One thing I can’t work out, and wish I’d asked at the meeting is, How will IMG authenticate the match day attendance of each club. Not every season ticket holder goes to every home game but will the total number of ST sold by a club be counted every home game? How will a club prove the numbers they have sold match day tickets to home and away fans, I feel this criteria will be manipulated, even now some clubs don’t publicly announce attendance figures.
How many times do fans of some clubs (Bradford for example) express surprise at the higher attendance announced when they attend the game believing the crowd was much less.

Last time we spoke he was saying he challenged it so that it was only actual people in the stadium rather than tickets sold.
I think.....but don't know for sure.....that is how they are measuring now.

This was explicitly stated in the IMG Grading Handbook when it was released in July.

[i"The definition of match attendance is the average number of fans attending regular season home games in person
(this total therefore must exclude season ticket holders / club members not in attendance at matches)"[/i

Bradford have announced five attendances of over 4,700 for league games this season, but claimed only 2,738 attended their play-off game against York, which is a shared gate and doesn't count for IMG average purposes.

Remember our attendances during the Glover period? We apparently had over 6000 for a Catalan home game.....

They were handing out free tickets left right and centre, they must have counted those towards the attendance even if the ticket holder didn't show up.

No doubt the tax man would want his money based off of the announced attendance.....

The taxman would want his money based on income into the club.
If there was no one in the ground and nobody had paid but, we "declared" a 10,000 attendance, the taxman wouldn't be bothered.

Do you think that the tax authorities keep a check on attendances etc ?

I imagine a fully auditable digital ticketing system. You see the young lads with the Samsung phones at home games - I imagine a more grown up version of that (I say that because sometimes when mine doesn't scan they will look at it and say "in you go mate it's ok just my phone playing up". Season ticket or not that would capture who is at the game.

I've seen them with their clipboards. They count everyone.

I'm not paranoid, you're paranoid.

No doubt many clubs massage their gates. The smart thing to do is use their tactics and do the same.

I imagine they will do unannounced spot checks on each club throughout the year, if the number declared by the club is close to the figure they got, they will do fewer checks, if it's wildly different they will do further indepth checks

News section Barnsley chronicle reports deal complete.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... t1P1nNcGuU

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... t1P1nNcGuU

Is that just because the carrier pigeon landed this morning from 2 weeks ago or is it that the Solicitors have finished what they needed doing ?

Yes that's just an old story.

Says it was published 6/10/23 at the top of the news story.... which is today.

In the same way most of the Wakey Express stories are published days after they happened. The quote actually comes from the initial announcement two weeks ago.

It may be I guess, but I'm thinking they published old news today.

JM said this week that he thinks it's likely to be early next week didn't he?

I'm sure when ME said he wouldn't be attending the Wednesday night shareholders meeting,he mentioned hoping to get it over the line in next 24 / 48 hours. Memory might be playing tricks though.

'In the coming days' was the phrase used. I'd expect it done sometime next week to be honest.

Why are we relying on the Barnsley Chronicle to tell us anything, when some people purported to know the 'completion' date anyway?

Will there be some news this week? - I hope so, it will be good to see the new coach in place and some good signings!
I assume the legal people are now dealing with the final stage, so we cannot expect any speed except ‘dead slow’ but completion soon would be good!

A few on here said they knew the date maybe they could shed some more light but they appear to have gone quiet for some reason

https://media.tenor.com/dq1_VBbGm7cAAAA ... ke-hat.gif What I think of when someone claims they’re in the know regarding club takeover.

https://media.tenor.com/dq1_VBbGm7cAAAA ... ke-hat.gif What I think of when someone claims they’re in the know regarding club takeover.

Have you thought that those that may well be in the know, don't want to tempt fate.

If you know you know if you don't you don't if people are speculating clearly they don't and that's .y assumption after ME pulled out of the meeting last we clearly he doesn't know either.

I don't think there's a planned date right now.
It's just a case of it being in the last stage and is being done as soon as possible.