Mark Douglas has been speaking on the latest edition of the Everything is Black and White podcast about all things relating to Newcastle United.
One of the topics that the Chronicle reporter spent some time on was the news that the Bellagraph Nova Group were still in talks to buy the Toon from Mike Ashley.
The BN Group’s interest in buying the Toon emerged in August, but they weren’t considered to be serious bidders by Ashley. Last week, chairman Evangeline Shen claimed that they were still in talks to buy the club, but Douglas is not convinced.
It seems as if Douglas thinks that the BN Group has no chance of taking over Newcastle, and doesn’t even consider as genuine bidders, as he still believes the only real takeover bid is from Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium.
He said: “I just don’t take them seriously.
“If they get the money together and put a bid in, then brilliant – but how many people have said they’re going to do things or claim that they are interested and not actually done it?
“Henry Mauriss is another one, supposedly he was really interested, but as soon as the Saudi bid withdrew then, he went the journey as well.
“To me, that looks as if it was something that was set up to either push them along or to detract from the validity of the Saudi bid.
“The only game in town is the PIF-backed bid.”
Do you agree with Douglas?
Yes, these are jokers
No, they are serious
TIF Thoughts…
Douglas mentions the Henry Mauriss bid, which was just as baffling considering he supposedly made a bid for the club in June only for nothing to happen once the Staveley-led bid was withdrawn.
It was reported that Ashley saw both the BN Group’s bid and Henry Mauriss’ as not serious, so it is hardly any surprise that Douglas doesn’t think the BN Group is serious, either.
The BN Group has not even raised its original offer of £280m, which didn’t even gain a response from Ashley last time around.
So, we have to agree with Douglas in not taking the Bellagraph Nova Group seriously at this moment in time.