, Ludonautics is not starting from scratch, nor is the company tied in to one specific club. How quickly things change may depend on how readily Wanderers want to draw on their new pool of expertise.

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819OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Thu Feb 08 2024, 09:28

Ten Bobsworth


Frank Worthington
Frank Worthington

If all this high tech analysis is proving that Nlundulu, Adeboyejo and Jerome are all  better than Bodvarsson I'd be thinking that it might be no more 'robust' than Fujitsu's Horizon system.

Anyroad you can't pay your mortgage or your leccy bills with shares.

820OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! - Page 41 Empty Re: OFFICIAL CLUB SOLD TO FV!!!!! Fri Feb 23 2024, 13:49

Sluffy

Sluffy
Admin

WHITES BEACONSFIELD SPONSOR THE WHITES!

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One of the UK’s leading teeth whitening companies, Whites Beaconsfield, will become Wanderers’ Official Sleeve Partner until the end of the 2023/24 season.

A first since Football Ventures (Whites) Limited took ownership of the club, the partnership will see Whites Beaconsfield’s logo feature on the sleeve of the first team’s home, away and third shirts for the remaining 14 fixtures of the current campaign – including the Wanderers v Oxford United game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports (Tuesday 12th March, KO 8pm).

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In addition, their products will be sold in store at the Wanderers’ Club Shop and their branding will be present across in-stadia pitchside LEDs and the big screens.

Already existing supporters of Bolton Wanderers, the company are also a Business Partner and currently the matchday sponsor of first team manager Ian Evatt.

Toby Brittan, Co-Founder of Whites Beaconsfield said: "We're absolutely delighted to extend our partnership with Bolton Wanderers as shirt sleeve sponsor for the remainder of what has already been a thrilling season.

"This partnership represents a significant investment for Whites Beaconsfield, marking an exciting chapter in our rapidly growing brand's story, and offers us unparalleled exposure on a national level, connecting us with a whole new audience, further driving awareness of our innovative teeth whitening products.

"The collaboration will be complemented by a series of exciting events at the remaining home games and special offers exclusively for Wanderers supporters, including making our products available in the club shop.

"As passionate fans, Whites Beaconsfield are committed to supporting Wanderers' push for promotion, embodying the belief that together, every goal and every smile counts towards achieving great results."

Neil Hart, Chief Executive Officer at Bolton Wanderers said: “We’re delighted to have Whites Beaconsfield on board as Official Sleeve Sponsor for the remaining fixtures of the 2023/24 season, and to have secured this additional revenue into the football club.

“This young, dynamic company have made a huge impression on the oral hygiene industry in recent years and continues to go from strength to strength.

“Already great supporters of Bolton Wanderers, we extend our thanks to them for choosing to work with us even more closely as we look towards an exciting final third of the campaign."

Founded in early 2020 by brothers Toby and Ollie Brittan, the company has seen extraordinary growth in the few short years since launch. Currently the bestselling teeth whitening product on TikTok, Whites Beaconsfield also offer a range of additional oral hygiene products including toothpastes and toothbrushes.

The Whites Beaconsfield logo will appear on the first team’s shirts from Wanderers’ away fixture at Blackpool on Saturday 24th February.  Please note the logo will not appear on kits in the retail store.

Find out more about Whites Beaconsfield and shop their products here.

A range of Whites Beaconsfield products will be available for purchase in the Club Store in the near future.

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