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Post by spennyfanchris on Feb 21, 2024 21:30:21 GMT
New Club chairman Irfan Liaquat, of Winners Worldwide, has pledged to unlock huge potential and deliver league football to Blyth Spartans and the Northumberland town for the first time. Irfan, a Tyneside-based businessman, angel investor and philanthropist, outlines a five-year plan that includes: Striving for success – the Club will be resilient and keep moving forward Championing the local community through a programme of education and engagement Connecting new fans and old by creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive space at Croft Park Investment in key areas on and off the field – developing a winning mentality and building on the values and ethos of Blyth Spartans Maintaining tradition and respecting heritage as the Club prepares to celebrate its 125th anniversary Irfan commented this afternoon: “Blyth Spartans is the most famous non-league Club in the world. We are surrounded by a fantastic community. We want to get out of this tier as a matter of urgency. “We will spend money but we won’t spend it like it’s going out of fashion. We know what we need to do and we will get to work instantly. There are exciting times ahead and you will see exactly what we need to do. “I’ve been here as a fan and it took me five minutes to decide this is what I want. I’m looking forward to engaging with supporters.” Irfan has appointed former Premier League striker Steve Howard as the Club’s new sporting director. Steve, a former Derby County, Leicester City and Luton Town player has already started working alongside Jon Shaw to shape the Spartans’ squad of the future. New board members include business development specialist Benice Taylor, Blyth-born education specialist Richard Kirkby, sales and risk management expert Craig Ridley and Colin Blackett – recently appointed as managing director (operations) by the outgoing owners. A Q&A event for supporters will take place in the social club this evening at Croft Park and the new owners have made available thousands of free tickets ahead of Saturday’s National League North clash against Boston United. Taken From - www.blythspartans.com/a-new-era-at-blyth-spartans-irfan-liaquat-announces-takeover-of-the-club/ |
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Post by sikirk on Feb 21, 2024 23:00:05 GMT
Best of luck to them after a few seasons of struggle. Mind league football, that seems a way off
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Post by kentrebel on Feb 22, 2024 0:23:41 GMT
A comment on another forum on this :-
"An announcement has been made that Blyth have been bought by a "property investor and developer" and "serial entrepreneur" by the name of Irfan Liaquat, who has appointed former Luton & Leicester striker Steve Howard as a sporting director. Mr Liaquat is touting Winners Worldwide Ltd as his business platform, a company registered as recently as March 2023 with a current recommended credit limit of £500. He also has some previous directorships of now dissolved companies. He has a very impressive-looking website which claims links with Invest Qatar, Qatar Vision 2030 (whatever that is) and OYO Hotels. Now, far be it for me to suggest this is anything other than someone who wants to invest in the potential of a football club, but the cynical side of me has a feeling there's more to it."
Am I the only person who can see this going tits up big time?
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Post by sikirk on Feb 22, 2024 8:31:59 GMT
A comment on another forum on this :- "An announcement has been made that Blyth have been bought by a "property investor and developer" and "serial entrepreneur" by the name of Irfan Liaquat, who has appointed former Luton & Leicester striker Steve Howard as a sporting director. Mr Liaquat is touting Winners Worldwide Ltd as his business platform, a company registered as recently as March 2023 with a current recommended credit limit of £500. He also has some previous directorships of now dissolved companies. He has a very impressive-looking website which claims links with Invest Qatar, Qatar Vision 2030 (whatever that is) and OYO Hotels. Now, far be it for me to suggest this is anything other than someone who wants to invest in the potential of a football club, but the cynical side of me has a feeling there's more to it." Am I the only person who can see this going tits up big time? I dont know anything about this guy but Im always a bit cynical when you see these middle eastern sounding names buying non league clubs but did spartans have a choice, been sturggling by for years at wrong end of table |
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Post by hoopy on Feb 26, 2024 8:35:46 GMT
A comment on another forum on this :- "An announcement has been made that Blyth have been bought by a "property investor and developer" and "serial entrepreneur" by the name of Irfan Liaquat, who has appointed former Luton & Leicester striker Steve Howard as a sporting director. Mr Liaquat is touting Winners Worldwide Ltd as his business platform, a company registered as recently as March 2023 with a current recommended credit limit of £500. He also has some previous directorships of now dissolved companies. He has a very impressive-looking website which claims links with Invest Qatar, Qatar Vision 2030 (whatever that is) and OYO Hotels. Now, far be it for me to suggest this is anything other than someone who wants to invest in the potential of a football club, but the cynical side of me has a feeling there's more to it." Am I the only person who can see this going tits up big time? I agree. It has Celtic Nation and Durham City written all over it. |
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Post by sikirk on Feb 26, 2024 8:42:45 GMT
A comment on another forum on this :- "An announcement has been made that Blyth have been bought by a "property investor and developer" and "serial entrepreneur" by the name of Irfan Liaquat, who has appointed former Luton & Leicester striker Steve Howard as a sporting director. Mr Liaquat is touting Winners Worldwide Ltd as his business platform, a company registered as recently as March 2023 with a current recommended credit limit of £500. He also has some previous directorships of now dissolved companies. He has a very impressive-looking website which claims links with Invest Qatar, Qatar Vision 2030 (whatever that is) and OYO Hotels. Now, far be it for me to suggest this is anything other than someone who wants to invest in the potential of a football club, but the cynical side of me has a feeling there's more to it." Am I the only person who can see this going tits up big time? I agree. It has Celtic Nation and Durham City written all over it. More like gateshead 2018-2019. The club has pulled around now but who can forget that farce. The gateshead owner was simply a figure head/fall guy for a conman. Shadow ownership it’s called. Blyth seems like that. Hope im wrong though |
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Post by hoopy on Feb 26, 2024 8:52:27 GMT
I agree. It has Celtic Nation and Durham City written all over it. More like gateshead 2018-2019. The club has pulled around now but who can forget that farce. The gateshead owner was simply a figure head/fall guy for a conman. Shadow ownership it’s called. Blyth seems like that. Hope im wrong though There was plenty of that going on at Durham under their various 'owners'. Remember that (I think) Australian guy who had never been to the UK and was all over their twitter threatening fans? |
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Post by sikirk on Feb 26, 2024 11:25:14 GMT
More like gateshead 2018-2019. The club has pulled around now but who can forget that farce. The gateshead owner was simply a figure head/fall guy for a conman. Shadow ownership it’s called. Blyth seems like that. Hope im wrong though There was plenty of that going on at Durham under their various 'owners'. Remember that (I think) Australian guy who had never been to the UK and was all over their twitter threatening fans? If you mean chris tanner who could forget him, never heard of a chairman causing so much havoc remotely. Fatboy them had the nerve to blame the previous comittee for getting him in |
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Post by hoopy on Feb 26, 2024 12:04:31 GMT
There was plenty of that going on at Durham under their various 'owners'. Remember that (I think) Australian guy who had never been to the UK and was all over their twitter threatening fans? If you mean chris tanner who could forget him, never heard of a chairman causing so much havoc remotely. Fatboy them had the nerve to blame the previous comittee for getting him in That's the fella. |
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Post by lovingnonleague on Feb 26, 2024 12:27:32 GMT
A comment on another forum on this :- "An announcement has been made that Blyth have been bought by a "property investor and developer" and "serial entrepreneur" by the name of Irfan Liaquat, who has appointed former Luton & Leicester striker Steve Howard as a sporting director. Mr Liaquat is touting Winners Worldwide Ltd as his business platform, a company registered as recently as March 2023 with a current recommended credit limit of £500. He also has some previous directorships of now dissolved companies. He has a very impressive-looking website which claims links with Invest Qatar, Qatar Vision 2030 (whatever that is) and OYO Hotels. Now, far be it for me to suggest this is anything other than someone who wants to invest in the potential of a football club, but the cynical side of me has a feeling there's more to it." Am I the only person who can see this going tits up big time? Heard this guy has had any amount of failed businesses. How many times do we see these sorts takeover at clubs promising this that and the other. Surely you know as a Blyth supporter or club official these people are rife throughout the game but your first thought is money there putting money in we're getting this player we're getting that player. This is a generic theme throughout the game that normally after a year to 18 months pretty much sees off a club. |
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Post by sikirk on Feb 26, 2024 13:30:57 GMT
Does the national league still not need to see proof of funds before takeovers are approved? Mind this never stopped the chancers at gateshead 5 year ago, a crooked owner passed the fit and proper test by using a figure head to act as owner
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Post by pooliehopper on Feb 26, 2024 14:08:11 GMT
Does the national league still not need to see proof of funds before takeovers are approved? Mind this never stopped the chancers at gateshead 5 year ago, a crooked owner passed the fit and proper test by using a figure head to act as owner If those two at Gateshead (Cala-Varghese) can pass, I'd imagine a consortium of serial killers could! I like Blyth, but honestly none of this bodes well...granted, if the club don't own their ground I can't see how much long term damage he could do and from what I hear they're surviving in the NLN already with one of the leagues worst budgets. |
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Post by sikirk on Feb 26, 2024 19:05:37 GMT
Does the national league still not need to see proof of funds before takeovers are approved? Mind this never stopped the chancers at gateshead 5 year ago, a crooked owner passed the fit and proper test by using a figure head to act as owner If those two at Gateshead (Cala-Varghese) can pass, I'd imagine a consortium of serial killers could! I like Blyth, but honestly none of this bodes well...granted, if the club don't own their ground I can't see how much long term damage he could do and from what I hear they're surviving in the NLN already with one of the leagues worst budgets. Thats the thing cala failed the test hence how he got his mate in to act as chairman, pure conmen the lot of them |
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Post by pooliehopper on Apr 19, 2024 9:13:45 GMT
Finally confirmed today, just a day before a gigantic game against brackley at home. No pressure eh lads?
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Post by spennyfanchris on Apr 19, 2024 14:15:25 GMT
Took them long enough!
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