93:20 Podcast - The Sale to Shinawatra

[markbmcfc]

My biggest challenge was keeping the podcast under an hour long. I failed miserably. I think there was definitely a time pressure we felt because we genuinely didn't know whether people would be remotely interested in listening. But the reactions suggest we could've let it go longer in which case there'd have been no need for the interruptions!

Thanks heaps for the feedback anyway - totally taken on board.

It probably could have gone on longer but I felt you ended it at just the right point, before getting into detail about the sale to Sheikh Mansour. I'm looking forward to hearing how that unfolded, why Al Fahim was so much at the forefront of the deal and how SM only really came into it a few days after the sale. I'm especially interested in where the fuck Al Fahim got that blue shirt from and why he was stood with a shirt that wasn't City's. Anyway, hopefully that and more will all be explained but I think from my opinion, choose a natural point to stop and finish 'Part 1' and don't worry too much about how long it takes to get there. If it's educational and enjoyable us as listeners won't really care how long it's going on, and I'd rather it take two hours than cram it in and miss stuff or rush it, creating instances I mentioned above.

I think as a host you do a great job and the questions you do ask provoke deviations in the discussion which often provide more information and things we may not have known, so I guess it's a gentle balance you need to figure out when to do it and not, because I certainly wouldn't have a clue.

I was a bit 50/50 about subscribing (no reflection on the quality of what you do btw) but this one certainly convinced me.

 

[projectriver]

This is coming out tomorrow (Thursday) and I've been especially hyped about this episode since I first heard the concept.

Ahsan has got our own PrestwichBlue, aka Colin Savage and Stefan Borson on his show to talk about the sale to Shinawatra. Both of these were actually involved in it to some degree - Colin at the time was a co-founder of the MCFC Supporters Trust whereas Stefan worked at Investec who handled the sale. And obviously Stefan being a high flier and a City fan, he was given the opportunity to work on the City sale from that end.

Stefan's just posted some materials from the sale that were part of the report made during the sale:

Have been waiting for this for months, it's going to be fascinating.

Glad everyone seems to have found the pod interesting.

These slides are pre takeover process. Just looking through old papers and thought these would highlight certain things without being sensitive. The first slides are from City themselves (management accounts Sept 2003) and the Investec slides were the slides I produced to highlight certain points in a presentation in 2003 I think.

 

[projectriver]

I've literally just finished it and thought it was fantastic, I have learned so much that I didn't know or had somethings clarified that were a little muddy in the past.

If I may just offer one piece of constructive criticism and this isn't a dig, I put it down purely to the enthusiasm of the three of you, but try and give the person speaking time to finish his story. There were quite a few occurrences of one of you telling quite a long story and then getting cut off toward the end by questions or another take on the story. At times it felt a bit like listening to a really good joke and then not getting as far as the punch line. There was an instance quite early on when Colin was explaining in fantastic detail the ownership changes from the Mercer days and it seemed like he'd got about 75% through when Stefan (who hadn't really said a word at this point) joined in and deviated slightly. The conversation then naturally goes on to different things and it was as if there was a few stories we didn't really get to hear the end of.

I have to say I think you and Stefan are a bit more dominant on the mic than Colin is so I think your own enthusiasm, opinions and questions deviated some of his stories slightly. To be fair, you apologised on several occasions, but that in itself probably indicates you can try and bite your lip a bit and then bring it back up as the host once the guys have finished.

Like I said, not a dig and purely constructive criticism as a listener and other listeners may have a completely different view, but the feedback is there to assist not criticise.

Anyway, loved it and roll on the next one.

Good points. Not Ahsan's fault that I dive in like Otamendi. Some times can't help myself! I think we were all mindful of keeping to some sort of time limit but probably should have cut it into parts.

 

[markbmcfc]

Good points. Not Ahsan's fault that I dive in like Otamendi. Some times can't help myself! I think we were all mindful of keeping to some sort of time limit but probably should have cut it into parts.

Coffee everywhere, thanks.

Really, really enjoyed your input and you cleared up several things I've struggled with for many years. Thanks.

 

[BillyShears]

Coffee everywhere, thanks.

Really, really enjoyed your input and you cleared up several things I've struggled with for many years. Thanks.

Yeah me too. I remember on these very boards being incredibly vitriolic about Mackintosh or Mackintoss as I used to call him a decade ago when I was younger and dumber. Talking to Stefan really changed my perspective of the position he was put in.

Still think "drinking the Keegan Kool Aid" is my favourite part of the pod!

 

[Always Ali]

Loving this! You think you know the story and the those that know tell the proper story....you couldn't write this stuff, an absolute calamity!

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Good points. Not Ahsan's fault that I dive in like Otamendi. Some times can't help myself! I think we were all mindful of keeping to some sort of time limit but probably should have cut it into parts.

A lot of the stuff I talked about or could have talked about is in the public domain but I was keen to hear Stefan's account of what was going on at the club at the time.

I don't think we really thought we'd get the incredible reaction we've been getting. If we'd realised, then in hindsight it would have been better to do it in 2 parts.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Never knew Franny was such a vindictive little shit. Nor that Keegan was such a wanker.

I don't think I told the story about how it was supposedly a condition of the sale of his shares to Thaksin that Dennis Tueart was removed from the board.

And Keegan was best mates with Willie McKay. I do often wonder whether his desperate desire to do the Fowler transfer without allowing Bernstein to get much better terms had an ulterior motive.

 

[kismet]

Wow just wow.....absolutely brilliant love it.............how do we subscribe......

When we went through our barren period and the football was poor, my interest was probably greater in the off-field activities, politics, shenanigans call it what you will and no-one tells it better than Col in what was a fascinating period.

 

[The Northern Baptist]

Great stuff lads