Newcastle United sale stalls as financial liabilities scare off potential suitors

[acrossthepond 866]

Only 24 days til we play West Brom.....

 

Only 48 until the transfer window closes - but we've got plenty of time, haven't we Mike?

 

I wonder if they're considering relegation is a possibility yet.

[snakehips 0]

John Gibson suggested that there's been no bid close to £100m tonight. He also intimated that the malaysians were just casino buddies of Ashley who'd come to put on a show of interest.

 

The only actual interest has been the £55m bid from Shepherd and a US hedge fund.

 

Sounds like he knows as much as the rest of us - NOWT. The Doctor Who wannabe.

[Park Life 71]

nited takeover latest: bidder's improved offer

 

STEVE McMahon's Profitable Group have slapped in an improved offer for stricken Newcastle United.

And the Singapore-based company is waiting for a response from Seymour Pierce, who are handing the sale of the club.

 

The Gazette understands the bid – which came after several days of talks in London – is the second formal offer that the Profitable Group has made for United.

 

However, it is unclear whether the terms of the offer match owner Mike Ashley's £100m asking price.

 

Managing director Derek Llambias has previously played down the firm's interest, though sources in Singapore insist they are 100 per cent committed to buying Newcastle if the price is right.

 

Former Liverpool midfielder McMahon, pictured, joined the Profitable Group's board last year as commercial director, and was seen at St James's Park a year ago.

 

It was understood McMahon held talks with the club's hierarchy over commercial deals in the Far East.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13760]

Is this the lot that are mainly looking for publicity? I've not really been paying full attention since it's so bastarding tedious.

[Park Life 71]

Is this the lot that are mainly looking for publicity? I've not really been paying full attention since it's so bastarding tedious.

 

Well they have continually been in the papers about this and that....Who knows.

[peasepud 59]

Is this the lot that are mainly looking for publicity? I've not really been paying full attention since it's so bastarding tedious.

 

Well they have continually been in the papers about this and that....Who knows.

 

I think they might have been on Watchdog once or twice n'all

[Park Life 71]

"Although hopes of a sale have begun to fade rapidly among United fans after weeks of delays and passing deadlines, United sources have also attempted to reassure The Journal the club will still be sold this summer.

 

The same senior club official insisted last night that several groups remain interested in completing a £100m deal and claimed Seymour Pierce, the bank in charge of the sale process, remain confident a resolution to the increasingly damaging saga will come before the start of the Championship campaign on August 8.

 

That, though, has done little to relieve the tension on Tyneside, with manager-in-waiting Shearer a frustrated spectator at his home in Northumberland and supporters utterly disillusioned by the farcical situation."

 

 

Journal.

[Park Life 71]

Is this the lot that are mainly looking for publicity? I've not really been paying full attention since it's so bastarding tedious.

 

Well they have continually been in the papers about this and that....Who knows.

 

I think they might have been on Watchdog once or twice n'all

 

Still waiting for my profitable plot.

[smoggeordie 0]

STEVE McMAHON has claimed that the Profitable Group are waiting to see if their offer to take over Newcastle United has been a success.

 

United are for sale for £100m after Mike Ashley launched the sale on the club’s own website on June 8.

 

The former Liverpool and England man, who is the Singapore-based strategic global investment group’s commercial director, insists they want to give the stricken club “the kiss of life”.

 

He has revealed to the Chronicle that they have been preparing their bid in London throughout the week, but due to legal reasons it is unclear whether they have met the asking price.

 

That bid is now understood to be in the hands of investment bank Seymour Pierce, who are in charge of the sale.

 

The Chronicle first revealed Profitable’s interest on June 9, with United initially batting away talk that they were serious bidders.

 

Managing director Derek Llambias has always been sceptical about the Profitable Group – but he did hold talks with the Far East group last summer over plans to promote the Mags in South East Asia. However, that deal collapsed when Kevin Keegan walked out on United.

 

And McMahon was on Tyneside for the friendly game with PSV Eindhoven last summer to discuss a commercial deal.

 

Yet talking on their bid to take over Newcastle, McMahon told the Chronicle exclusively from Singapore: “Our people have been in London all week working with lawyers and attorneys.

 

“And we have made them a realistic offer.

 

“We have been pushing ahead and, make no doubt about it, the money is in place – we are for real.

 

“We initially made a tentative bid to begin with, and discussions then took place. We were told to come back, and that’s what we have done.

 

“There has been a formal offer and we want to get things done and dusted as quickly as possible.”

 

Should Profitable Group’s bid be successful, former Blackpool boss McMahon is not thought to be a contender for the manager’s hotseat, with Alan Shearer the only candidate for the job.

 

The Scouse star who won the league title with Liverpool in 1990 and starred for England in the World Cup 19 years ago, would be set for a “hands off” role in the boardroom and would be likely to be based in Singapore.

 

This week, six senior players have publicly voiced their disbelief at the situation the club finds itself in, with star defender Habib Beye indicating he wants to quit United.

 

McMahon is hoping to extinguish the anguish on Tyneside.

 

He said: “I have been keeping tabs on the whole thing since Newcastle were relegated.

 

“It’s just heartbreaking, and it is affecting people’s lives up there.

 

“Football is the be-all and end-all in Newcastle, and it is basically people’s lives.

 

“Everybody is in limbo and we are keen to put a stop to that if we can.

 

“We believe we have a solution for Newcastle – and the sooner it gets sorted the better.

 

“We just want people to get on with their lives and tidy up the mess that has been caused.”

 

Toon fans are desperate to hear some good news with their Championship opener at West Brom coming up on August 8.

 

McMahon added: “We have done all we can do and we have gone through the process we were asked to go through.

 

“We are just waiting to hear – and we hope to hear something today.

 

“If we can give Newcastle the kiss of life then we’d love to do it.

 

“We feel we have been very realistic with our offer and we certainly have the funds to go through with it.”

 

Despite the claims, Ashley’s PR man Jonathon Brill was cool on the claims from the Far East today.

 

But he said: “There remains firm interest.”

[Park Life 71]

“And we have made them a realistic offer."

 

McMahon.

 

 

Not sure 20m will cut it though.

[Park Life 71]

Thing is, if you are trying to buy something privately off a private individual and you are serious, would you then go to the press and call him a tosser?

 

“We just want people to get on with their lives and tidy up the mess that has been caused.”

 

Do they have any experience at all of running anything big

 

Personally I don't believe they have made a realistic offer and nor do they have the finance to take the club forward.

[The Fish 10661]

Managing director Derek Llambias has always been sceptical about the Profitable Group – but he did hold talks with the Far East group last summer over plans to promote the Mags in South East Asia.

 

That's a bit fucking rich.

[ChezGiven 0]

Thing is, if you are trying to buy something privately off a private individual and you are serious, would you then go to the press and call him a tosser?

 

“We just want people to get on with their lives and tidy up the mess that has been caused.”

 

Do they have any experience at all of running anything big

 

What, they should be so politically sensitive that no-one should mention the club imploded and got relegated, just because the buyer might get upset when reality is pointed out to him?

 

Do they have experience? Yes but that makes no difference to the average Joe, Keith Harris was the Chief Executive of HSBC until 1999 but he's still a 'stupid cunt'.

 

I cant believe you're of such a critical mind that you found something to have a go at in those McMahon quotes.

[peasepud 59]

STEVE McMAHON has claimed that the Profitable Group are waiting to see if their offer to take over Newcastle United has been a success as far as advertising revenues etc go.

 

United are for sale for £100m after Mike Ashley launched the sale on the club’s own website on June 8.

 

The former Liverpool and England man, who is the Singapore-based strategic global investment group’s commercial director, insists they want to give their stricken company “the kiss of life by linking it with a name anyone in Britain or even the world would instantly recognise”.

 

He has revealed to the Chronicle that they have been preparing their bid in London throughout the week, but due to not being serious in any way about this it is clear they have not met the asking price.

 

That bid is now understood to be in the hands of investment bank Seymour Pierce, who are in charge of the sale.

 

The Chronicle first revealed Profitable’s interest on June 9 by giving them back page exposure in a local paper which was then followed by numerous pages of write up on the internet and in national newspapers, with United initially batting away talk that they were serious bidders.

 

Managing director Derek Llambias has always been sceptical about the Profitable Group – but he did hold talks with the Far East group last summer over plans to promote the Mags in South East Asia. However, that deal collapsed when Kevin Keegan walked out on United and Profitable realised that there was no great advantage using Kinnear to advertise anything other than a Pogues concert or cure for tourettes (neither of which they had).

 

And McMahon was on Tyneside for the friendly game with PSV Eindhoven last summer to discuss a commercial deal ensuring he got his face in the papers to maximise exposure.

 

Yet talking on their bid to take over Newcastle, McMahon told the Chronicle exclusively from Singapore: “Our people have been in London all week working with advertising executives and marketing experts to ensure they squeeze every last drop of exposure from this.

 

“And we have made them a realistic offer.

 

“We have been pushing ahead and, make no doubt about it, the google ranking is going up and we're moving ahead.

 

“We initially made a tentative bid to begin with, and discussions then took place. We were told to come back, and that’s what we have done.

 

“There has been no formal offer as we want things to take as long as possible. Every day that goes by is another day when we get to release some story or other and get the Profitable name exposed further.”

 

Should Profitable Group’s bid be successful, former Blackpool boss McMahon is not thought to be a contender for the manager’s hotseat, with Alan Shearer the only candidate for the job.

 

McMahon is hoping to extinguish the anguish on Tyneside.

 

He said: “I have been keeping tabs on the whole thing since Newcastle were relegated.

 

“It’s just heartbreaking, and it is affecting people’s lives up there. There have been numerous missed chances to buy up land that has no chance of planning permission and use it to raise the profile of the company even further by promising huge investment returns on what is basically mud.

 

“Football is the be-all and end-all in Newcastle, and it is basically people’s lives. If we can get our name in some stories linked to that then we know it will be read by thousands.

 

“Everybody is in limbo and we are keen to put a stop to that if we can.

 

“We believe we have a solution for Profitable Group – and the sooner it gets sorted the better.

 

“We just want people to get on with their lives and tidy up the mess that has been caused. Theres a load of google ranking points to be made here and our stock could go up immensely”

[Park Life 71]

Spot on PP.

[ChezGiven 0]

Spot on PP.

 

Some thoughts on this, as obviously got no clue about this lot at all.

 

The profitable 'brand' itself isnt in the retail sector, so they have nothing to gain from exposure of the brand in highly visible consumer media. If they had something to sell then you might be right but what they have to sell, according to their website, is expertise in these sorts of deals. Are you proposing that this a practice run for a later deal in football, as that would be the only reason for doing this that would make sense. Which in itself doesnt make a lot of sense.

 

If you know marketing, you'd find the idea that an investment firm wanting the investment firm's name known through outles like the Chronicle or The Sun is laughable.

 

Take for example The Profitable Group's Property Division and its Villas in Phuket. Do you think placing an article (in the Chronicle for example ) that exposes the Profitable group's name as an investment house will draw attention to their property services or instead do you think a carefully placed ad next to a paid for story about Phuket in a travel magazine might be better?

 

Think about it. If they want to buy a football club, they will bid for one. They wouldnt bid for it so they can sell more cigars, Thomas Pink shirts, red wine etc (seriously, thats what they sell in Malaysia).

 

PP's post is funny but its view of the business world is a bit warped.

[JUICE690 0]

STEVE McMAHON has claimed that the Profitable Group are waiting to see if their offer to take over Newcastle United has been a success as far as

Managing director Derek Llambias has always been sceptical about the Profitable Group – but he did hold talks with the Far East group last summer over plans to promote the Mags in South East Asia. However, that deal collapsed when Kevin Keegan walked out on United and Profitable realised that there was no great advantage using Kinnear to advertise anything other than a Pogues concert or cure for tourettes (neither of which they had).

 

[Park Life 71]

Spot on PP.

 

Some thoughts on this, as obviously got no clue about this lot at all.

 

The profitable 'brand' itself isnt in the retail sector, so they have nothing to gain from exposure of the brand in highly visible consumer media. If they had something to sell then you might be right but what they have to sell, according to their website, is expertise in these sorts of deals. Are you proposing that this a practice run for a later deal in football, as that would be the only reason for doing this that would make sense. Which in itself doesnt make a lot of sense.

 

If you know marketing, you'd find the idea that an investment firm wanting the investment firm's name known through outles like the Chronicle or The Sun is laughable.

 

Take for example The Profitable Group's Property Division and its Villas in Phuket. Do you think placing an article (in the Chronicle for example ) that exposes the Profitable group's name as an investment house will draw attention to their property services or instead do you think a carefully placed ad next to a paid for story about Phuket in a travel magazine might be better?

 

Think about it. If they want to buy a football club, they will bid for one. They wouldnt bid for it so they can sell more cigars, Thomas Pink shirts, red wine etc (seriously, thats what they sell in Malaysia).

 

PP's post is funny but its view of the business world is a bit warped.

 

 

I love Thomas Pink shirts.

 

PS They've got little of no money, so not sure what you're on about. They have gained positioning in the national media (Times, Guardian, Telegraph) with this club sale tie in it doesn't really matter if they're in the Croydon gazette or whatever.

 

Who knows the mind of Steve McMahon I certainly don't.

[ChezGiven 0]

Spot on PP.

 

Some thoughts on this, as obviously got no clue about this lot at all.

 

The profitable 'brand' itself isnt in the retail sector, so they have nothing to gain from exposure of the brand in highly visible consumer media. If they had something to sell then you might be right but what they have to sell, according to their website, is expertise in these sorts of deals. Are you proposing that this a practice run for a later deal in football, as that would be the only reason for doing this that would make sense. Which in itself doesnt make a lot of sense.

 

If you know marketing, you'd find the idea that an investment firm wanting the investment firm's name known through outles like the Chronicle or The Sun is laughable.

 

Take for example The Profitable Group's Property Division and its Villas in Phuket. Do you think placing an article (in the Chronicle for example ) that exposes the Profitable group's name as an investment house will draw attention to their property services or instead do you think a carefully placed ad next to a paid for story about Phuket in a travel magazine might be better?

 

Think about it. If they want to buy a football club, they will bid for one. They wouldnt bid for it so they can sell more cigars, Thomas Pink shirts, red wine etc (seriously, thats what they sell in Malaysia).

 

PP's post is funny but its view of the business world is a bit warped.

 

 

I love Thomas Pink shirts.

 

PS They've got little of no money, so not sure what you're on about. They have gained positioning in the national media (Times, Guardian, Telegraph) with this club sale tie in it doesn't really matter if they're in the Croydon gazette or whatever.

 

Who knows the mind of Steve McMahon I certainly don't.

 

Source for the first bit of that to justify the second bit is...?

 

I'm just trying to analyse whether they are serious and whether claiming this is just PR has any credibillity.

 

Not that its that important to be clear on these thing of course

[Park Life 71]

I sometimes hold Steve McMohans hand when he gets excited about Newcastle United.

 

Agnes Wong The PG.

Edited July 17, 2009 by Park Life

[peasepud 59]

at the end of the day, what do Profitable get out of pretending they are bidding for a football club if its not publicity?

 

They cant be serious otherwise they wouldnt be breaking the confidentiality clauses that are in place. Even if they were, theres nothing to be gained from going public other than publicity itself.

 

I disagree with your logic though, the Profitable group is looking for publicity, just take a look at their website.

 

http://www.profitablegroup.com/

 

It starts with a full page advert for Liverpool FC going to Singapore in something they (Profitable) have organised. Why? for publicity, not to get the Liverpool players to sign agreements on management contracts but to promote the Profitable brand.

 

Another look at the news section on the site and you see a number of stories related to UK housing and land deals. Like it or not, people, be they individuals or owners of large corporate businesses are still swayed initially by whether they've heard of a company. Bad example I know but its been used half a dozen times on the TV program Hustle, all you have to do is get the person to see the name of your company a few times or read it in an article in your favourite paper and suddenly you know the name, you know the company and already that first hurdle is over.

 

If they're looking to expand their portfolio in Britain then the first thing they've got to do is get some publicity out there because before the Toon rumours the only thing you could find related to Profitable Group in the UK was details of shady deals involving land. Those stories are now buried under a mountain of google results saying "Steve McMahon this and Profitable toon that".

 

"The profitable group? oh aye Ive heard of them they were buying Newcastle werent they? must be a big company then, could be worth doing business with them".

[Park Life 71]

Spot on PP.

 

Some thoughts on this, as obviously got no clue about this lot at all.

 

The profitable 'brand' itself isnt in the retail sector, so they have nothing to gain from exposure of the brand in highly visible consumer media. If they had something to sell then you might be right but what they have to sell, according to their website, is expertise in these sorts of deals. Are you proposing that this a practice run for a later deal in football, as that would be the only reason for doing this that would make sense. Which in itself doesnt make a lot of sense.

 

If you know marketing, you'd find the idea that an investment firm wanting the investment firm's name known through outles like the Chronicle or The Sun is laughable.

 

Take for example The Profitable Group's Property Division and its Villas in Phuket. Do you think placing an article (in the Chronicle for example ) that exposes the Profitable group's name as an investment house will draw attention to their property services or instead do you think a carefully placed ad next to a paid for story about Phuket in a travel magazine might be better?

 

Think about it. If they want to buy a football club, they will bid for one. They wouldnt bid for it so they can sell more cigars, Thomas Pink shirts, red wine etc (seriously, thats what they sell in Malaysia).

 

PP's post is funny but its view of the business world is a bit warped.

 

 

I love Thomas Pink shirts.

 

PS They've got little of no money, so not sure what you're on about. They have gained positioning in the national media (Times, Guardian, Telegraph) with this club sale tie in it doesn't really matter if they're in the Croydon gazette or whatever.

 

Who knows the mind of Steve McMahon I certainly don't.

 

Source for the first bit of that to justify the second bit is...?

 

I'm just trying to analyse whether they are serious and whether claiming this is just PR has any credibillity.

 

Not that its that important to be clear on these thing of course

 

 

He's been caught in the teleporter but if he gets out he'll tell us...

[ChezGiven 0]

at the end of the day, what do Profitable get out of pretending they are bidding for a football club if its not publicity?

 

They cant be serious otherwise they wouldnt be breaking the confidentiality clauses that are in place. Even if they were, theres nothing to be gained from going public other than publicity itself.

 

I disagree with your logic though, the Profitable group is looking for publicity, just take a look at their website.

 

http://www.profitablegroup.com/

 

It starts with a full page advert for Liverpool FC going to Singapore in something they (Profitable) have organised. Why? for publicity, not to get the Liverpool players to sign agreements on management contracts but to promote the Profitable brand.

 

Another look at the news section on the site and you see a number of stories related to UK housing and land deals. Like it or not, people, be they individuals or owners of large corporate businesses are still swayed initially by whether they've heard of a company. Bad example I know but its been used half a dozen times on the TV program Hustle, all you have to do is get the person to see the name of your company a few times or read it in an article in your favourite paper and suddenly you know the name, you know the company and already that first hurdle is over.

 

If they're looking to expand their portfolio in Britain then the first thing they've got to do is get some publicity out there because before the Toon rumours the only thing you could find related to Profitable Group in the UK was details of shady deals involving land. Those stories are now buried under a mountain of google results saying "Steve McMahon this and Profitable toon that".

 

"The profitable group? oh aye Ive heard of them they were buying Newcastle werent they? must be a big company then, could be worth doing business with them".

 

I'm not weighing behind their bid or anything like that, i just disagree that a conglomerate of 15 business divisions, with retail brands in each division markets themselves like that. It goes against every rule of channel marketing. I'm only going on my experience of working in and with marketing, not because i have a view on this lot in paticular.

 

The first question has to be 'why'. In the bit i've highlighted you talk about looking to expand their portfolio, so why use a generic umbrella of the investment group when they sell actual brands.

 

If they are not looking to sell their consumer brands but actually get into football ownership, it doesnt make a lot of sense to say their PR over 'getting into football ownership' is just PR, since thats the whole objective.

 

Or are you saying this is to raise their profile as agents of footballers? Again, i'd say PR associated with handling players would be more effective.

 

i'm not convinced either way, just highlighting things that seem illogical to me.

[Park Life 71]

at the end of the day, what do Profitable get out of pretending they are bidding for a football club if its not publicity?

 

They cant be serious otherwise they wouldnt be breaking the confidentiality clauses that are in place. Even if they were, theres nothing to be gained from going public other than publicity itself.

 

I disagree with your logic though, the Profitable group is looking for publicity, just take a look at their website.

 

http://www.profitablegroup.com/

 

It starts with a full page advert for Liverpool FC going to Singapore in something they (Profitable) have organised. Why? for publicity, not to get the Liverpool players to sign agreements on management contracts but to promote the Profitable brand.

 

Another look at the news section on the site and you see a number of stories related to UK housing and land deals. Like it or not, people, be they individuals or owners of large corporate businesses are still swayed initially by whether they've heard of a company. Bad example I know but its been used half a dozen times on the TV program Hustle, all you have to do is get the person to see the name of your company a few times or read it in an article in your favourite paper and suddenly you know the name, you know the company and already that first hurdle is over.

 

If they're looking to expand their portfolio in Britain then the first thing they've got to do is get some publicity out there because before the Toon rumours the only thing you could find related to Profitable Group in the UK was details of shady deals involving land. Those stories are now buried under a mountain of google results saying "Steve McMahon this and Profitable toon that".

 

"The profitable group? oh aye Ive heard of them they were buying Newcastle werent they? must be a big company then, could be worth doing business with them".

 

I'm not weighing behind their bid or anything like that, i just disagree that a conglomerate of 15 business divisions, with retail brands in each division markets themselves like that. It goes against every rule of channel marketing. I'm only going on my experience of working in and with marketing, not because i have a view on this lot in paticular.

 

The first question has to be 'why'. In the bit i've highlighted you talk about looking to expand their portfolio, so why use a generic umbrella of the investment group when they sell actual brands.

 

If they are not looking to sell their consumer brands but actually get into football ownership, it doesnt make a lot of sense to say their PR over 'getting into football ownership' is just PR, since thats the whole objective.

 

Or are you saying this is to raise their profile as agents of footballers? Again, i'd say PR associated with handling players would be more effective.

 

i'm not convinced either way, just highlighting things that seem illogical to me.

 

I think the easy ans is that they don't know what they are doing. Look at the website ffs!! They're not actually even property developers, just space acquisition merchants.

Edited July 17, 2009 by Park Life

[ChezGiven 0]

http://www.profitablegroup.com/partners-group.aspx

 

Those links work too, am sure HSBC, Dell etc would sue if they realised.