This is a first step.

It gives a degree of certainty which hopefully heralds a more professional era in terms of things that go on above the manager's head.

Hopefully he can get the right people in place with regards to the football side of things.

It can't be a coincidence that this is being confirmed around the time that Heckingbottom is about to be sacked.

Six months from now:

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/473/188/f2d.gif

Wonder if he’ll be at OT on Wednesday to watch his team play United

Hasn't it been 'next week' for the last few months

I can't say that I am optimistic. I am at least hopeful. I can' really see how we can gets things much worse on the football side than we have in the last decade.

comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
I can't say that I am optimistic. I am at least hopeful. I can' really see how we can gets things much worse on the football side than we have in the last decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can hear Bachman–Turner Overdrive tuning up their instruments

comment by Jalisco Red - Losing My Reguilón (U4195)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
I can't say that I am optimistic. I am at least hopeful. I can' really see how we can gets things much worse on the football side than we have in the last decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can hear Bachman–Turner Overdrive tuning up their instruments
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are we doing it for charidee?

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (U2462)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Jalisco Red - Losing My Reguilón (U4195)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
I can't say that I am optimistic. I am at least hopeful. I can' really see how we can gets things much worse on the football side than we have in the last decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can hear Bachman–Turner Overdrive tuning up their instruments
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are we doing it for charidee?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dingle?

I'm skeptical but I guess it's better than nothing. If the Glazers have no real interest in the runing of the club and are content to just receive money for doing nothing then this could work but I'm concerned that 1 or 2 of the Glazers still want some kind of say on things.

I have 0 optimism. Better to expect the worse rather especially with how things been the last few years.

Ratcliffe doesn't have to be the messiah and his team doesn't have to be especially talented for this to represent a net positive. If operational control of the sporting aspect of the business passes to people who consider on field performance to be important from people who were utterly uninterested in it, that's progress.

comment by Pride of the North (U6803)
posted 1 hour ago
Hasn't it been 'next week' for the last few months
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This. The International break was the last one I heard.

It would have been nice to have the deal done before Saturday evening so we wouldn't have lost to Newcastle. Delaying another week means we risk also losing to Chelsea. Our next fixture is Bournemouth which we would have won with or without the new owner so the timing seems completely off to me.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 9 minutes ago
Ratcliffe doesn't have to be the messiah and his team doesn't have to be especially talented for this to represent a net positive. If operational control of the sporting aspect of the business passes to people who consider on field performance to be important from people who were utterly uninterested in it, that's progress.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sadly there is still no evidence that operational control of the club is moving from the Glazers.

I hate being right on this issue but I said all along these utter s had no intention of selling the club.

And I would love to see how much, if any, of Jim’s investment trickles down to the club.

comment by Jalisco Red - Losing My Reguilón (U4195)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 minute ago
I can't say that I am optimistic. I am at least hopeful. I can' really see how we can gets things much worse on the football side than we have in the last decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can hear Bachman–Turner Overdrive tuning up their instruments
----------------------------------------------------------------------
First gig I ever went to was BTO. It was at the Free Trade Hall and it was packed out because an up and coming rock group called Thin Lizzy was the support act. Needless to say Lizzy were immense. Dont remember BTO.

Say what you like about the Glazers, but they’ve won a watch getting anybody to pay absolutely top dollar, for a minority stake, in this long-running sh1tshow. Quite extraordinary really. You would like to think the only way is up though, once he gets his feet under the table.

The hold up has apparently not been with the Glazers though has it? Supposedly a lawyer issue.

Glad we are finally going to see some changes anyway. There's no way it can get worse with the utter buffoons we have running the club.

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 9 minutes ago
Ratcliffe doesn't have to be the messiah and his team doesn't have to be especially talented for this to represent a net positive. If operational control of the sporting aspect of the business passes to people who consider on field performance to be important from people who were utterly uninterested in it, that's progress.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sadly there is still no evidence that operational control of the club is moving from the Glazers.

I hate being right on this issue but I said all along these utters had no intention of selling the club.

And I would love to see how much, if any, of Jim’s investment trickles down to the club.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I have no idea about the veracity of the reporting, but it seems to be coming from solid journalists who check their sources. It's certainly unusual but technically feasible, and I don't think a deal giving Ratcliffe control of *sporting operations only* is particularly implausible, given that:

1. Ratcliffe's history suggests he would be unwilling to invest a lot of money without either having agency to add value to the business or some other rapid pathway to a good return.
2. The fact that the Glazers have never shown any interest in sporting strategy themselves, or even in the monitoring the competence of the people in charge of it. Why would they have an issue with giving up something they never cared about (particularly to a dude who is offering them a lot of money and promising he can inflate the value of the rest of their stake in the business) when they still retain control of the business itself?

Jim isn't buying 25% and stopping there. How could he?
He's the most successful and richest Brit on the planet. I seriously doubt his long term goal is to stay as someone who props up the Glazers. 25% will just be the start. Eventually he will get 51% I'm sure of it.

People need to remember too that you don't need 100% of the club. The Glazers don't even currently have that and they call the shots.

Another 1.25bn and he would have 50% and be incredibly close to 51 and full control.

It's happening people. The long goodbye has started.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 9 minutes ago
Ratcliffe doesn't have to be the messiah and his team doesn't have to be especially talented for this to represent a net positive. If operational control of the sporting aspect of the business passes to people who consider on field performance to be important from people who were utterly uninterested in it, that's progress.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sadly there is still no evidence that operational control of the club is moving from the Glazers.

I hate being right on this issue but I said all along these utters had no intention of selling the club.

And I would love to see how much, if any, of Jim’s investment trickles down to the club.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I have no idea about the veracity of the reporting, but it seems to be coming from solid journalists who check their sources. It's certainly unusual but technically feasible, and I don't think a deal giving Ratcliffe control of *sporting operations only* is particularly implausible, given that:

1. Ratcliffe's history suggests he would be unwilling to invest a lot of money without either having agency to add value to the business or some other rapid pathway to a good return.
2. The fact that the Glazers have never shown any interest in sporting strategy themselves, or even in the monitoring the competence of the people in charge of it. Why would they have an issue with giving up something they never cared about (particularly to a dude who is offering them a lot of money and promising he can inflate the value of the rest of their stake in the business) when they still retain control of the business itself?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree with this. They can't really lose letting Jim take control. He won't do any worse than what they have overseen. And he will be motivated to improve the fortunes of the club so that his investment is actually worth what he paid for it.

Eventually he will get 51% I'm sure of it.

It's happening people. The long goodbye has started.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Long" being the operative word. I think it's clear that the Glazers intend to cash out at some point, but we have seen that they never hurry into a decision and that they are determined to extract the maximum from the sale. The sooner, the better - but don't set yourself up for disappointment.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 minutes ago
Eventually he will get 51% I'm sure of it.

It's happening people. The long goodbye has started.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Long" being the operative word. I think it's clear that the Glazers intend to cash out at some point, but we have seen that they never hurry into a decision and that they are determined to extract the maximum from the sale. The sooner, the better - but don't set yourself up for disappointment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Imagine the scenes when Jim sabotages footballing matters, driving the share price down, so that he can implement a full takeover.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 14 minutes ago
Eventually he will get 51% I'm sure of it.

It's happening people. The long goodbye has started.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Long" being the operative word. I think it's clear that the Glazers intend to cash out at some point, but we have seen that they never hurry into a decision and that they are determined to extract the maximum from the sale. The sooner, the better - but don't set yourself up for disappointment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think you’re mistaken there. The Glazers can now block any investment or transaction without being directly blamed for it.

This saga is finally coming to an end lads, and yet who amongst us is optimistic we’ll turn a corner?

----------------------------------------------------------------

I'm confident we'll turn a corner.

Actually I'm really confident. I think we'll turn 4 corners and end up right back where we are now.