Sport 9 Club - just friends of friends?

Last updated : 02 May 2012 By Mark Dingwall

Make no mistake they do have a continuing association with Bill Miller even after their highly convoluted press statement a few weeks ago.

 

I suspect that they, or Mr Miller, realised they were so tainted with failure in the UK that they had to be stuck on the back shelf.

 

In investigating them I have talked to members of the trusts at both Sheffield Wednesday and Tranmere as well a former and current members of the boards of both football clubs.

 

Both sets tell a similar story.  Initially things seemed fine - the talk was good, operational/commercial plans looked reasonable, the lawyers and accountants were suitable high-powered.  The problem was the money - they just didn’t have it.

 

They certainly had introductions to wealthy American investors but one by one a problem arose  and they disappeared;  then they tried to hitch a ride on locals;  the Sheffield Yellow Pages appeared to be being combed in a bid to canvass support;  at Tranmere it reached the ludicrous height of one of the Board being asked for a loan with which to buy shares in the club!