Walsall Council to buy the ground

Councillor Bird, who leads the Conservative-controlled council, said he had previously held talks with Walsall owner about the possibility of the council buying the stadium.

Councillor Bird said the football ground – which it is believed was last valued at around £6m – would make more financial sense than buying the saddlers centre that cost £13 million !

Makes me think lets get our money back buy getting the football club to pay !

In todays E&S not sure what to think about this at least jazzy jeff wouldnt have it but the way walsall council work the rent might get doubled in a year lol !

A sub optimal solution for me…we would still be paying rent .

Thats what I think but its all about the money for the council not about the fans what ever they say.

Not a great option as others have said. The council manage to make a dog’s breakfast over most things and would probably see it as a revenue cash cow rather than an asset it held in trust on behalf of the communities it sought to represent.

Out of the frying pan into the fire springs to mind :roll_eyes:

Not perfect but a step in the right direction imo

As it is now owned by a pension fund it is commercially bound to review the rent on an upwards basis

Under council ownership there may be some leeway in future rent negotiations dependant upon council finances, borrowing covenants and political pressure from voters. I stress may be.

Also for any future buyers of the club they may be able to twist the councils arm in negotiating a cheaper deal if council finances warrant a quick sale and auditors turn a blind eye, whereas the pension fund legally cannot accept a sale below market rates. So we may be only slightly more attractive a proposition to buyers and rid of Bonser.

Not a complete escape from Bonser but we would be starting to dig the tunnel.

Never been an advocate of council ownership, nor do I think it’s likely, even after the latest quotes.

I can see the logic why the Bonser bumchums would want council ownership, as it allows Bonser to walk away having seemingly done the “right” thing, when we all know what the right thing to do actually is.

Not quite sure why this is being talked up again now, but I suspect it has something to do with recent pressure on JB to sort out the land issue. Much like last time this happened, fans are aware of the issue and the council discussion provides a useful distraction without actually resolving anything

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Phil’s got the right of it. This is an ‘Ooh, look - a squirrel’ headline, with no substance or plausibility, probably planted by Bonser’s henchmen.

Sorry to disappoint you conspiracy merchants. The origin of this story lies in the decision of the former Labour led Council to buy the Saddlers shopping centre when shops are closing!!! I could make a political point here but will resist the temptation as it on a thread about our ground. All that has happened is that Mike Bird on taking over leadership of the Council has pointed out that buying our stadium would be a better deal for the council tax payers than buying a dying town centre shopping centre. I doubt anything will happen and as I posted earlier it isn’t what we want. We want someone ,be it JB,or someone else to unite the Club with the freehold land on which it stands. Don’t really care how that is achieved but if the club is to prosper in the longer term it needs to be done.

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If the council were to buy the ground, and the rent money went on paying off the amount spent on purchasing the ground, gifting the ground back to the club that would be a very good bit of business. It won’t happen though! :roll_eyes:

Forget the Council.

By the end of this coming season, WFC will have new International owners, who will also acquire the freehold from Suffolk Life.

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An optimistic guess or something more concrete Mr Asps?

Something more concrete. Don’t ask any further please. That’s all I am saying.

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It’s a consortium of Exile, Saigon and Guest!
You heard it here first!
:joy::joy::joy:

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Wouldn’t want Walsall council anywhere near our club be worse than Bonser

I worked for them for over 30 years, best and easiest days of my life :wink:

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To be quiet honest I think it would be worse than having Bonser in charge.

Now you really have set the hearts racing with a prediction like THAT!
Chairman Ming Loi, made oodles of money producing plastic knives and forks in a Taiwan sweat shop…(I paid them the equivalent of £2 a day after all)…once saw a football match on the television, so he decided to buy a top soccer club in Poland! Unfortunately the translater was crud!

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To resurrect an old midly related thread, instead of making a new en… anyone else see this:

Our council couldnt give a single shit about us as a team, yet villa use the ground once and its on all their socials. :fist::fist::fist:

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Someone needs to tell them Bonser’s gone. Preferably in triplicate, so it gets into their thick heads.

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