wilsonrx Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Has anybody bought today's Daily Express? A work colleague just told me there is a story in there from with Ellis saying that the Comer deal is dead because they were only interested in Villa's land and have noe realised they cannot make any money from it. I haven't seen it myself but apparently it has quotes from Ellis in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisVillan Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Hoo friggin ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCresswell Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 It'd be breaking stock market rules if it was in there, as the stock exchange havent been told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icklevillan Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Copyright 2006 EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS All Rights Reserved The Express January 5, 2006 Thursday U.K. 1st Edition SECTION: SPORT FOOTBALL; 66 LENGTH: 566 words HEADLINE: Ellis fears Villa bid is finished BYLINE: JOHN WRAGG BODY: THE GBP 64million takeover of Aston Villa is on the verge of collapse with chairman Doug Ellis increasingly concerned about the lack of action from Irish brothers Brian and Luke Comer. Michael Neville, spokesman for the Comer Homes Group, said before Christmas that the deal was still on and would be completed early in the new year. Villa privately doubted that, pointing out there had been little progress since October when news of the Comer brothers' interest first broke. Successive deadlines for Comer Homes to come up with the money have been set and missed and there is still no sign of cash on the Villa boardroom table. Ellis, who has just turned 82, is keen to sell and has met Brian and Luke Comer for face-to-face talks. But Ellis's patience is being tested and there are severe doubts on the Villa board that the deal will now happen. Neville, a Villa supporter, has backtracked on his original optimistic statement that the takeover was close and the Comers, who have made their millions out of property development, are investigating more thoroughly the land on offer as part of the deal. Land at Bodymoor Heath, near Tamworth, is being used to improve and extend Villa's training complex, the first phase of which is under construction and due to be opened next season. Further building will complete the project for the 2006-7 season, leaving the Comer brothers with no profit there. Land owned by Villa within Birmingham city boundaries was set to be sold to a supermarket chain but that has been blocked by the city council because there is already a new supermarket in the vicinity. The suburb of Aston itself is one of Birmingham's most deprived areas and it is not likely Comer Homes could build and make big profits there. Brian and Luke Comer are not football fans and, although they have pledged to invest in the club, their primary interest is in the profits to be made from Villa's land assets. The Comers had promised that 20 per cent of the group's profits would be available each year, making a total of GBP 20m to be invested in players and the stadium annually. It was even suggested that the money might be available for new players during the current transfer window, but again no cheque has been forthcoming. Neville said the delay has been caused by the consortium's solicitors going through all aspects of the club's trading performance during a process known as "due diligence". But that excuse is wearing thin with no formal offer being made by the Comers. Villa fans, eager for new money to come into the club, fear this takeover will collapse just as Ray Ranson twice failed to buy Villa from Ellis. Ellis said at Villa's annual general meeting that he would only sell to an owner who had the football club's interest at heart and now, with the long delay and doubts about Comer Homes' intentions surfacing, fans will want him to keep that pledge. Villa are still willing to talk to the Comers and finalise the takeover, but they are getting little encouragement. A Russian consortium was believed to have looked at Villa last season but nothing came of it. Now Alexandre Gaydamak has put GBP 15m into Portsmouth and will help redevelop Fratton Park. Villa are continuing to look for investment and a buyer, anticipating that the Comers will finally pull out. The search is being conducted by Ellis himself and he will continue to run the club until a suitable buyer is found. GRAPHIC: SALES PITCH: Villa chairman Doug Ellis will only sell to someone with the club's interests at heart LOAD-DATE: January 5, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I'd say it's just about all over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteThornWalk Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Full of quotes from Ellis that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsonrx Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Doesn't sound good. But no quotes. It could still be speculation. Maybe. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCresswell Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 They've bought Schalke instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 hasnt this happened before, i swear it has. :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex7783 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I must admit, the longer this saga goes on, the less convinced i am that the comers have villa's best interests at heart. I believe they have placed neville at the forefront of the consortium to allow the deal to go through without fan opposition. Once they had control of the club i imagine they thought they could build on the land to make a profit, marginally improve the clubs performance. Then wait for the share price to increase and sell to the highest bidder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRobinson Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Alex7783 - I think you may have hit the nail on the head for me. It does seem, as time goes on, that there interests are not related to the football club in the slightest. First quotes on this from those who know them in Ireland were that they were suprised the Comers were getting involved with a football club as they harboured no interest in the game, let alone Aston Villa, in any shape or form. Ellis has his faults - they are often highlighted - but I genuinely think that he wants the club to go to the right people. These dont seem like the right people to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 to tell you the truth now ive lost intrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 man this is depressing. I can't tell if this is Ellis' fault as usual or whether the Comers are not the right guys and (gulp) Ellis is doing the right thing by standing firm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 maybe ranson might revive his interest... who am i kidding looks like ellis will be here for a while yet. looks like the slide will continue. its look andy gray says with the pompey billionaire. why is he going to crap club like pompey instead of a sleeping giant like us?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 to tell you the truth now ive lost intrest. if not lost then certainly losing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 IF the Comer's were in it for the land I could have saved them a lot of time and effort by telling them the land was worth not a lot ..... But this is all spin by ellis, no quotes and by a favourable journo ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahamaad Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Hands up those who deep down thought this would never happen. 20 million quid each year for players etc, too good to be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRobinson Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Ianrobo. There has been a distinct lack of quotes from the Comers too. Im not sure its as easy as blaming Ellis on this one, not just yet - I am sure the truth will come out but if the Comers really wanted to buy Villa and Ellis was messing them around - I think they would have cried foul by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancsVillan Posted January 6, 2006 Moderator Share Posted January 6, 2006 Ali - it's Villa so I never think anything is going to happen until it has been completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCinSpain Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Ellis has never had any intention of selling, it's all been part of his smokescreen to keep fans off his back since the AGM. He's a cunning coniving old man, who by the look of it, has probably outsmarted the Comers. I can't believe they didn't have the intention to buy Villa, but whether they can raise the money or not is probably irrelevent at the end of the day, and if they can't raise the readies, it's just the excuse Ellis would like to say, "I tried but they hadn't the money" and we will be back in lah lah land again. Of course, due diligence may have uncovered some of Uncle Doug's practices to balance the books he's so proud of, and the Comers don't think £64m is value for money. Bring on the box Ellis keeps talking about, it looks like the only way things will change!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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