News that Duchatelet is to sell season tickets from Thursday - not an event many of us would have predicted given the related "it's imminent" takeover saga. Common wisdom was he would have cleared off before now, even fellow board-member Richard Murray declaring that "February" was the likely sale date.
However, it now seems apparent that he isn't getting what he wants in order to conclude a sale and is prepared to hang on without it. That then brings the real prospect that he won't get a sale concluded and the nightmare will continue. It would seem that three-wins-in-a-row are all it has taken for the greedy billionaire to suddenly sniff an opportunity to squeeze more from prospective buyers. Every time he mentions a change in value associated with a promotion, I hope he is being reminded about the simple fact that the club has actually been relegated since he acquired it and the revenue streams halved under his appalling mismanagement. He has some front seeking treble the buy price in the circumstances without trying to get his hands in the till on an ongoing basis.
Duchatelet's previous sale of St. Truiden and Standard Liege were not simple affairs in that he managed to tie-in future obligations and revenues, presumably because he felt he wasn't getting the price he wanted for a straightforward sale. The warning is there and we have to hope that any prospective buyer will stand their ground and only give him what they consider to to be a fair deal and that he has no say whatsoever once he's bought out.
The value of season ticket sales will clearly also be a consideration in Duchatelet's mind and the amateur attempted leverage of a week's notice to prospective buyers that he would put them on sale without their input is laughable and every true Charlton supporter should be laughing at the prospect of handing over any more money to Duchatelet given the circumstances.
I don't care what he sells them for - it's far easier to wait and see what happens. For the future of our club, it must be better to wait and, hopefully, give your money to support new owners who are investing in us than pay Duchatelet's ransom.
However, it now seems apparent that he isn't getting what he wants in order to conclude a sale and is prepared to hang on without it. That then brings the real prospect that he won't get a sale concluded and the nightmare will continue. It would seem that three-wins-in-a-row are all it has taken for the greedy billionaire to suddenly sniff an opportunity to squeeze more from prospective buyers. Every time he mentions a change in value associated with a promotion, I hope he is being reminded about the simple fact that the club has actually been relegated since he acquired it and the revenue streams halved under his appalling mismanagement. He has some front seeking treble the buy price in the circumstances without trying to get his hands in the till on an ongoing basis.
Duchatelet's previous sale of St. Truiden and Standard Liege were not simple affairs in that he managed to tie-in future obligations and revenues, presumably because he felt he wasn't getting the price he wanted for a straightforward sale. The warning is there and we have to hope that any prospective buyer will stand their ground and only give him what they consider to to be a fair deal and that he has no say whatsoever once he's bought out.
The value of season ticket sales will clearly also be a consideration in Duchatelet's mind and the amateur attempted leverage of a week's notice to prospective buyers that he would put them on sale without their input is laughable and every true Charlton supporter should be laughing at the prospect of handing over any more money to Duchatelet given the circumstances.
I don't care what he sells them for - it's far easier to wait and see what happens. For the future of our club, it must be better to wait and, hopefully, give your money to support new owners who are investing in us than pay Duchatelet's ransom.
Just want echo your sentiments here.
ReplyDeleteANYONE READING THIS! PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PURCHASING YOUR SEASON TICKET UNTIL THIS LOONY IS GONE FROM OUR CLUB!
Or at least wait until the last possible minute.