Blues ripe for a takeover bid - Gold

May 28 2007 By Andy Walker

DAVID Gold believes that Birmingham City will be a top target for mega-rich foreign investors next season.

The Blues chairman feels that, behind Tottenham Hotspur, his club are the next most attractive Premiership outfit not to have already been involved in a big money takeover.

And the multi-millionaire businessman insists that newly-promoted Blues' location is enough to put it at the top of a super-rich American or Russian's shopping list.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if the club were approached by foreign investors," said the 70-year-old at the launch of Birmingham's new kit and shirt sponsor F&C Investments.

"What's happening in the Premier League is that, as the super clubs are being taken over, Birmingham will start to become the next iconic football club.

"While you have still got Tottenham Hotspur available to a foreign buyer, they will want to buy a club like that ahead of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Middlesbrough.

"Birmingham could be above those clubs because it bears the name of one of the greatest cities in Europe.

"The likes of Manchester United and Newcastle have gone and slowly you will find that Birmingham is at the top of the pile.

"If I was an American billionaire I cannot think who I would want other than Birmingham City. A couple of weeks ago I would have said Newcastle but they've gone now."

Roman Abramovich's takeover at Chelsea opened the floodgates for a series of similar deals at other Premiership clubs including Aston Villa, Manchester United, Liverpool and West Ham United.

And Gold believes that football takeovers are often the case of rich men looking to reach the next level of notoriety.

"If you're rich and you want to become one of those elite rich and famous people then you buy a Premiership football club," he said.

"Brad Pitt is famous but he's not super rich and therefore to be super rich and famous is very rare.

"Some people think 'I'm super rich and I'd like to own something iconic'. And what could be more iconic than owning a Premiership football club that is seen all around the world?

"It's a package where they believe they are investing their money and that they will always get it back when they want to move on.

"It's interesting to watch and see it unfold, there will be many a twist and turn, some might quit.

"But at the moment it seems people want to own an iconic football club in an iconic league, the greatest league the world has ever known, one that is expanding and is breathless in its growth."

Potentially, 10 clubs in next season's Premiership could have foreign boards meaning English owners may soon become part of a minority in the nation's top flight.

However Gold does not believe that the influx of foreign investors are damaging the English game.

"I don't think foreign ownership is bad for football, I think it adds a different dimension," he said. "The jury is out as to whether it will benefit football as a whole or whether it will benefit the English national side. What I think it does do is that greater wealth comes into what is arguably the most exciting tournament in the world.

"The Premier League is unquestionably the leading football league in the entire world.

"It's relentless in its continuity as it moves forward with its greater viewing figures from the world, as China, India and even America embraces it.

"Whenever you see the figures they are on the up, the Premier League is a product that is a phenomenon.

"There's no evidence that foreign owners are raping and pillaging the football clubs, I don't see them doing harm or anything different from English owners. They're not coming into football to make money, it's all about the excitement of the Premier League."