Tommy Youlden's Ears Without wishing to be pedantic, it isn't 'the rumour that never was'.
The rumour exists. Look! It's here. Perhaps the rumoured deal that never was, or the rumoured deal that fell through.
I love that I first posted this just over a week ago, and that the fact that nothing has happened yet apparently means I made it up and it's gone away! How long do some of you guys think it takes to complete such a transaction. It's a bit more complex than popping down to Tesco for six cans of ale.
I have no desire for a Warholian 15 minutes based on made up nonsense. The source is good, the deal was mooted. The buyer may have stepped away, or p'raps Mr Mad did. I don't know whether RFC sought the deal, or whether the buyer did. Anyone who works in business knows more deals dissolve, and dissolve early, than make it to closure. This deal may or may not happen. It may be dead already, it may be trundling along, I have no idea. I heard a rumour, I posted, I am not involved, I probably won't hear more. Enjoy your dismissive answers as you may. But I didn't make it up.
And for those who suggest that JM wouldn't sell. Well, he sold AutoTrader when he felt that the price was right and others could take it further. It's now worth many times what he got for it, but the deal worked for him at the time, and maybe if he'd stayed, it wouldn't have grown as it has. Sometimes a business needs a new owner. I bet he loved Trader too - it made him rich and must have satisfied a deep entrepreneurial need. But it shows that he has form as a 'pass and go' entrepreneur rather than a 'collector of businesses'. In RFC he now has a considerable asset, which is probably close to the top of its value (see endless "we've overachieved" threads). Certainly, for it to rise in value, a new level of investment is required (see 'Why don't we buy more/better players" posts ad nauseum). All that adds up to this being a good time to sell, whatever JMs love for the club. Doesn't mean he will sell, but surely means he'll look around to establish the club's value. He'd be daft not to, and I don't think even his biggest critics here think he's daft.
So cut the sarcasm fellas, you wouldn't want to look mean spirited would you? I'm not trying to con you, wind you up or or self-promote. I ain't no SDR/Thou Voice...it's just a rumour I heard.
What you say makes a lot of sense. As long as it's for the better of Reading Football Club then it's very exciting news if we are 'close' to a take over, but as you say, these negotiations can end as quick as they start and so on, so we'll see, but exciting none the less.
