‘Rovers takeover silence speaks volumes’

“I hear there is a rumour that a consortium wants to buy Bristol Rovers!”

“Yes, it’s true!”

“So, it’s true that there is a consortium?”

“No, it’s true that there is a rumour that a consortium wants to buy Bristol Rovers!”

“Ah!”

Older readers will note that the words I have used in the imaginary conversation between two Gasheads bear more than a slight resemblance to a certain “Yes Minister” sketch, but it is not untypical of a large number of matchday conversations in the pubs around the Memorial Stadium.

The recent appointment of Colin Sexstone to the Rovers board only added to what appears to be largely unfounded speculation. Depending on who you talk to, Mr Sexstone has been brought in: to help support chairman Nick Higgs who has become isolated in the boardroom; ahead of investment from unnamed rich businessmen; because of his expertise in failing to build Bristol City’s new stadium and investors have already tried to buy the club but the bid did not reach the valuation set by the owners.

Any of these scenarios could be true, but they could all be a million miles away from the truth, which could be that nothing is going on.

Mr Higgs has long made it clear he would only sell the club to people who had the interests of the club at heart, which would appear to suggest he would not sell it to some fly-by-night consortium who had never before shown any interest in the club. Someone who had the interests of the club at heart could only be a supporter or, at the very least, someone with some history of attending games.

I can see the potential attraction for “investors”, mind you. £40 million buys you a nice new modern stadium from which you might be able to make a pretty penny. Investors do not invest not to make money. Those who put money in knowing they will never see it again are called benefactors, and they are nearly always supporters. Can you see the difference?

Some people will say, “I don’t care where the money comes from, as long as the manager has a few bob to spend on new players,” which is the standard argument of football fans. To that I say, be careful what you wish for.

The history of football, in particular the recent history of football, shows that all is not as it seems when new owners come in. Owners, by definition, are not usually supporters, in the same way that players aren’t. I do not believe, either, that those who go to new clubs automatically becomes supporters. In short, they buy clubs to make money.

It could well be that the rumours about Bristol Rovers are just that: rumours. That someone, somewhere, has said something to someone and as the word got round, a small story, like Colin Sexstone joining the board, turned into a big one, which just happened to be not true.

The silence from the football club, although not necessarily from some within it (the usual suspects who just can’t help themselves telling the fans what they know – we all know who they are!), speaks volumes. Or does it? Perhaps the silence is because there’s nothing to say.

Either way, I will not believe any of the rumours of boardroom change until someone has denied it. Then I’ll know it’s true.

Picture from Bristol Rovers.