The Falkirk FC Thread

[welshbairn]

20 minutes ago, Gollum said:

I feel that we underrate the non-tangible/non-financial aspects of owning a football team, but does he seem like a guy that can afford to do it for the prestige or for a laugh?

This. I think most of us have probably dreamt of doing something similar if we won the lottery or something. Beats the usual wealthy midlife crisis thing of buying a Bugatti Veyron, or in this case a fleet of them. It should become transparent pretty soon if he has the wherewithal to do it. He probably thinks he has a fair chance of getting his money back eventually if everything goes to plan.

Edited July 30, 2019 by welshbairn

[ShaggerG]

45 minutes ago, Hank von Hell said:

I have been reading this stuff on Mark Campbell for days and just can't get my head around it.

He's came out of nowhere really, the details on his wealth are non existent and his business interests sketchy at best , I mean every business has a website right? I am sorry an explanation like I had a messy divorce so I have no online proof of any of my businesses. 

It seems to me he has a good read at forums like this , as he seems to have loads of time on his hands responding to individuals on Twitter multiple times, and identified every pain point for supporters, promised to fix them and deliver every single thing on their wish list - which will run into tens of millions !!! Where is he getting this money?

On John Park , he brought in some great talent , mostly from overseas, to sign for CELTIC  - these guys were promised a springboard to the EPL or Champions League which Celtic can provide and on a decent wage , they ain't going to come to Falkirk and I doubt we are going to make millions from player sales. I do admit his presence gives Campbell some credibility and would be good for the club regardless.  

I keep hearing we have no assets , but what are the land around the stadium. North Stand and part of the Main Stand if they are not assets - that someone can use to borrow against to build stuff, re-open academies, buy players or even buy the club. We don't know a single thing about his wealth or business , it would not be a stretch for him to hide something like this.

I don't want to pour cold water on it all , I want the BOD out , but I am outside the bubble and from here this guy looks either  deluded or a bit dodgy . I have seen over the years characters ride into football clubs on the premise of being "football fans" promising the earth but it only ending in disaster - I really hope Mark Campbell is not one of them and is just a well meaning secret millionaire, and for once we have lucked out.

The transcript from the Q&A answers none of the concerns, it was really just a charm offensive.

This BOD better be dong the right thorough checks, and he's not just opened an account with TicketUs     

(PS - He's probably reading this right now)

  

This is it for me. The guy buys and sells real estate. I think his main aim is to build on the land and sell on later. He said last night that he wouldn't be taking any money out of any developments and that this would be going back into the club. IF that is true then the only way that he could make money would be the profit on selling it on in the future. 

Also, who would own these developments? Would it be the club or his company and would he be borrowing against the club to fund these ventures? Last thing we want is to amass a load of debt then be left in the shit when he decides it's time to sell. 

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

This is it for me. The guy buys and sells real estate. I think his main aim is to build on the land and sell on later. He said last night that he wouldn't be taking any money out of any developments and that this would be going back into the club. IF that is true then the only way that he could make money would be the profit on selling it on in the future. 

Also, who would own these developments? Would it be the club or his company and would he be borrowing against the club to fund these ventures? Last thing we want is to amass a load of debt then be left in the shit when he decides it's time to sell. 

Is it possible to borrow against the club though? Always felt this was a no go after our previous liquidation issue.

[ShaggerG]

Just now, Shadwell Dog said:

Is it possible to borrow against the club though? Always felt this was a no go after our previous liquidation issue.

Dinnae ken.  BPM would possibly know?

[AL-FFC]

6 minutes ago, Stuperman01 said:

Can people please stop posting links to Mark Campbell's companies please? Knowing our MSG/BOD this is what they will use to undertake DD along with EdiBairns comments then we will really be f*cked!

it was prob LM and AT posting to f**k it up so they didnt need to be dragged kicking and screaming out the doors lol 

[Rocco]

Owning a football club may also gain him entry into other circles of business men and women, which may offer him other opportunities to make money

[Branch Ton]

Normally businessesmen out to impress but a private jet or an Aston Martin. Buying Falkirk would be the equivalent of buying a hang glider and a push bike. 

[tubbybairn]

I keep hearing fans referring to the 'land around the stadium' that we supposedly own.  Does anyone actually know if we do own any such land?  I was always of the understanding that much of the land is owned by Falkirk Council, including the land where the new pitch is going with us leasing it from them. 

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, tubbybairn said:

I keep hearing fans referring to the 'land around the stadium' that we supposedly own.  Does anyone actually know if we do own any such land?  I was always of the understanding that much of the land is owned by Falkirk Council, including the land where the new pitch is going with us leasing it from them. 

No we own that area of land and where the 4th stand would go.

Edited July 30, 2019 by Shadwell Dog

[tubbybairn]

3 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

No we own that area of land and where the 4th stand would go.

I'm not entirely convinced this is the case.  Do any shareholders on here have access to information/plans which can provide a definitive answer on the land which we do own? 

[Rocco]

Normally businessesmen out to impress but a private jet or an Aston Martin. Buying Falkirk would be the equivalent of buying a hang glider and a push bike. 

Buying an Aston Martin or private jet wouldn't introduce him to other businessmen and women in Scotland would it? Owning a football club would get him invites to circles he wouldn't have mingled in before.

[Hank von Hell]

2 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

My concern is I cant get my head round why he wants to do this. He says he isnt interested in making money out of the venture. Why not?  He states that all profits from the hotel, new stand etc would be ploughed straight back into the club. If he'd said look I'll make money off the development and I can help the club at the same time then it would've sounded far more plausible. Lets face it I wouldnt give a feck if he made a killing off development whilst the club also benefited. I just don't see why he wants involved apart from the fact he just wants to own a football team and if thats reason then ok but he must be mad. Had a great chat with the guy after yesterdays meeting and he comes across fine but it just seems strange to me the whole thing.

That's how I feel as well, I just don't get why he would do it - which naturally makes me suspicious. A lot of what he says is just wild romanticism and I don't believe he will build a 4th stand or buy the main stand back from the council. He's a bit like Boris just now promising the world to everyone to win the popular vote.     

[tubbybairn]

4 minutes ago, tubbybairn said:

I'm not entirely convinced this is the case.  Do any shareholders on here have access to information/plans which can provide a definitive answer on the land which we do own? 

The land ownership certificate associated with the planning application for the new 4G pitch shows Falkirk council as the owner of the land as of August last year.   

[JulioBairn]

Are we not in danger of over thinking this. Business man buys a business at it lowest point in 40 years knowing the likelihood is the only way is up. 

Businessman with experience in real estate uses this experience to complete the stadium, improve infrastructure and build hotel. 

Businessman employs person with a great football reputation to oversee football matters. 

Objectives - team improve, facilities improve, more people come to watch, hotel generates income. 

End result - businessman and football club both benefit from achieving objectives. 

[Hank von Hell]

1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Is it possible to borrow against the club though? Always felt this was a no go after our previous liquidation issue.

Once he owns it all he can put the assets into a new holding Company which could use these assets to borrow against. Just ask Charles Green how to do it.      

[Hank von Hell]

2 hours ago, Stuperman01 said:

 

I am as cautious as everyone else when it comes to this guy however I don't think he actually expects to make that much money from the football side. I think he sees the potential in the site more than anything football related. Hotel down there would surly give him a return on investment given its location? I am sure I read he had plans to invest in other ventures on the site potentially residential given his background? They have also spoke about concerts and events not sure what the turnover is on those though. Guess we will just have to wait and see if he passes the DD first.

You will get a ROI on a hotel you've just built eventually for sure, but if you've had to buy a football club, a new stand, players , set up an academy, a new pitch and buy part of a main stand off the council as well then that ROI would take about 1000 years to achieve. I suppose we could always get Little Mix back to plug the gap.  

[Senator Frimpton]

There's a bit of chat about this Campbell character on a Sunderland message board. They seem equally nonplussed, some suggestion he's a Michael Knighton, others more of a Craig Whyte type:

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/mark-campbell.1480632/

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/dons-talkin-video.1480974/#post-30156530

For a benefit of doubt view, everyone has to start somewhere and he's relatively young at 46 to get into the sports ownership game.

As I see it there are 3 ways he can make a return on any investment. Firstly reinstating the academy setup and resultant player sales. Park being a key part of this model. A longer game but naturally sustainable and profitable if done right.

Secondly acquiring the club and planning and development rights to the land adjacent to the stadium for leisure/retail facilities to generate non match day income. Potentially very lucrative but requiring significant development capital. He may be gambling on securing third party finance for this model, plus football operations would be very much secondary in this case. Not even necessarily a bad thing but not without risk fair to say.

Thirdly, and this is where the parallel with us and Sunderland becomes more apparent, he buys us on the cheap as an underperforming club invests as required and establishes us as competitive in the premiership and sells at a profit.

There may be some other angle so horrific I can't even countenance it, but John Park's involvement would suggest the football side is taken seriously (was it not him responsible for that batch of good Hibs players Brown, Fletcher et al that were sold for top dough?)

In conclusion therefore, dinno

 

 

[drs]

8 minutes ago, JulioBairn said:

Are we not in danger of over thinking this. Business man buys a business at it lowest point in 40 years knowing the likelihood is the only way is up. 

Businessman with experience in real estate uses this experience to complete the stadium, improve infrastructure and build hotel. 

The issue is that there doesn't seem to be any verifiable information around him being a businessman, never mind a successful businessman.

This whole proposed takeover should at this point in time have massive alarm bells going off for everyone - the MSG, fans, the council, the SFA, the SPFL and Uncle Tom Cobbley n aw.

I haven't seen any meat on any bones that would make me confident this is going to end well for Falkirk FC.

[ShaggerG]

1 hour ago, Estragon IS NOT a fud said:

 

 

You've "got" f**k all mate.

So the Wheel and the Kelpies don't exist then? You ever been outside of Greenock?

[Shadwell Dog]

22 minutes ago, tubbybairn said:

The land ownership certificate associated with the planning application for the new 4G pitch shows Falkirk council as the owner of the land as of August last year.   

Well certainly the area where the 4th stand was to be built was always ours after the change ownership setup a few years back. Not sure whether that covers the whole of the new 4g pitch or a certain amount of it.