Just seen a tweet that there's some news being announced Weds, anyone got any idea what this could be?

Who tweeted it? Can't see anything on usual feeds

BULLieve2013

Sean Long

Seen this also but thought it to be more of a BULLieve news than Bulls news. That said BULLieve writer was in a meeting with Omar and Kate today so he may know something we dont.

Omar is tweeting about "good news" also

Yeah it's proper news, and it's a bit different to a player contract type of news.

It's tomorrow now.

I wonder if Micky G is annoyed at being kept out of the loop on this one, unless he was told not to say owt!?

Nothing announced in the T&A this morning.

In the T&A there's an article about Mr.Khan saying he's going to put shares up for sale to the fans...

I thought he said chairs?

Where abouts pl. Not in Sports Section. Can you put link up?

Announced in the T&A this morning that fans will soon be able to buy shares in the club. OK says this was always the plan once the club were on a better financial footing.

It's on one of the first few pages in todays T&A. Don't think it'll be on the website till the club announces the news itself.

Omar Khan & the club have announced this on twitter now. Does it say anywhere how much they are? etc..?

Is anyone else a little concerned by this, or am I just worrying over nothing?
Part of our problems under the old regime was the ridiculous structure of shareholders we ended up with, what's to say it won't go that way again if Omar decides to dilute his control this way?

Hopefully it's just me still being paranoid because of what happened last season.

It could just be by selling to fans who want the club, the club will survive.

Whereas in the past it was every tom dick and harry who had some cash and didnt give two stuffs about the club.

Also a potential money spinner as long as they arent ridiculously priced

My first thought.. Also made me think about the finances too with the loan from the council etc.. But this time the RFL are having to keep a close eye on us and we seem to have a group of genuinely trustworthy people on board. Not only that but OK seems to be doing this because he really loves the club and when we were in administration we mentioned numerous times a community club is what we wanted in future.

I am concerned first a loan yesterday and now shares - it smacks of us being skint....... hopefully just a coincidence and the share option is to raise funds for further investment

Dont know if we are skint but we are certainly not rolling in money are we. How could we be. Got to watch every penny and also try to raise pennies where we can.COYB

If it's good enough for the Green Bay Packers, it's good enough for me...

A lot would depend on factors like:

- what class of shares would be issued (i.e. same class as OK's shares, or a different class)?
- if the same class, what % of the total equity OK is prepared to surrender?
- if a different class, what rights (especially voting rights), if any, would attach to those shares?
- whether the shares had to be held by individual holders, or whether a Supporters' Trust could acquire shares on behalf of its members?

The answers to the above would give a better indication of whether this would be primarily a fund-raising scheme, or primarily a means of securing more active engagement of the fanbase with the club, or some combination. It surely has to be primarily the former?

The previous company's board (before they were ousted) told us they were looking at doing something similar, but were hamstrung by the other major shareholders having to agree to dilution of their holdings.

On one hand, I guess I'd be a bit disappointed if the shares were something like ""B" ordinary shares with less/no voting rights, or preference shares - which are to all intents and purposes a permanent loan conferring no real rights at all (unlike debentures). In that situation, you'd effectively be making a donation to the club, but you would hope that in exchange you would receive some preferential benefits as a "shareholder". In particular, though, you would look to some form of formalised representation on the board, and ideally through a democratic supporters' trust as happens elsewhere and certainly not through someone appointed by the club.

By the same token, I'd be horrified if the plan was to have a majority of the voting share capital in the hands of a wide range of small shareholders. Unless these had to be represented through a supporters' trust, and unless other safeguards to allow an executive board to function were in place you'd almost certainly get total anarchy. That is the risk you rightly allude to, and it would concern me greatly.

I'd be totally gobsmacked and horrified if the latter was envisaged, to be honest. I'd be not in the least bit surprised if it was more like the former, as that is how I would look to do it in their shoes. In exchange, you would hope for fans' representation on the board or at some other level where fan shareholders felt they had formal representation. What would be key then would be just who would represent the fans, and how democratic their appointment would be?

Presumably the company would remain a private company, as it would presumably seek to restrict the right to transfer your shares? Or those shares would anyway not confer voting rights. That would (I think) avoid the need for having to produce and issue a formal prospectus - which costs a bloody fortune and IMO would not help at all.

The usual reason for issuing shares is to raise cash.

Adey's given a full description of the various options - but one of the keys is how many shares are offered - if say you offer 10% of the company in small bundles of non transferable shares - then it's a good gesture but he would not be transfering any real control of the company.

The past problems arose because you had a half dozen or so shareholders with significant blocks of shares who could not agree amoungst themselves how to run the club.

I just hope we are seeing a good initative at giving an extra incentive for fans, not first signs of another cashflow problem - fingers crossed. It's also a shame that the only properly consituted supporters trust is struggling to find interest in keeping it active - as Adey says shares bought through a supporters trust would bring a more organised voice.

Yup. Concur 100% with that.