Dick Knights shares

[AmexRuislip]

After I bought & read Dick knights book, Mad Man. You get the chance to buy his shares.
After getting an email this morning about the option of buying the shares, it said that to date only 200 people have showed an expression of interest.
I was quite surprised that only a small amount of fans have applied
Surely there could be more fans who want to have a real say in their club.

 

[Giraffe]

After I bought & read Dick knights book, Mad Man. You get the chance to buy his shares.
After getting an email this morning about the option of buying the shares, it said that to date only 200 people have showed an expression of interest.
I was quite surprised that only a small amount of fans have applied
Surely there could be more fans who want to have a real say in their club.

That's because most people don't actually believe it will happen AND the amount of shares available is so small that even if you bought them all you wouldn't have any say in the club.

 

[Gazwag]

May real fans don't want to give the club an extra administrative headache

or maybe a lot see it as a parting gift from DK to the club and don't want to get involved with the internal politics

 

[Ernest]

The potless pillocks ripoff money making scheme has been FOILED, that has MADE my day

 

[Goldstone1976]

Surely there could be more fans who want to have a real say in their club.

But they won't have a "real say". Firstly, shareholders hand over the management of the club to the Board of Directors (principally the CEO) to run the club on their behalf, so all tactical and just about all strategic decisions will be made by either the full Board or the CEO acting alone. Secondly, those decisions that are made by the shareholders, e.g. capital restructuring, appointment of Directors, appointment of auditors etc., will be made by TB, who owns ~93% of the shares. If you, as a shareholder, vote against a resolution, all that will happen is that a file note is made saying that votes in favour were 93%+ and votes against were 0.001% (or whatever). In terms of having a say (real or otherwise) in how the club is run, owning some shares will make precisely no difference at all. The only thing that will change is that you can attend the AGM, where the resolutions will be put to the shareholders and TB's votes will comprehensively win.

In the event that the club decides to pay dividends in the future (they have to be profitable first [by law], and it's much more likely that they'd spend any surplus on players or pay down loans than return cash to shareholders), there'd be a small income stream. In the event that TB sells the club, the buyer would have to offer to buy your shares at the same price they paid TB. I view a dividend stream as extremely unlikely, and a sale of the club at any time in the foreseeable future as very unlikely.

Finally, it's not a done deal yet. Pre-emption rights etc.....

 

[jgmcdee]

Also, anyone who purchased the ebook didn't get the form so couldn't apply.

 

[Beach Hut]

It was just a stupid idea to try and sell more books

 

[Tricky Dicky]

It might be nice to own some for the sake of it, but as for having a "real say" - you won't

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

It was just a stupid idea to try and sell more books

This.

 

[Buzzer]

it said that to date only 200 people have showed an expression of interest.
I was quite surprised that only a small amount of fans have applied

I guess not enough people who bought his book have bothered to apply.

Nothing gets past you, eh Mustafa?

 

[Goldstone1976]

It was just a stupid idea to try and sell more books

I'm not convinced that's anywhere close to the top of the list. If it were just a ploy to sell more books, why is he now saying he's going to ask the club whether any existing shareholder wants to buy the shares?

I think it's more likely that his motives were/are in descending order:

1) self-promotion - he was reported in national media as being the man who was going to try to help normal fans have a say in their club - a very media-friendly thing to be associated with.
2) to cause a bit of grief in the club. It's clear that it wasn't all sweetness and light between him and TB when TB came in. This is a small amount of payback.
3) to allow fans to have some shares in the club. I do think this is a genuine motive, though it is disingenuous to say/imply that any buyers of the shares will have a say in how the club is run.
4) to generate a bit of cash - £1/share. At the moment, he has ~£1m tied up in shares in a non-liquid asset. Selling some gives him a bit of liquidity.
5) to sell a few more books

fwiw...

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

I wanted to apply but don't want to tear a page out of my book to
Do so.

 

[bristolseagull]

I wanted to apply but don't want to tear a page out of my book to
Do so.

you could photocopy it

 

[Black Rod]

I've got enough pointless pieces of paper lying around the house without paying to get another one

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I'm not convinced that's anywhere close to the top of the list. If it were just a ploy to sell more books, why is he now saying he's going to ask the club whether any existing shareholder wants to buy the shares?

I think it's more likely that his motives were/are in descending order:

1) self-promotion - he was reported in national media as being the man who was going to try to help normal fans have a say in their club - a very media-friendly thing to be associated with.
2) to cause a bit of grief in the club. It's clear that it wasn't all sweetness and light between him and TB when TB came in. This is a small amount of payback.
3) to allow fans to have some shares in the club. I do think this is a genuine motive, though it is disingenuous to say/imply that any buyers of the shares will have a say in how the club is run.
4) to generate a bit of cash - £1/share. At the moment, he has ~£1m tied up in shares in a non-liquid asset. Selling some gives him a bit of liquidity.
5) to sell a few more books

fwiw...

This is far too sensible for this thread - can't you just rattle off a couple of one-liners like Beach Hut and Ernest?

 

[Langley]

It was just a stupid idea to try and sell more books

That's odd, because I did not know about the scheme until I got the book. As happened with others I have spoken to.

 

[Beach Hut]

That's odd, because I did not know about the scheme until I got the book. As happened with others I have spoken to.

And the word of mouth bit was for the extra sales

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

you could photocopy it

I thought it had to be the original?

 

[Hiney]

I think you could photocopy the form, but the little triangle cut-out bit had to be the original.

 

[Booley]

I'm happy to say I could be a shareholder of Brighton and Hove Albion FC!!!