What is the benefit to the club, or the trust of John Fenty giving those shares back to the Trust?
Does the Trust have the additional wealth to then support the club in a way financially that owning such a large % of the issued share capital warrants?
Does the Trust have the financial wealth to even meet the tax liability it would incur from a gift of shares of that size and value?
But here is the big question you should all be asking yourself ....
If John Fenty gifted those shares back to the Mariners Trust, would the new consortium even want to complete the sale of his other shares? Don’t the consortium want all of John Fenty’s shares? Why would the consortium want to buy his shares minus the element that was once the Trusts? Why would the consortium want any other very big shareholder in their new business? Especially as they intend to move forward with multi million £ investments in stadiums and regeneration that the Trust couldn’t possibly ever consider investing in, pro-rata to the extent of its shareholding
People really have to think about these things carefully. There’s far more to it at stake than what you believe is the moral obligations of either the Trust or John Fenty here. You have to see the bigger picture
There will come a time, soon after the Consortium takeover, depending on whether the share purchase is made by a company they set up, or as individuals; that the Consortium will be duty bound to offer to take on everybody else’s shares. That’s yours and mine, and the Trusts. But, if JF’s shares are purchased by three individually, then that rule won’t apply, since neither of them will hold a majority stake in the business.
Y'see Phil, these are the types of questions that make it absolutely obvious as to who you are. You just can't help but try and deflect something good that is happening by trying to put a negative spin on things. You keep referring to the size of power in the business, which is one of the many attitudes that has led to the shower of excrement approach that has run this club for 20 years. Maybe, just maybe, the approach of the new owners isn't all about waving their willies at others and highlighting how much control they have. Maybe they recognise the benefit of fan representation....crazy concept I know! It might just be that the ambitions of the new owners goes beyond feeling that they're the most important person in a room filled with sycophants. No doubt about it, the consortium will have big plans and I don't think anyone is under any illusion they're coming here without an eye on using the club as some sort of vehicle for wealth generation via the local regeneration plan. I'm comfortable with that, as I suspect are most. But why on earth would anyone ask a Supporters Trust, regardless of their shareholding, to invest in the club itself? That's absolutely the type of thing to expect from someone who expected financial input from the fan base, who demanded and used threats to gain shares he didn't really have a claim to, the type of attitude from someone who never really had the best interest of the club at heart and thought it was a cash cow.
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