23-04-2021, 08:40 AM
(23-04-2021, 07:21 AM)Wightblue Wrote: I hope that the proposed government investigation into Club ownership will propose and implement something along the lines of The Bundesliga Licence rule of ‘Fan ownership’ of a club must be 50% + 1 share.
Whether this government will do anything of value is highly questionable, probably little more than a doffing of the cap to the voting masses.
What a pity that the FA, Football League and now The EFL never bothered to protect clubs and their fans from wholesale takeovers by foreign interests, Pompey were, in effect, raped and pillaged by a series of mendacious and money grabbing owners whilst the Football Authorities found them to be ‘Fit and Proper’.
You say you weren’t in the country Wightblue but the arguments were very well publicised at the time, so fairly easy for anyone to find.
I assume you also weren’t a shareholder, otherwise you would have been actively involved. Those of us who were shareholders had a decision to make, most of us liked being shareholders so we didn’t just hand over control without thinking about it.
It would be great if we could have retained control but there simply wasn’t enough money put up by fans, it’s that simple. A lot of the people shouting the loudest against the Eisners didn’t actually put their money where their mouths were. It’s very easy to criticise from afar.
I’m not suggesting that you should have contributed, that is a personal decision, but the implication that control was handed over lightly is very far from the truth.
I think the Eisners have been steady owners, they said they wouldn’t put daft money in and they haven’t. They have done pretty much exactly what they said they would.
Personally I’d like to see a system like the German model, where fans have to own 51% of the club. With a system like that you get investment but ultimately the power still lies with the fans. We don’t currently have that but I think on balance we have the next best thing, the Eisners have given no indication that they are predators in the same mould as some of the Prem owners.
I would hope that the European Super League debacle prompts some government action but I won’t be holding my breath.