Leicester City owners 'explore sale'

[00:00:08]5 4 3 2 1 >> and it's live.

[00:00:26]Ooh.

[00:00:30]From Filbert Street to the King Power Lights, we've lived the glory.

[00:00:41]We fought the fights.

[00:00:43]>> 5,000 to one.

[00:00:46]They said no way.

[00:00:51]But Lester City won the day.

[00:00:57]Lester till I die.

[00:01:00]Blue army standing high >> through the highs and lows.

[00:01:06]>> Foxes always rise.

[00:01:09]>> Brea once more.

[00:01:13]>> Hear the city roar. Lester never quits the fight. Let's go till I die. You right.

[00:01:23]Oh, last till I die.

[00:01:42]Good evening, good afternoon, good morning, good day, when whenever it is.

[00:01:46]Um, as they said, if you ever watched Airplane, not a good day to give up drinking.

[00:01:53]How you doing, Tom?

[00:01:54]>> I can't remember the last time I saw you on a show, Chris. Well, you didn't have a calider in your your hand there. So, but this is probably part of the big Alicester fan, isn't it?

[00:02:02]>> It is. It is. This is what the club does to you. Um, Clo is in. Hi, ClboBo. Let's just add these. Craig's in. Dawn is in.

[00:02:11]Andreas is in. Um, everybody's sort of turning up suddenly. Nice to see you all. Thank you very much. Um, yeah, I uh was having a nice quiet day. Been watering the garden. Came in. Um, just I just checked messages before I go down.

[00:02:27]There was had to reload me WhatsApp.

[00:02:29]When I reloaded it, I saw all these messages in the chat. Um, [ __ ] I thought what's going on here?

[00:02:37]And then I checked uh Leicester Shere live and Leicester City owners explore sale as huge takeover update emerges.

[00:02:47]>> Yeah, a bit of a dramatic start to the day. I mean, we did wonder for a while, you know, there was this rumor going on about maybe there was someone that come to the club looking at maybe investing in the training ground and you know the stadium or maybe doing something along those lines. And yeah, so there was sort of little things along the way that this might come up eventually, right? I mean, whatever happens, guys, it's still going to be a long way off. There's no two ways about it. Where we are right now is, and Chris Chris will read the whole statement we've got from the Financial Times for you in a minute, but basically, they've appointed City Group, which is an investment bank based out of New York, to go and gauge any interest in purchasing Leicester City Football Club. So, that is why we're all here this afternoon. Get your thoughts in the chat.

[00:03:26]I mean, we shouldn't be surprised. Um, because look, we saw what he said when he was confronted by Steve after the game last season, you know, are you going to be here next season? And it was a case of, well, I hope so.

[00:03:45]>> Well, what he asked him was to make sure we get this right is um, are you going to invest in the club and I'll try was the answer.

[00:03:50]>> Oh, right.

[00:03:52]>> Yeah, but but very close, Chris. We better get it pretty much right. your me your memory um your memory is better than mine but you're younger than me although you're catching up you're catching up >> next week.

[00:04:05]>> Yeah, but um yeah, it wasn't I don't I didn't feel convinced by what he said.

[00:04:11]But look, let's read what it says in the Financial Times word for word here. So, Leicester City owners explore sale a decade after Premier League title.

[00:04:20]Thailand's King Power sounds out bias, a football club that has dropped two divisions since its underdog glory. Uh Leicester City's Thai owners exploring selling the club that led to Premier League blah blah blah. Uh Thailand's King Power, a travel and retail group has owned the club for more than 15 years, has tapped investment bankers at Cityroup to sound out buyers. According to people familiar with the matter, uh Leicester City was acquired by King P's billionaire founder in 2010 with the team midtable in the championship England football second tier. Uh under tie ownership, the team reached the Premier League in 2014 and two years later were crowned champions under head coach Claio Vanier. Um Leicester went on to reach the quarterfinals of the Champion League the following season. Uh but the club and its owners were struck by tragedy in 2018 when Top died in a helicopter crash outside the team stadium with control passing to his son uh top. So did I say I think I probably got that the wrong way round but you know what I mean. You know what I mean.

[00:05:25]Um Leicester initially enjoyed continued success on the pitch uh finishing fifth in the Premier League in 2020 and 21 and winning the FA Cup for the first time.

[00:05:35]However, results turned after the Corona virus pandemic with the club relegated to the championship in 2023. The team bounced back to the top flight for a single season before being relegated again. I'm going to leave it at that. It does go on, but it does go on and on and on. It says that King P's core business has been hit by a drop in visitors to Thailand in the wake of the pandemic, especially from China. Airports of Thailand said in October it had agreed to renegotiate some of the company's retail concessions contract.

[00:06:12]And the interesting thing, Tom, is that the picture they decided to go for with this is the huge banner that was was being held at the front of the march uh that day um saying king power out. Um, I I'm not surprised by this.

[00:06:34]>> No. No. What doesn't surprise you about it, Chris?

[00:06:37]>> Like I say, I wasn't convinced that um he is committed to it. I just didn't hear that in his voice. And I'm sorry, I think my camera might be going a little bit funny here, so bear with me. Um, also when you when you look, you know, we've both been in retail and pretty much like football had it ups and its downs like you know the travel industry and I worked in travel for 30 odd years as well and like any company when things start to go wrong as it has for for Leicester uh or for King Power I should say you look at ways that you can cut about loss making divisions. You know, >> it's like when uh and I know I keep going back to Mike Ashley, but he's the nearest point of, you know, that I've got to compare to, but you know, he bought House of Fraser.

[00:07:37]He then went on to shut House of Fraser down, but kept the shops because that's what he wanted. Um, and I just think looking at this, I think Tops probably looked at it and gone, we need to do something to save King Power here. What is making the most loss here? Leicester City.

[00:07:55]>> Yeah. Well, well, football clubs don't make money, do they? That's >> Exactly. That's the thing. And when you're doing really well as a company, uh, and look, they've looked after, you know, during the Corona virus, there was never anybody on furow or anything like that, but I just think it's got to the point now where Topper has had to make or he's been told he had to make a decision, club or king power. And King Power is he's never going to sell off King Power. The football one, as much as he loves it, the statue will always be there, etc. Um, and I think he's decided now to get out whilst the memory of the the success is still there because obviously the longer he leaves it and we don't get back to the Premier League and that could be three or four seasons. The longer he leaves it, the memory goes. I mean, a Blackburn a good purchase now.

[00:08:51]No, they're not, but they were ex Premier League winners, you know. Um, so I just think that's for me that's why I think he's going to be selling.

[00:09:01]>> Yeah, I think it's a list of priorities, isn't it, Chris? And I think like you say, the main priority, understandably, and correctly so as well, Mar should be King Power because that is the company which him and his dad and his family have built. That has got to be the priority. The football club only gets money when King Power is successful because he's getting paid from it, you know. And the reality is I had to renegotiate all these deals. Co's had a massive effect on tourism, you know, and travel in general. wiped you know years of money off their books you know overnight and I think when you're in that position that you say we've had our problems with finances as well I mean it's been mentioned in the chat they're really put nearly half a billion invested and mostly lost by king power at that time losing that money is irrelevant because you're making so much more you know and that's what the way a lot of football owners do it now they will happily write off all these millions and millions of pounds money we can only dream about having in our bank accounts because basically football clubs are a play thing you know they're a nice little tour you you know in a social group and you know you'll try and do the best you can with it. But but like I said, yeah, the priority has got to be to really get on top of the finances of King Power and then where Leicester fits into that. I think the problem is as well is of course the club has still got some debts now. There was some payments made over the summer which is a credit again to King Power. I know there's a lot of unrest right now, but they have bought off a lot of those debts themselves. That money has come in to turn that into share equity and they are going to lose out from this deal long term. But like you say, Chris, you kind of got to cut your loss at a certain point. And I do wonder if the fact that the football club got very way laid in the last two or three years in particular, maybe even four years, you know, and we had all this financial stress and duress come upon us, you know, not being in the Premier League falling out of that. Now down to the third tier, it all of a sudden has all come into this big sort of climax when you look at the bigger financial picture, you go, I don't think it's going to be a way for the the club to be supported long term with the way everything's going, right? So yes, so no, I I think it's not unexpected. I think the shame for the the King Power side of it or the top side of it is if the club was in the Premier League, you could certainly negotiate a better deal, couldn't you? Because you've got that 180 million TV deal. So it's interesting and unfortunate for him. What however we feel that is happening now.

[00:11:07]>> It is. And yes, you're right. Obviously, you sell a club that's in the Premier League, you're going to get a lot more money for it. Of course you are. Um the the problem that that I think is he's looking at this and going, "How much more can I afford to lose?" I mean, Steve said on last night's show, you know, we're on HMS Piss the league.

[00:11:28]We're going to win the league. I remember that sort of attitude this time last year. We're going to walk the championship. Yeah. We walk right down into League One. Um, so I I I just think that King Power might be looking at this and going, "All right, we're going to get less money for for the club if we sell them in League One."

[00:11:48]>> Yeah.

[00:11:48]>> But we're out of it then.

[00:11:52]>> Yeah, exactly. That's it.

[00:11:54]>> There's a lot of debt attached to this club, you know. I mean, I know he keeps paying it off, but you know, we're getting the last bit of our um parachute payments this season, this summer. Um, but that's already been used via loan via our Australian bank.

[00:12:13]>> Well, exactly. Yeah, because there's different loans, isn't there? There's ones with the bank, there's money that's owed in transfer fees as well, which we've got to pay off over the next year year as well. Um, and when you bring all those things together, you know, it's not just we owe top money, you know, we actually owe other people come money as well. So, and it does suggest right now, especially where the club has operated this summer when you think about so far it's been free transfers, you know, tidying up the vestigard deal, knocking half that, you know, money off and getting rid of him, selling players for 1020 million pounds where we can. I can still see that continuing like I'm sure a lot of us can the chat like Ben Nelson will probably go 10 million maybe W phase 5 million all these little things to try and just get everything together.

[00:12:50]And when you've done that, it does seem a good time to look at, you know, how can you move forward from there. If we quickly go back to last season, if we think about the time when Top gave the interview, right? Um, it's interesting, isn't it? Because I kind of said this at the start of last season, if you don't if you don't, if you probably remember, Chris, I said, I wonder if they'll look at selling in a minute, a year ago, just because, you know, the way it was going and you thought maybe the gamble was, okay, we'll stick with it last season because we think we're going to get back to the Premier League and then we pull the trigger and sell it, right? Because then you, you know, and and that would make sense. Um because you could definitely and I think this is where a lot of the criticism from the fans comes. I know for me it does towards King Power is that it has felt like in the last four years the the direction has been very rudderless you know hasn't it? It's felt like you know the the the eyes not been on the ball when it comes to just the amount of money we've been hemorrhaging you know and the way we've been operating you know and especially when if you think about how the environment has changed for King Power during that time. It's not 10 years ago where King Power could be a little bit more lax on the financials. I just go all chucking 100 million quid at it. Not those days anymore, is it? So, so yeah.

[00:13:55]So, I've lost my train of thought there.

[00:13:56]You take over.

[00:13:57]>> Well, as Tony says there, uh, said to be worth 40 million in League One, but I I I think we could be doing or Top could be doing with Leicester what we've just done with Estard. you know, he could say, "All right, I am going to hold on to the club and hope we can get back into the championship when it might be worth 70 million." Uh, but I'm going to have to pay out to get us there >> and I don't want to put that extra money in.

[00:14:31]>> No. Well, that's exactly. Yeah. I mean, is they paid 17 million for the club, didn't they, Chris, when they bought it?

[00:14:36]um you know which was um so if you think about 40 million that sounds about right for the legal one especially nowadays doesn't it but like you say the problem is is they have invested a hell of a lot of money I mean we must be talking half a billion to a billion you know in money that over the the time they've been here they've invested that is going to be written off but like you say is just taking a little bit of money out of it and then not having that responsibility a better suggestion now rather than going well if we stick we're going to have to probably put in another hundred million and that's the sad thing about how I think one of the things I think they've got wrong over the years and look when you're in Aston or Newcastle's position right now like we were when we were battling in the top six you know you're under a bit of pressure there aren't you to really invest as a supporter Chris even in those days I didn't really need to see the club spending 114% of its income you know I think that's dafted you know I think any business that does that you know long term it's never going to end well is it I would say if you want to spout spend 80% % to 100% and yeah we don't get one player maybe fine but I think they made a rod for their own backs there a little bit as well didn't there as a lot of clubs do and then you've got to pay the piper back later and we've had that legacy carrying on now for about five years haven't we so >> yeah we have and look we've got to say that and I'm you know when so we only get 40 million in effect whoever buys us and let's say that's the agreed price they're not actually paying 40 million. Yes. Well, yes, they are, but they're also taking on probably 70 million pounds worth of bank loans.

[00:16:13]>> Well, I said exactly. It depends on how that's going to be tied up. I mean, and this is what I I wonder what I've said previously a minute ago is that I wonder if the club this year is actually just trying to tie together a lot of loose ends just to make things nice and together because if it was just about getting money in the door, Chris, when they had this interest in the summer about, oh, we might want to invest in the stadium or the training facility, which set my alarm bells ringing straight away because that's basically getting towards asset stripping potentially.

[00:16:39]>> 100%. That was my >> Yeah. Yeah. you know, I think then, you know, it's difficult, but it seems to be like, you know, rather than just grab that cash, let's get everything together. We have to pay a little bit more now, but then we could probably sell it on. So, yeah, but like you say, I mean, there's still probably 50 million quid out there. They're going to have to get from somewhere. I don't think it will come from King Power now.

[00:16:58]It will probably come from player sales, won't it? I mean, Fatu's gone through this week for 20 million pounds. So, a few more deals like that and then we go with the squad we got for um, you know, academy players and free transfers, right? which isn't necessarily going to get us up there, you know.

[00:17:15]>> And look, you know, I I I had a bit of a lively discussion in the WhatsApp chat.

[00:17:20]I don't know if you managed to catch up with it.

[00:17:22]>> I saw a bit of it, but I was like you. I was out of phone signal. I walked to the phone signal. My phone went 41 and read messages.

[00:17:29]>> It it we we we had a disagreement because I I don't buy into this. Oh, Top's only going to sell us to somebody that really loves the club. [ __ ] bollocks. He's a businessman, you know, and yes, his dad has has died in his statues at the the club and what have you, but how often do you go to your grandfather's grave after 20 years?

[00:17:55]Not as much as you go for the first one or two years. And we have to accept that it is a business. Yes, his dad died there, but maybe he wants to get away from that now. You know, we've always said, "How bad must it be and keep turning up there?" And this, how does he know who's going to be good for us?

[00:18:14]Sheffield Wednesday was sold to Chanzeri and for two years that was good for them. You don't know what's going to come after that. He might sell it to somebody that thinks he's going to be good. They might make him promises, you know. Look, I I worked I worked for a company that was bought by another company and said, "Nope, we're not going to make anybody redundant." You know, now I was there in my shop, five doors down from another shop for the company that bought us. I knew I was never going to say, but no, they didn't sack us straight away, but six months later, they shut us down. Of course, they're going to And you don't know who you're selling it to. Look, when when Mandrich sold out Portsmouth, he sold it to a gentleman that was doing it was doing all right and he ended up he ended up selling it on to, you know, um gun runners and >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But but but can I just caveat this? There's a big part of this that is giving us a very very big clue as to how they're going to do this. And it's not going to be top making the decision, Chris, because they've employed City Group out of New York to go and look around potential investors, which would be suggest to me they're looking at North America because it's a North American bank. They haven't gone to the National Bank of Thailand, have they? And gone, do you any investors around and maybe want to buy Leicester from us? No, they've gone over there, which is a place obviously which has got a lot of money, especially when it comes to sporting teams, doesn't it? We've got a lot of owners like the Croakies and you know, whatever you think of them, you know, the Glazers at Manchester United. I was about to say I was about to say. So if we get somebody like the Glazers, >> is that going to be a good sale? No, of course it's not.

[00:19:50]>> Well, the problem is you don't know because like you say, we don't know.

[00:19:53]>> But where everybody is saying old Top will be careful. He'll be careful who he sells it to. He's no [ __ ] idea who he's selling it to.

[00:20:01]>> Well, no, but employing City Group rather than him going off his own back and doing it is different than Mam Madridge calling up one of his mates on his phone, you know, and sort of going, "Would you like to buy a football club for 50 quid?" This is a very proper process and obviously it's going to take a lot of time.

[00:20:14]>> You think Man United were sold through a proper process.

[00:20:17]>> They Hey, look, they were. And look, ultimately, Chris, it you know, you're going to have someone come in and buy you, but you're not going to know. We didn't know when King Power turned up what we were going to get at all, did we?

[00:20:28]>> So, what I'm saying is that everybody that's saying tops, he's going to look after us, he's going to sell us to a good >> Yeah. City but City Group are being employed to make sure that they will follow the due diligence in what a company is that might buy us and all the rest of it.

[00:20:41]>> You still don't know. You still don't.

[00:20:43]>> No, there's a better chance you do.

[00:20:44]There's a better chance you do.

[00:20:46]>> Man United, I'm sure was sold through not necessarily city, but I don't know.

[00:20:51]I'm not a Man United fan, but I don't suppose >> Edwards or whoever it was that owned Man United at the time rang up and said, "Hey, Mr. Dazy, looking to buy a football club." You know what I mean?

[00:21:01]So, we don't know. And then of course we don't know who they're going to sell it on to, you know, and I think if the right buyer comes along, look, everybody's going to be saying, "Oh, let's get, you know, a Qatari group in or a Saudi Arabian group in or or whatever." You can't spend the money.

[00:21:20]Even when you do, look at Newcastle.

[00:21:23]>> No, that's a very good point, guys.

[00:21:24]Yeah. I mean, you can go we want like some sort of oil chic, you know, from, you know, and, you know, have loads of money and all the rest of it. you can't spend it anyway because the rules are completely slanted in the direction of keeping six teams that from having a super league somewhere else because they're scared of losing their revenue.

[00:21:38]>> Newcastle, richest club in the world.

[00:21:41]>> Um they they're they're midtable and and because they're doing it properly in in fairness to them also like I say and I got shot down in the group and it pissed me off a little bit.

[00:21:54]I'm not going to lie. I felt I felt I was very being spoken to very condescendingly that you know that because I quote, you know, Mike Ashley and they were you can't keep quoting that. Why? That's the similar situation.

[00:22:09]He had nothing to do with football before he beat be bought Newcastle.

[00:22:13]These guys had nothing to do with football before they bought Leicester.

[00:22:17]Mike Ashley, yes, he got a good sale, but how many years did it take him to sell? It was one, two, even three seasons.

[00:22:27]>> Yeah.

[00:22:28]>> Because he was holding out for the price. And I was saying, >> I can see Top going, "Yeah, just sell it. Let's just get out because it's costing us money. It It's like a lead weight around our neck. It's dragging us down. It's going to drag King Power down. Just sell it and we'll do like with Estard. We'll just take the hit, but we'll be better off because we'll have sold Leicester City." Because they always say, don't they? How to be a millionaire in football is be a billionaire and buy a football club.

[00:22:55]>> Yeah, exactly. How to turn yourself from a billionaire to a millionaire. Buy a football club.

[00:22:58]>> Exactly.

[00:23:00]>> Um, so why wouldn't he want to sell quickly? Yes, he can hold out for a price.

[00:23:08]>> But yeah, but but Tony, I agree. He sold it for a lot of money and he wanted a lot of money, which is why he didn't sell it for three years. And then what you got to say is all right, Top is saying I won a hundred million for Leicester City, let's say, and nobody's coming in. While it takes that one or two seasons, how much will he be investing in the club?

[00:23:31]>> Well, that's the thing is is that you got to look at it this way is that irrelevant of how much money they're going to get for the football club, they're still making a massive loss, Chris. They might have bought it for 17 million quid, but they've invested so many many multi-millions in this. So look, they they'll have an idea. That is why the City Group Group has probably been brought into it as well for valuation purposes. North American buyers are going to pay more for it than a lot of other places are because obviously they do pay a lot. My my sports teams recently in Toronto, they are 25% left which was wasn't owned by MLSC which has now been sold to a group called Rogers. 4.25 billion for 25%. So we're talking that is the major leagues, right? Isn't it? You know of it. Um, but look, you know, I mean, this decision is seismic in that, you know, I'm sure that there's no way Top or anyone else involved with King Power or the running of the club is looking at this and going, "We can make our money back. We can go out in the market with this group and we'll get 800 to a billion for it."

[00:24:27]That's that's not reality like you say, but I think people overpointed. They're going about it in the right way and it'll probably take a bit of time trying to find the right buyer, maybe get a bidding war in place and maybe we can get somewhere up from 40 plus to maybe 100 million.

[00:24:41]The other thing as well with the Mike Ashley and I know Newcastle fans hated him and they were relegated under him and they came back. However, when he actually sold that club to the Saudis, they were financially sound.

[00:25:00]>> Yes.

[00:25:00]>> Not once under Mike Ashley were they ever done for PSR breaching or different things that it's been called over the time. Not once. when the Taipei and so the the the Saudis came in they bought a club that was financially sound financially they could go they didn't have to worry about PSR you know like when when Chelsea was bought so you know let well you knock Mike Ashley do you want a club that never went down below the championship was financially sound or do you want a club like Leicester that we go for these things and we sail a bit closer to the sun and now we're up to our neck in debt um to banks and of course we're paying the interest on those loans as well. So the longer that he stays with the club that interest is building up and up and up.

[00:25:54]>> Yeah, that's true. Exactly. I'm pretty sure look we don't know how long it's going to take but I would say this will happen within a year now the process is underway right which shows you that it's an active thought process to get this done now and um like you say the club will end up hemorrhaging more money because that's the state of football it doesn't help ironically that they've built this training ground because the training ground obviously is all lovely and all the rest of it but that's an extra cost on top of everything else you know to keep the lights on in there right now isn't it so >> million a year just to run it >> yeah something like that and obviously they would have scaled that back no doubt and understandably so since the relegation. But >> what we have to what we have to remember though is and and you forget this, but we look at that training ground and go like when are we going to see the benefit? When are we going to see these players coming through >> and play for us? Well, the money you get from the training ground, not only is in the players that come into your squad, but also the ones we sell.

[00:26:51]>> Yeah. would we have got what we got for um Monga had we not trained him up and you know he been working out at the the I yeah you know >> it's difficult because KDH we sold and Chillwell for a lot of money they did they came from Belvad drive didn't they >> yeah but you get the idea where I'm going >> what you're saying is longer term you should produce more players of that higher salailable value because of what we're going to bring in because of the facility I totally agree hey look that's an attractive part of it it's been mentioned in the chat Chris the Good thing is we're not a football club say that is in a Sheffield Wednesday position at the moment touchwood our finances don't get any worse where things are desperate yet you know where like we are really looking at problems and then it means we might not be a worthwhile investment for someone we've got fantastic facilities we've got probably the 13th or 14th biggest supporter fan base in the country probably top 10 English club supported in the world you think about the worldwide exposure there is a lot to like about buying Leicester City Football Club a lot to like There is uh and we are the only club in the county so we haven't got competition >> exactly >> from anywhere else. All right, let me throw this at you then.

[00:28:02]>> Was the start of all and I have mentioned this before. Was the start of all our troubles winning the Premier League?

[00:28:10]>> No, no, no, no, no. I think the start of all our problems was when um I and I don't think it's because of us winning the Premier League. I think well it's not it shouldn't be blamed on us this because this is where football's gone wrong. The way football has been run since we won the Premier League has been disgraceful because all the big clubs threw their toys out the pram like little children and basically wanted to create a very disparitative sort of environment which meant that they always had 10020 million advantage of every other club so that things like this couldn't get in their way of success right rather than working on themselves to be better. This is how it's worked out. That should be blamed on us for being successful. Not at all. that should be just blamed on, you know, the game unfortunately we're in.

[00:28:48]>> What I mean is though, >> had we not won the Premier League >> and maybe if we' just come third and still ended up in the Champions League, but winning the Premier League, we then had to keep that up because once you've won the Premier League, you then can't go and say, "Well, all right, we'll qualify for the Europa League next season." You you've tasted that and it was the same with Leeds when when they won it that time and they they were in a worse position than we were. You've tasted that Wagu steak. You want more of it. You don't want to go back to rum.

[00:29:23]You know what I mean?

[00:29:23]>> I see what you tie into the way they've spent the money, right? But the interesting thing is is that King Power and the way they've spent the money has always been the same throughout day one.

[00:29:31]Even before we won the Premier League, do you remember under spending, we went and spent what 15 million quid and won transfer window, you know, in the Championship. we were like mid-table and he got sacked after Milw. God rest him, you know. Um, you know, so no, it's it's just it's not something which was alien.

[00:29:44]It wasn't something that happened post winning the Premier League. It was something King Power had always done.

[00:29:48]What changed was obviously the rules around that to stop that from happening.

[00:29:52]And I've always said this to other clubs who were happy to kick us as fans when we were getting our points deductions and the Premier League being on our ass.

[00:29:58]And I was like, you're looking at the wrong people because they'll be coming after you next. And that'll be Newcastle Aston Villa for two, won't it? Forest.

[00:30:06]>> Yeah. No, no, but like I said, I mean, I'm trying to sort of not say this is why, but more is this why, if you like.

[00:30:14]>> If I was involved with a King Power Group, I never would have encouraged them to spend 114 at any position, you know, percent of the earnings at any time because it just doesn't make fun, you know, but that's their choice and they've done it before we won the Premier League and all the way through and it has obviously come to roost now probably, which is why we're here. I mean, you know, we we had S Claudia who went and won the thing for us. And yes, you could argue that other clubs were having their own problem, but you still got to play 38 games. You still got to win the damn thing, which we did. We then had Claudia going out and buying questionable players, shall we say. Um we then had >> Rogers come in and he came in with his own uh agenda on how he wanted to to run things which that the manager you can and in fairness to to to King Power they always back the manager whether that was Cooper you know Cooper coming and saying I want to buy a AO and Dere um you know they've backed them but I suppose we lost our identity under Rogers but then when you've got two fifth place finishes only just missing out on Champions League and winning the FA Cup. You got to be thinking we can put our trust in this man.

[00:31:26]>> Well, it's they're the sliding doors moments of this, aren't they? Because you do wonder if we got in those Champions League places because then all of a sudden, Chris, it was honestly the revenue. You carry on there knocking stuff over, mate. Sorry. He's only had half of them in here, guys. But >> you carry on. I'll carry on while you do that. But yeah, >> fallen down.

[00:31:45]>> Oh, your clock's fallen down. Oh, it's time's up for King Power, guys. There you go. That's an omen, isn't it? But no, um, they were sliding doors moments in history because that Champions League revenue, you know, would have been huge for us. Even if we only just been in the group stage, we got a few wins. It would have been, you know, TV revenue plus the win winning money from that as well.

[00:32:01]Yeah, it was a big moment for us. I think you talk about how the clubs always back the managers. There has been a problem recently and I think this started with Brendan Rogers where Brendan wanted to go out and spend some more money and the club obviously couldn't afford to do it because you couldn't afford like was rightly said I believe by Tony in the chat earlier they threw away 250 million quids worth of players. I mean, we should have sold Tielemans with 40 million quid like Villa have just done now, you know, they don't really want to send him 40 million quid, but he's going to walk. We we should have done it because we needed that 40 million quid and we needed to keep that cycle going, you know, and they didn't do that, you know, they held firm and that meant when Brendan Rogers came out and said, "I need a new team."

[00:32:36]We didn't have any money to give him, did we? You know, and that's what caused all this problem. And that's something I think King Power has got wrong throughout all this because because I think you you know and I think they've got it right now because by all accounts what we're hearing from what's going on with Russell Martin and James Macaron all seems like everyone's on the same page reading from the same book understanding sales are going to have to happen. Free transfers are probably where we're going. We're going to build from here and that's great. That hasn't been the case and that is a big part of the problem because people have been told things they're going to be expect to get. Rude van destroy famously was told he was going to get some money.

[00:33:06]What got Kabali Chris and that was it for 2.5 million.

[00:33:10]>> This is the thing with wicking power is and I know it is maybe the the tie way the secret and everything's close to your chest etc. >> I started to to have doubts with uh King Power when it came to that Brendan Rogers season when he wanted to go out and buy and he wasn't told he couldn't.

[00:33:32]You know, allegedly he had players training that he wanted to bring in and he could. Now, if Top had come out and said to him, "This is the situation," he could have made the decision stay or go at the start of the season. if they'd told the fans in advance, but because he was so spineless and gutless, he never told us until his man his chairman notes in the I forget it was in the uh program for the Manchester United game on um transfer deadline day night.

[00:34:04]>> Yeah. you know, and it was too late to do anything. By which time, I mean, you know, yes, like that's what you do when you're in Thailand, but when you're in England, come on, guys. You run a multi-billion pound corporation here.

[00:34:18]When you're in England, you do as England.

[00:34:21]>> Well, I mean, it's difficult.

[00:34:23]>> An English company goes over and runs um and buys a a company in um America, Tesco. They tried to expand into America, do it the English way, didn't work, and they shut down and had to come out. You you have to look at the local and I don't think they they they understood that. I I I I think the thing is is I don't think it was malicious. I I think there's no maliciousness in it.

[00:34:49]I think there was a want and a desire to always back every manager that's been in this football club. The problem is is that obviously we've had the problems with COVID. Plus, then we got the the rules of football changing, so you can't just go and chuck 200 million quid at it. If that was the case, I'm pretty sure then Brendan would have got his money and we'd have had a rebuild and we'd probably still be in the Premier League now. Honestly, >> a lot to answer for, I think.

[00:35:11]>> Oh, definitely. Yeah, because also it took interest away from your eyes on the football club, which is then no doubt allow things to slip and it's why John Rudkin has taken some, you know, quite hefty pelters from people because he was kind of the guy left in charge of the the bus, wasn't he? you know, in the driver's seat with a bus hat on and um unfortunately some wheels started falling off. He didn't start fixing tires. So, um yeah, you know, well, that's the impression we get. Anyway, just to be clear about that because we don't want to blame one person, but but that is all tied into obviously what has gone on at King Power. It's been a bit of a perfect storm this Chris. I don't think by any means they're awful owners.

[00:35:43]When you look at historically, they're going to have a great legacy at Leicester City. But I do believe there as there were some decisions made in the last few years that unfortunately didn't serve to bring the fans back on side as Top would have very much wanted what he suggested in the interview. I think instead actually it's only just diversified and created more of a problem in the fan base which was a bit of a shame because I think there was an opportunity there to really refresh how the club was run um a few years ago and go well if we're going to take a step back and bring in people to run the club for us and then we pay them to do it and then you know fine and then we'll we'll get it all done properly. Unfortunately things got a little bit elongated and then we had obviously Susan Wheelen left didn't she you know which was a you know difficult thing. Yeah. So, it's just become a bit of a mess. I mean, the only good thing is irrelevant to if we sell the club this year or or not, or they do, is that it does seem now at least they're getting on top of it a bit better.

[00:36:35]>> Yeah. Okay. Let me ask you this question.

[00:36:41]Why would Cop want to stay at Leicester?

[00:36:45]>> Legacy and for the connection with his father.

[00:36:49]Yeah. Um that is no doubt that that is no doubt had an effect. I mean like and it would do you know because I think you got to feel like you're wanted and I think there's definitely been a portion last year. I've been I've been very honest about this. I said look I just feel just from how things have panned out the last few years not just from the fans side of things but from the club side of things that on the pitch side of things and you know and just Top personally it kind of feels like that it's a bit of a weight around the neck that Top doesn't need this football club. He's got a lot of bigger things to do. There's an emotional element to it which you know I I look you know I know we said this before that you know that parents unfortunately pass away and all the rest of it. This was a highly traumatic event. It's been a few years now but this is not something normal to have a helicopter crash and you lose your father somewhere where you have great memories of that can have lasting effects on you for the rest of your life you know. So I I I I completely think that look I think when it's uncomfortable if there's a way to get to this to a place where there can be a happy ending and when we can have the legacy and retain obviously all the things that Vichshai did you know with the statue and obviously we've got obviously the remembrance garden as well. I think that's a great way for it to be and it'll be nice to have that rather than a really awful apocalyptic style end where he runs out of money and then obviously King Power runs out of money and we're in the film Inception.

[00:38:06]I'm not sure you've seen that with Killian Murphy where they go into his dreams to plant an idea which basically leads to the destruction of his family's business. Right. We don't want to be in that position. None of us.

[00:38:15]>> No. No. And I have to say if that was me and look Yeah. Like like we we said it earlier, would you want to turn up at your the place where your dad died at least once a month? No.

[00:38:27]>> I have a place I used to work I would not walk in because I hate it that much, you know. That was you know. You see what I mean? You know.

[00:38:33]>> Yeah. and he he's got he has to he's had to have been in Thailand a lot because of the way king you know the the king power business has gone but when you're sat there at a you know you've turned up which top was there this day and you see this on the news and this was all over Sky news um what what did the those people and I'm I'm not going to call them names because everybody's entitled to their opinion I don't see any problem with it, Chris. Just just to say that before you carry on. But yeah, I don't see any problem with it. But I'll explain why in a minute.

[00:39:08]>> Yeah, but as the owner, I would tell I say, "Well, [ __ ] the lot of you then. If you don't want me here, that's fine.

[00:39:17]I'll sell it." Mike Ashley's knocking on me door. I'm using that as a as, you know, as a joke. Um, Chanzir is in the queue as well. Um, I've got the Glazers on the phone to me. You want me to sell, I am very very happy to sell. Now, I'm not coming on to Rudkin because that's something else. He's not an owner. But if I was watching sat there watching that on Sky News, Sky Sports News before the match after everything that I had done for the club, >> it had cost it had cost me my dad. I've got billions I've been writing off every year to try and keep this club going.

[00:39:54]And you're coming down doing that. I would say [ __ ] the lot of you. I'm out of here.

[00:40:02]And then you can also add on top of that the amount of money that King Power and the football club has invested in the city of Leicester and the community of Leicester. You know there was an awful situation where a flat blew up in a family were were you know had an awful experience. The football club went and helped them that you know the rearial of Richard III you know in a Christian church you know um you know there was a lot of money put forward from that the hospital donations after winning the Premier League. All these things, Chris, are bigger than football and were nice things to do and very very good things to do, but they're not some things that that are expected, right? Um, so no, I completely I completely see that and we will lose sight of that as fans of the football club, understandably as well.

[00:40:40]Um, you know, because we get completely, you know, holed up by the footballing side of it. Um, but just to see what I was going to say about this, I I say this, I I think I never have a problem with people protesting or showing upset about things, you know. Um, I know we could argue either Ciphers and this is why the fan base is so divided on the King Power issue because there's a lot of emotional involvement as well as logical ones with this. It's not a usual relationship we've had with our ownership, especially with the adventure we've been on. It's been a highly emotional thing to go out there and win the Premier League at 5,000 to one odds.

[00:41:11]You know, it was never on the cards, was it? Um, so yeah, but I I I think people have got a right to process and right to voice their their sort of concerns. I think when you go too far as some of the chanting we saw last season directed to a certain individual, that was where the line was crossed. That shouldn't have happened.

[00:41:26]>> Racist chanting to top as well at the same >> Yeah. Yeah. See that that that's just like completely ridiculous. And and those little things would have no doubt had a bit of an effect on this as well.

[00:41:35]Right. But >> and I'm not saying you haven't got a right to do that. 100% you've got a right to protest. That's my point. We live in a free country, you know. Um allegedly sometimes >> my bills a tax say otherwise but okay.

[00:41:52]>> Yeah I know but um uh but what I'm saying is everything has its consequences. Now the owner any owner of a football club >> is going to be loved when it's going well.

[00:42:06]>> Yeah.

[00:42:06]>> And is going to be hated when it's not going well. Of course they are. That that goes you know that that's the script.

[00:42:15]But don't be surprised when you do this sort of thing if you know the the the owner comes out and says, "I'm off. See you." And he sells it to somebody. And the grass isn't always greener. That's one of the things I live by is the grass isn't always greener.

[00:42:34]>> Well, no, this is true. Exactly. And I I we know this probably pretty much for certain. the new ownership that will come into the football club, I don't think is going to be spending money on hospitals, you know, or things of this nature. It's very unlikely. It is very unlikely because it'll be probably more of a business that comes in next, you know. Um, and you know, that that is a sad thing about this and I I do feel a bit sad about it. I know a lot of people probably won't. I mean, for me, I just I feel more for top. It's the right decision not to carry on with something which is so heavy for him. I just think it doesn't serve anyone a positive purpose, you know, and I think there's bigger things than just football at play here, right? Um, so yeah, >> and we have to say that football is no longer just a sport. If the the World Cup has shown us anything, you know, it's a business.

[00:43:18]>> It's >> Oh, yeah. And it's going that way more.

[00:43:20]>> It's a Exactly. Exactly. You know, this is not the club that I grew up supporting. This is not even the club that King Power bought out and gave us all a free beer when we got promoted because because Top had promised it to us. You know, it is a But then football itself itself changing. Yeah. And we do have to be like I say, I just want I just cannot understand the idiots that are saying, "Oh, Top will make sure we sell it to a good person and all this." You don't know. You do not know. No, no, but we do know he's at least with hiring city group, like I say, a very reputable. I think that that is the way to do it. So, we can't throw any shade at him for the way it's done. He's not sat there waiting by a phone waiting for someone to call in from, you know, a random place. So, >> yeah. No, we will see. Let's go through some of the chat because we've not really got the chat involved to be honest with you. So, >> yeah. Apologies there, guys. We've been going off on one.

[00:44:15]>> Yeah. Yeah. Uh, Clebo says, "Afternoon, Craig Gil." Well, I think we did these right at the start, didn't we? Dawn is in and Andreas. Um, Dawn says, "Top needs to tell us supporters the trust."

[00:44:28]>> This is a good point because I think this is where it went wrong a few years ago when all the financial problems happened with PSR and all the rest of it. The club basically put out a few statements saying they were going to challenge it and all the rest of it, making basically a really long mess of it that went over many, many years. And that damaged a lot of the tr the trust between the supporters and the club, didn't it?

[00:44:47]>> Yeah. M >> um Tony says the club needs to be sold.

[00:44:51]2 million invested in players in three windows. Um >> a lot of that is backlog because we've invested it before. We got to pay the price now. Yeah. But you're right.

[00:45:00]>> Yeah. Um Kevin's in from Lakeland in Florida. How do you mate? Uh I think we me did mention these at a time. Um let's have a look. Parachute money all gone to the Aussie bank. I don't know if it's all but the vast majority is yes because we we've borrowed that in advance. Uh and of course like I say we pay an interest on it as well but you would hope that the you know running king power they would know what they're doing with loans and everything. Um I'd like to sign anyone for a free now says planet earth that we know tops hearts doesn't beat blue promotion is questioned now you know.

[00:45:39]>> Well I don't think we were going to sign anyone for a fee anyway unfortunately.

[00:45:43]No, I don't. The main mistake was letting 250 million of players walk for nothing.

[00:45:49]>> Yes. And look, every year they in fairness, every year they had sold a player for money. And it wasn't really their fault that Tielemans had no offers in for him.

[00:46:02]>> Well, no, there was interest though. We we could we we could have made a deal.

[00:46:06]>> But then if we'd sold him cheap, people would have moaned, "Oh, you should have got more for him." Uh yeah, it's a football club. Everybody's going to disagree all the time. Um >> just a quick one, Chris, before you carry on that. Um so SCR, right, you know, the squad cap ratio, whe whatever we are under now in League One. Um um just to bring that up. So say for example, if Top wanted to invest in us, the reality of that is if you invest, you only get to spend 50% of what you invest. So basically he if we want to spend 10 million quid, we need to pay off all these debts and all the rest of it first. We don't get a transfer embargo. Then whatever top wants to spend, he needs to put in double. So this happening at Oxford right now, they've got a transfer embargo and it's really weird because the ownership apparently got a lot of money. But the way to get out of it would be for them to chuck 40 million quid at the club now. Then they'd be out of embargo. They might be able to spend some money because they can spend 20 about 8 million quid once they paid off the 12 million or whatever it is. Right? I'm not fully sure on the financial side of that. But that's the big problem with it. I don't think the football club has got access to that money because any loans that could come in are probably now got not going to come because we're not a Premier League club so we're not attractive, right? So our credit isn't going to be good especially when we constantly living off interest and not paying off these Aussie bank loans for quite a while rolling them over against future Premier League revenue which doesn't look like it's going to happen.

[00:47:20]And then you also King Power itself hasn't probably got 40 60 million pounds right to allow us then to go and spend.

[00:47:26]So that's probably why we're at this decision of looking at us.

[00:47:28]>> I think we should also remember that actually king power don't own us anymore.

[00:47:35]>> No, it's been changed a few times this hasn't it?

[00:47:37]>> It we are owned I think it's 50% by top and the other 50% is split between his mom and his siblings. So we're actually owned by the Shiran Nappa and I'm not going to attempt you butcher it. uh but owned by uh you know the family. So it's all his personal money that he's been putting in and he's you know he's had a family since and that's obviously taken some of it >> and that's that's a big part of it Chris. I mean it's not all about Top. I mean what would his mom want to do because it's also an emotional thing for his mom and his brother you know and like so so it is a big decision. I imagine Top would probably be the one pulling for the last few years to stick with the club to be honest but we don't know.

[00:48:18]>> No, we don't. It is attractive. Good fan base planning permission for development. There will be no shortage of buyers. Look, good fan base. And then if you're thinking of buying Leicester, you look at that picture.

[00:48:33][ __ ] off. I'm not buying that.

[00:48:34]>> Well, no. You look at the numbers, Chris. The numbers are I mean, we're we I I swear by we must be in the top 10 most supported clubs in in the world for for English teams. You know what I mean?

[00:48:42]Like, you know, you go abroad. I mean, like I go abroad and you see Lester shirts and how that didn't happen before we won the Premier League. But but you know it does. Yeah.

[00:48:51]>> Probably because we were too were too embarrassed to wear them.

[00:48:55]>> Well, that's true. Yeah. I think sadly the planning permission has lapsed now for the stadium itself because obviously there was a window there you could operate and obviously they haven't actioned it due to money. But it's very likely it would be issued again in the circumstances or something close to >> Yeah. Because we own the land. It's just the the plan.

[00:49:10]>> Exactly. We'd have to do a new application. talking about embarrassing Lester, my my neighbor's um daughter's uh partner was down earlier and um and I went out just as he was leaving. He goes, "All right, yeah, I'm fine, thank you." And he's Scottish.

[00:49:26]>> And I said, "Oh." I said, "I won't mention Scotland to you after the World Cup." And he went, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

[00:49:32]And then he turned around and said, "And I won't mention Leicester to you either." And I'm like, "Boom. Yes, you got me there. You got me there." Uh the right thing to do now is the right time to sell. King Power time is up. Um it's true that Leicester Well, yeah, we've just been talking.

[00:49:49]>> We believe. We believe so, mate. Yeah.

[00:49:51]>> Find a good buyer. The club will be back in the right track. It's that good buyer thing though.

[00:49:56]>> Yeah. Yeah. But that's down to City Group. That's why we've employed That's why Top has rightly employed someone else to do it on behalf rather than doing it themselves, Chris. So, no, I have more confidence in this because of that process. I'd be really worried if we had taken a little bit of money this summer for the stadium and the training facilities. I'd be bricking it. That could that because that could have happened. So this shows a good intent from top for me. Very good intent.

[00:50:15]>> And I agree because that that would show me that like say you said it before asset stripping that would hit me.

[00:50:23]>> That's the worry.

[00:50:25]>> But we also don't know we might have somebody come in like let's say a Mike Ashley who absolutely rips us apart for asset stripping. I mean, Mike Ashley when he was buying Newcastle would have probably passed easily every, you know, he's a rich billionaire. He owns Sports Direct and all this. He then asset strips Newcastle United and then it's who he might sell it on to. That's the thing we've always got to remember. Um, if King Power Group sell the company, uh, it is the way to stick in League One, not going up. Um, it's a typical Ashley investment. Uh, Ashley bought the Jordans. Yes, he did. He did. But like I say, it was those three or four seasons when he was We know how often were Newcastle fans celebrating because, oh, he's going to sell. He's going to sell.

[00:51:20]And then they wouldn't give him what he wanted, whatever that was, let's say, and then he went on for another season.

[00:51:26]But what I'm saying is that those three or four seasons while that's going on is Top going to be in a position to cover loans and whatever you man who that you know >> that's not it's a good point this Tony because it makes you wonder whoever comes in next are they going to be someone looking to pick up a bargain like say oh we'll give them 40 million quid then we could be the ones to get them back to the Premier League and then sell them for 400 500 million or whatever right that's the worry I prefer to get now the people that want to stick here longer term term and make that money themselves.

[00:51:58]>> That was my point in in the WhatsApp chat earlier is that somebody's going to get us on the cheap if they buy now. And look, like you say, City Bank aren't going to make a decision.

[00:52:09]>> That's why I think they've appointed them because I think then it gets away from like lower class entries almost. Do you know what I mean? It's it's aiming towards top end investors.

[00:52:18]>> But what what I'm saying is that they could still sell us this season. They could find somebody in six months. Yeah, I've got the money here. Blah blah blah.

[00:52:28]Um, you know, I mean, look, the tie ownership that used to own Manchester City >> before the the heav >> Yeah, he he was he got arrested. Uh, you know, there's been we don't know. That's all I'm saying is we could be sold cheap. So, two things could happen here. We could be so cheap because somebody thinks this is the club that I'm going to get back in the Premier League and do that and stick with it.

[00:52:56]>> How many times has that happened to Sunderland? Remember Sunderland until we die on Netflix? That amount of people they bought and solded before they got to these guys was about two, wasn't it?

[00:53:05]Two two Bradford it's happened to as well.

[00:53:07]>> But what I'm saying is you could find a buyer like that >> that think, oh, if I buy them next year, I'll actually be paying more than I'm going to buy for them now. and the loans.

[00:53:19]>> I'm going to get them cheap and we'll get them up to the Premier League and I'm going to stick with them because I want to stick with them and make them a good club. Or you got the guy that wants to buy it because we're cheap. Try to get us up and then like you like you've just said, sell. So there's either side.

[00:53:33]Yeah, either those two things could happen obviously.

[00:53:36]>> Yeah, that's I wonder if it will be like a big sporting group that already owns clubs in America. I I think that's the target they're looking for. I think you need that because if there was one thing I think that and I don't want to be too critical of of King Power, but what experience did they have in running a football club or a sports club now?

[00:53:56]>> Yeah, that's why you got to bring in the right people, isn't it? We've question this.

[00:54:00]>> You could argue that with the Blazes.

[00:54:02]Well, look what they owned and they they didn't know what they were doing. They were just buying the name, I think, at the end of the day. I don't know. But you would hope that if somebody came in, look at Chelsea as well. They own baseball clubs. You But you would hope that if somebody already owned a a a football club or baseball club or or another sort of club in America, that they'd have some idea of how to run a sports business.

[00:54:27]>> I'm going to laugh my ass off if it ends up being MLSC or Rogers, who obviously own my hockey team and the football team in Toronto as well. But they got billions, so who knows?

[00:54:36]>> Who knows? Who knows? Give get on the phone to them, Tom. Get >> No, I don't like them. I don't like them. They don't They're rubbish.

[00:54:42]>> No.

[00:54:43]>> Yeah. Um, yeah. Timing is everything.

[00:54:47]Um, promoted and relegated again and again just makes the club's financial problem worse. We've always been like that. We've been a yo-yo. We've We've been promoted more times from the second tier than any other team in history, which also means, of course, we've been relegated more times. It certainly hasn't helped us during this period of history in particular to be going through it because if you were doing what Bournemouth were doing right now, you'd have a stable idea every year what you can spend.

[00:55:14]>> But then again, I remember when I first came down because obviously I live just outside Bournemouth like I say 20 years ago and their players were stood outside the pavilion theater with buckets collecting money to keep the club going.

[00:55:27]>> I remember that's what that is probably as big as Leicester winning the Premier League. that story of how they stayed out of going to non-league and probably going back >> minus 17 points they were on.

[00:55:37]>> I remember up that afternoon watching it on Sky Sports News and thinking they're going to do this. They're going to stay up. No idea they make it to the Premier League so so quickly afterwards.

[00:55:47]>> And that would have been the story of the year had we not gone and won the Premier League.

[00:55:51]>> Well, that's exactly it kind of got lost in the thing. It was it's a huge story.

[00:55:54]That's like a Disney film waiting to be made that someday.

[00:55:57]It is that that that that is that is a film. Um Top wouldn't do that and that's his problem. He's too loyal.

[00:56:05]>> Money money says a lot. Money speaks a lot when you're in business.

[00:56:08]>> I think it says a lot. The fact that he is willing to to sell the club, you know? Um in some ways, I think that the loyalty of if I can't serve it in the right manner, it's kind of like letting a girlfriend go because you know you're bad for her or something like that, right?

[00:56:22]>> You know what I mean? It's a bit a bit of an odd logic perhaps, but you know what I mean. It's kind of like a a like a real kind love. Really soft.

[00:56:28]>> Yeah.

[00:56:29]>> Do you think Russell knew? I don't think um Well, I think he I think he would have been told more than the previous managers have been because >> I was going to say I heard a story about this. I'm not sure how true it is.

[00:56:41]Apparently went for an interview with us a year before, didn't he? And apparently he asked the question then and there was there was basically an answer. It might happen then. So, I'm pretty sure reading between the lines, the fact he's come back and we've got him this time, he probably does know what what's going on.

[00:56:55]>> Uh, Terrence has no interested party at the moment. Um, Prashant was in. Uh, I wouldn't want KP to leave, but add a partner who can really help. Um, >> well, that still could be on the table here because of course that, you know, just just they've put up obviously there'll be interest in, you know, maybe someone buying the club, but that doesn't have to be the whole club. You know, that's a very good point. I mean, Cityroup could go out there and find someone for us. I keep whenever I say City Group, I keep thinking Man City are going to buy us. There's a bank in there's a bank in New York, guys. All right. So, don't get the wrong ideas.

[00:57:29]We're not going to end up like Strasburg, you know, on Chelsea's backpack or whatever, you know. But, um, >> but no, I think that is another way this could happen actually, Pashan. And I think that is something maybe they would entertain, you know. I mean, in actually, ironically, that way you might end up in a position, Chris, where actually you get more money back long term as well. Say for example you wanted to do a phase out thing and you had a certain amount of the club bought now 33% or whatever else for you know 40 million quid whatever else then obviously you carry on from there and then obviously the idea is that top will sell the rest of it off and if you're increasing up the leagues at that point that will return a better investment for the ownership especially bearing in mind the 500 plus million they put into it.

[00:58:09]So I don't think that's a bad show. I think if I was to make a prediction now that is pro probably quite likely that could happen. It could indeed. We will wait. Look, we always say it following Leicester City is like a roller coaster ride has more ups and downs than a bride's knickers on a wedding night. So, we will wait and see what happens. Tom, you're a gentleman, sir. Twice in two days you've dug me out. So, I really do appreciate that.

[00:58:35]>> That's all right, miss. I'm like buses.

[00:58:36]I won't turn up now for a week. See you later, guys.

[00:58:40]>> Take care. Stay on because I have a quick question for you. Um, and yeah, can any can everybody please do all the likes, subscribe and all that sort of thing. Thank you very much for joining in. Uh, it's going to be an interesting uh interesting season. I think we can guarantee that. And um I will be back in half an hour with Wayne and Jim at Halime. We're going to be watching us play Kadis and we'll see how good we we we well how good we really are. We'll see. It's preseason at the end of the day. Let's not uh let's not look too much into it. Um but yeah, thanks very much and uh if I can press the right button, which I should be able to now, um I'll see you at 5:30. Take care. Bye.

[00:59:26]>> That's it for another show. And from all the team at Lex Till I Die TV, thanks for watching, listening, and getting involved. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss another show.

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