The banks don't like debts over a company even if the debtor is a director, converting some of it to stock takes the debt off one part of the books and moves it to another in this case Shares.
This sort of proves to the bank he won't be immediately asking for his money back and makes the books look better
If we go bust now TB will lose his shares but any debts he could still claim for.
He could also now sell those shares to another party so get some money back that way.
I top financial guy said to me that you have to ask yourself if you think he put the money in as a real supporter of the club in 2009 or did he see it as a safe haven while the banks and financial institutions around the world were going bust?
Time will tell especially if we are struggling with the costs of the amex. What would YOU do if you found that money you lent the club might be lost?
If he wanted a more secure investment he certainly wouldn't have been advised that a football club is a good place to invest, especially interest free and producing all risk with no reward. The man has complex property investments around the world - if he wanted to keep his money out of the banks he would have just expanded that business as far less risky. I'd say its genuine supporter.
The conversion from debt to capital would have been done with very high level tax & financial advice involved. It may be for the club's benefit but it could just as easily be that it is related to personal tax & IHT planning for TB.