Fan Letters: “There are chancers everywhere trying to buy footy clubs,” says SAFC fan Tom!

Dear Roker Report,

I am really concerned about the sale of the 39% of the shares Stewart Donald and his sidekick are selling. I’ve been reading that they have been in talks with a cryptocurrency group known as the Fans Together about the possible sale and it worries me sick as crypto is very very unstable and certainly not suitable for any football club's long-term stability.

I’m sure that they could find a more suitable buyer than this for their shares - unless of course they are purposely trying to leave the club in a dangerous financial position just for spite.

Whatever their reasoning the FA and the fit and proper persons committee should block this from happening to this club and any other football club.

William Wynd

Ed’s Note [Rich]: I really don’t think they care who buys their shares as long as they make some money from it, and I’m not 100% convinced that - now there’s at least a theoretical chance of Premier League football in the next few years - they won’t try to drag this out as long as possible in order to bump up the price. Take everything they say with a huge pinch of salt.

The FTF deal is dead on arrival - as far as we can tell there is no money, and not even a relevant legal structure - behind them. Donald and Methven must know this - they’re not stupid. Even if no shareholder agreement is in place to give KLD and Sartori a veto over share transfers, it will be ELF that will approve any deal through their Owners & Directors test, not the FA. So it all begs the question, what’s actually behind the FTF stuff?

We will keep digging.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

We’ve seen it all before with Donald and Methven. Can they afford to pay towards the club’s running costs in a higher league? My guess is no. They need to sell. They have to sell.

Not believing everything that’s in the media. They have form for this. Remember Billy Storey, Mark Campbell? Yes there are chancers everywhere trying to buy footy clubs but unless they have the money to show they can afford the thing they’re paying for it’s a non starter.

My hope is Kyril buys them out or better yet, another billionaire wants in and gets rid of that madrox stink once and for all.

Tom in Sherburn Village

Ed’s Note [Rich]: I can assure you that the sports media - us, and others - generally only report things that have come from credible sources, Tom. There are exceptions, but we try our hardest. The amount of detailed research Davey put into our story about FTF and crypto is pretty clear to see, and both Sky and the Athletic had well sourced stories too.

The UK has some of the strictest defamation laws on the planet, these things are not reported upon lightly and we all try or best to ensure that there’s as much substance as possible behind our stories.

I can’t help but agree with your general point about Donald and Methven’s schanigans, though. They want to make as much money as possible from the sale of their shares. The “curve-ball” of TFT will go nowhere in reality, but it does put jet fuel under the whole issue and give a sense of urgency to the matter.

There are many unanswered questons here, and hopefully the Roker Rapport podcasts I’ve recorded on the matter will answer as many as possible.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

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Dear Roker Report,

Very quick question - Does anybody know what that dance track was that was played about ten minutes before kick off at Wembley against Wycombe that really got the crowd going? The players were lining up in the tunnel just before it finished.

Dan Dawson

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Sorry Dan, that one escaped me in all the noise... maybe one of our readers will be able to help?

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images