Sheffield United takeover: yet to take off

[ArmchairDetective]

Story in the Athletic this morning. The Nigerian Billionaire looking to take over SUFC claims to be the director of an airline company. Its being reported that there is no evidence that a flight by 'Tingo Airlines' has ever taken place, and photos of their plane have been photoshopped.

The company address in the UK was also forged and are facing being struck off by companies house.

https://theathletic.com/4157792/2023/02 ... ed-article

[NottsClaret]

That's a club that absolutely has to get promoted.

[distortiondave]

Sounds like someone at Sheffield United has fallen for a version of the Nigerian Prince e-mail scam.

[randomclaret2]

Looks like they've been Tingoed

[Bosscat]

Sounds like someone at Sheffield United has fallen for a version of the Nigerian Prince e-mail scam.

Beat me to that one

Looks like they've been Tingoed

[jedi_master]

[ArmchairDetective]

Sounds like someone at Sheffield United has fallen for a version of the Nigerian Prince e-mail scam.

Sure looks like it

[ClaretTony]

You wonder how clubs ever allow things to get this far with a takeover before people are exposed

[Colburn_Claret]

You wonder how clubs ever allow things to get this far with a takeover before people are exposed

When people tell you want you want to hear, your more likely to believe it.

Con men have been feeding on telling people what they want to hear since the year dot.


A long way to go yet, but I would love this to fall through. I've always preferred Wednesday to United.

[Ric_C]

Doozy M'Boozy always sounded like a made up character by a Sheff Wed fan on the wind up

[ClaretTony]

A long way to go yet, but I would love this to fall through. I've always preferred Wednesday to United.

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

[Nonayforever]

You wonder how clubs ever allow things to get this far with a takeover before people are exposed

I suppose when your name is Prince Abdullah it's quite easy to get conned because that's the circus he has lived in all his life.

[NottsClaret]

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

I live just outside Sheffield now, got to say I love their rivalry - when you're not involved either way. It's as intense as anywhere but somehow just find it funny as a neutral. I see Wednesday had over 33,000 on this weekend for Plymouth game, not bad for League One.

[ClaretTony]

I live just outside Sheffield now, got to say I love their rivalry - when you're not involved either way. It's as intense as anywhere but somehow just find it funny as a neutral. I see Wednesday had over 33,000 on this weekend for Plymouth game, not bad for League One.

Wednesday are the bigger of the two by some distance but they are a club I’ve little time for.

[claptrappers_union]

How does football attract these delusional people, and how do they slip through the net? I'm thinking of the likes of Laurence Bassini, that Notts Country guy and the bloke who eventually took Bury into liquidation. It seems to attract nutters and clubs owners and the leagues seem to entertain them when it is clear that they are either not a full shilling or criminal.

[4:20]

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

Two and a half years is still quite a stretch of time.

[ArmchairDetective]

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

Same

[Paul Waine]

How does football attract these delusional people, and how do they slip through the net? I'm thinking of the likes of Laurence Bassini, that Notts Country guy and the bloke who eventually took Bury into liquidation. It seems to attract nutters and clubs owners and the leagues seem to entertain them when it is clear that they are either not a full shilling or criminal.

Wasn't there a guy who was lined up to buy Man United a number of seasons back?

[Spijed]

Wasn't there a guy who was lined up to buy Man United a number of seasons back?

That was Michael Knighton.

[ŽižkovClaret]

How did they manage to find a skint Saudi to start with?

[shulgin]

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

I also lived in Sheffield for a spell and have little time for either of them.

[CaptJohn]

Having lived in Nigeria for over 12 years I was very sceptical when I read about this from the outset. The name was weird and it seemed to be a classic "419," which is the term used by Nigerians for anything fraudulent. Surely SUFC admin checked up on this guy beforehand, so how has it gone so far without being red-flagged? Perhaps someone saw $Dollar signs before their eyes and ignored common sense.

[claptrappers_union]

Maybe football club owners have to entertain it before the actual truth comes out.

I suppose I could go to a football club, tell them I have the incentive to purchase the club and slap together a PowerPoint of who I am and my plans if my bid is successful. Then I'd have to put in a reasonable bid, then 'leak' it to the press... only then, when the club want to see the proof of funds, that's when I start messing them about. Meanwhile, in money circles, I look the 'real deal', so they will be enticed to invest in me and my businesses because, according to the news, I'm bidding to take over a professional football club...

[Dark Cloud]

Anyone remember the really young (21?) "millionaire" who had supposedly brought Aldershot back in the 80s and was one of the guests on Wogan's prime time evening chat show sharing his vision for the club's future and yet strangely he turned out to be a total bull******r!! Brilliant really!

[cricketfield73]

Here is George Agdgdgwngo at work (couple of bits of sweary language to be aware of).

https://youtu.be/inbwbPeXRho

[beddie]

Great Title thread by the way Armchair.

[Winstonswhite]

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/fo ... 774694.amp

Funny how things work out

[jedi_master]

You wonder how clubs ever allow things to get this far with a takeover before people are exposed

This happened with Preston in the summer with the American guy Chris Kirchner who tried to buy them (and then Derby).

Turned out he was a total fantasist yet he managed to string two clubs along for months.

[Buxtonclaret]

As has been mentioned, tell them what they want to hear & your half way there.

[ClaretLoup]

Ironically Sheffield United’s parlous financial position has pipped off our dear friends down the M65. Apparently they were in the running to sign Bosnian Ahmedhodzic but were outbid by the Blades and he has turned out to be a key player in their currently successful season. However they are now having to “ re-structure “ their payments for the player which has understandably irked those paragons of financial probity over at Deadwood. The Blades have also allegedly fallen behind on payments to Liverpool for Rhian Brewster.

Look’s increasingly like they are in some serious financial trouble and like Albion, they will be in the fiscal soup should they fail to go up.

I guess their parachute payments run out next season.

[Devils_Advocate]

With all the bad luck Sheff Utd have had this season they are starting to get a bit of an underdog status with lots of neutrals football fans rooting for them to succeed and get promoted against the odds.

As long as we come first then I too would also really like to see Sheff Utd keep hold of second place and get automatic promotion with us.

[randomclaret2]

With all the bad luck Sheff Utd have had this season they are starting to get a bit of an underdog status with lots of neutrals football fans rooting for them to succeed and get promoted against the odds.

As long as we come first then I too would also really like to see Sheff Utd keep hold of second place and get automatic promotion with us.

Yes, and hopefully swapping places with Leeds

[ClaretLoup]

Mate, on a lovely sunny day like today why not get your golf clubs out, go for a walk with them & put your fishing rod away?

[Devils_Advocate]

Yes, and hopefully swapping places with Leeds

Steady on, there's room for all three clubs in that top division

[Chester Perry]

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/fo ... 774694.amp

Funny how things work out

The thing is we don't yet know how things will work out here in the medium to long term - however exhilarating, exciting and extraordinary the immediate present is on the pitch and in the league.

[Shaggy]

Would be hilarious if they hit the skids and fail in the playoffs yet again. I have no sympathy for clubs who get into serious financial peril by trying to spend their way out of a league.

A few games without winning and if Boro keep up their charge could be interesting

[Chester Perry]

Would be hilarious if they hit the skids and fail in the playoffs yet again. I have no sympathy for clubs who get into serious financial peril by trying to spend their way out of a league.

A few games without winning and if Boro keep up their charge could be interesting

we will never know quite how desperate our situation would have been but for that Wembley win against the blades, what we do know is that within 2 years of it director loans to the club were at record levels, this after all previous loans were paid off in 2010/11, but for the likes of Kilby, Garlick and Banaszkiewicz digging deep into their pockets again we could have been in a serious predicament.

As is often the case with these situations , there but for the grace...

[IanMcL]

You wonder how clubs ever allow things to get this far with a takeover before people are exposed

Exactly! Professionals are supposed to know their trade.
Salisbury City was taken over by a Moroccan. The ex chairman had run up debts and was happy to get rid. The FA passed it all. The Moroccan turned up, emptied the safe of a few grand, 'he needed something to work with' and promptly disappeared! Club went bust but were stuck as he was still the official owner!

[bfcjg]

He's bought a hat.

skynews-ike-ekweremadu-nigeria_5827123.jpg (199.01 KiB) Viewed 2591 times

[Cleveleys_claret]

The thing is we don't yet know how things will work out here in the medium to long term - however exhilarating, exciting and extraordinary the immediate present is on the pitch and in the league.

Nobody knows what will happen to their club...nobody

[Bordeauxclaret]

There are a few interesting stories going around about a young guy who’s trying to buy Morecambe.

[ClaretLoup]

The proposed potential Morecambe takeover is very scary as it looks like a bunch of scammers are in the running to make a successful bid. Football governing bodies and HMG need to come up with more safeguards and protections for our football clubs before more pirates become more blatant. Unfortunately we have no real way of knowing if the same thing isn’t going on at our own club given the labyrinth nature of our current ownership. As with all clubs ownership concerns subside when the wins start to pile up.

Notice how the Norwich City scarves come out at Old Trafford and they go away again when they win a few games. I expect the same thing to happen at Everton.

[Dougall]

I lived in Sheffield for three years. I have no time for Wednesday.

I don’t mean to pry, but can you (and Armchair Detective?) explain why, Tony?
I have no strong feelings about either club (though I thought United were badly treated over the West Ham scandal during Colin’s reign) and I wonder whether I’ve missed something?

[ClaretTony]

I don’t mean to pry, but can you (and Armchair Detective?) explain why, Tony?
I have no strong feelings about either club (though I thought United were badly treated over the West Ham scandal during Colin’s reign) and I wonder whether I’ve missed something?

Always found United more welcoming when we went to games. Wednesday had delusions of grandeur, believing they were one of the country's biggest clubs even though they weren't even in the top flight at the time. Blades had a decent side at the time too with the likes of Woodward, Tudor, Dearden, Currie.

[Ric_C]

Always found United more welcoming when we went to games. Wednesday had delusions of grandeur, believing they were one of the country's biggest clubs even though they weren't even in the top flight at the time. Blades had a decent side at the time too with the likes of Woodward, Tudor, Dearden, Currie.

I concur. I went to Sheffield Uni for 3 years back in the late 90's, and Sheffield Utd fans were always a lot more grounded in reality. I remember a Sheff Wed fan asking me who I supported and his reply was "Burnley? They're one of the biggest F ups going aren't they?". How the tables have turned lol

[Dougall]

Now you mention it, I’ve only really known 2 Wednesday fans (through work) and that does capture their attitude - even after years out of the top flight and quite a long time in the third tier!!
Can’t recall ever getting to know any blades!

[ArmchairDetective]

I don’t mean to pry, but can you (and Armchair Detective?) explain why, Tony?
I have no strong feelings about either club (though I thought United were badly treated over the West Ham scandal during Colin’s reign) and I wonder whether I’ve missed something?

Generally found United more grounded and open as a fan base. Maybe because the ground is close to the city centre and University. Wednesday fans seemed a bit more antagonistic and hostile. Though working at Sheff United for a while probably tainted my view somewhat. I recall some unpleasant encounters with Wednesday fans whilst working at the derbies - though probably unfair to taint all Wednesday fans with the same brush.

[ArmchairDetective]

Great Title thread by the way Armchair.

Pretty sure it was inspired by the title of articles written about it. But I'll take the credit anyway

[RVclaret]

'Sheffield United bidder Mmobuosi has unpaid court judgements against him in UK'

https://www.insideworldfootball.com/202 ... ements-uk/

[AGENT_CLARET]

He owes over 30k in rent for this house, he must of lived in it for years

Screenshot_20230214-080812_Chrome.jpg (111.38 KiB) Viewed 1128 times