Clubs In Crisis
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www.ClubsInCrisis.com 09 April 2009 - 20:21

Queens Park Rangers

F1 magnates to take over at QPR

01-Sep-2007

QPR have confirmed Formula One magnates Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone have made an offer for the club.

From BBC Football:

Gianni Paladini will remain as chairman but Antonio Caliendo and Franco Zanotti have agreed to resign from the board.

Briatore told the club website: "Bernie and I were delighted to receive a recommendation from the QPR board for our bid for the club."

Paladini added: "This offer provides much needed investment and an excellent opportunity to move the club forward."

Briatore is head of the Renault F1 team and will team up with the sport's supremo Ecclestone in taking control of the club.

Briatore added: "We are fully aware of the history of QPR and the loyal fanbase that it has and are totally committed to bringing future success back to the club."

Paladini said: "I am delighted that Flavio and Bernie have asked me to remain on the board and I hope to play a large part in the future of QPR."

See also: QPR Report


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QPR's Italian owners want to sell

15-Jun-2007

QPR chairman Gianni Paladini says the club's Italian owners are ready to sell up for about £4m.

From BBC Football:

Paladini says he will sell his stake for the £650,000 he paid for it when he joined the board in 2004.

Fellow investors Antonio Caliendo and Franco Zanotti are also believed to be prepared to accept the price they paid for their larger stakes.

Paladini said: "We've taken the club as far as we can and don't have the money to take it further."

Between them, Paladini, Caliendo and Zanotti own about 62% of the Championship club.

Paladini added: "We need new investment and new people to take QPR forward. We just want the club to succeed.

"If the right people are there and can show they would be good for QPR, then there is no way we would try to stop them."

Rangers have been plagued by problems on and off the pitch since Paladini and Caliendo took control in 2005 following a bitter power struggle.

Caliendo has loaned the club a substantial amount in order to prevent it from going into administration.

Paladini insists this money will only be repayable should QPR make a profit by reaching the Premiership, and should not be a barrier to a takeover.

But any new owner would have to deal with ongoing losses and 11.59% interest repayments on a £10m loan a previous regime at Loftus Road arranged to take the club out of administration in 2002.

"When we came here the club was in a very bad position," Paladini added.

"Things are better now but we've done all we can and someone else is needed to take things forward.

"As long as they can show they have the money to improve QPR for the future, then I won't be looking for anything more from them than what I paid for my shares. Anything more should go into the club."

See also: Winding Up Order, from QPR 1st Supporters Trust


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Paladini Denies Crisis

31-Mar-2006

Chairman Gianni Paladini insists Queens Park Rangers are not heading for another financial crisis.

From BBC Sport:

The club faced a winding-up order over an unpaid debt last week but Paladini has dismissed suggestions that a return to administration is a possibility.

He said: 'The directors recently put more money in. There have been all sorts of rumours flying around and I know some fans have heard that the club may go into administration. That will not happen.'

Paladini, a former agent, became a director at Loftus Road in 2004.

He later ousted Bill Power to become chairman and removed chief executive Mark Devlin.

The club is now run by a group that includes former Brazil captain Dunga and another ex-agent, Antonio Caliendo.

'For people like myself and Dunga it would be a complete failure if QPR went into administration,' Paladini admitted.

'I can promise the fans that it will not happen as long as we are running the club.

'We have worked to get the debts down and are working towards a position where the club is breaking even.

'We want to bring some new players here in the summer and improve on this season.'


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Still Paying For Administration

13-Apr-2005

Queens Park Rangers are being forced to increase season ticket prices by almost 50%, in order to avoid another financial crisis at Loftus Road.

From BBC news report:

The Championship club must find £80,000 a month simply to keep paying off the interest on a £10m loan it took out to satisfy creditors and come out of administration in 2002. The ABC loan* is costing a £1 million a year in interest alone.

QPR chairman Bill Power defended the plans. 'It's tough. We're on top of it but we need to put season ticket prices up to stay on top of it and move forward. The previous board didn't want to put prices up and then, in the middle of the season, the cash ran out and fans were putting money in buckets to keep the club afloat. There will be no going back to those days. We desperately need the season ticket money and promise supporters that this time it will be for the season.'

However, supporters organisations fear that many fans simply won't be able to afford to go.

* The ABC Corporation is a Panama-registered company which lent £10m and £15m to QPR and Derby County respectively, and has mortgages on both Loftus Road and Pride Park.


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Italian buys stake in QPR

28-Apr-2004

The BBC report that Italian businessman and agent Gianni Paladini has bought a 22% stake in Queens Park Rangers.

Paladini, who has represented Fabrizio Ravanelli and Benito Carbone, has invested around £650,000 and more cash may follow in the future.

QPR have been seeking investors since coming out of administration in 2002. It is believed the board are speaking to other groups interested in buying a major stake, including American Tim Krause and a consortium fronted by Brian Rowe.

====================== Previously ======================

QPR 1st have been monitoring Companies House and Land Registry records in order to discover the company or institution that has the 'charge' on Loftus Road as security against the £10M loan that was at the heart of the recent management re financing of Loftus Road plc.

The Companies House record had shown initially that the charge was with ABC Corporation Limited of Queensway Market, Queensway, London. When QPR 1st queried this information with the club they were told that in fact the money was coming through a Swiss trust and that the Companies House records had incorrect information but that it would be updated in the near future.

Late on Friday QPR 1st learned that the Companies House information had indeed been updated.

We can now confirm that the charge on Loftus Road is held by the following organisation.
ABC Corporation Limited
Challe Aquilino De La Guardia No. 8
Panama 7
Republic of Panama

This information does not seem to be consistent with what the club have been saying. QPR1st have contacted David Davies to ask for clarification on this matter and will provide an update.
For more info see the QPR 1st site link below

===================== Previously =====================

QPR have been taken out of administration.

The administration order was lifted following a hearing at the High Court on Monday.

Loftus Road chief executive David Davies said in a statement: 'This is wonderful news and the conclusion of one of the darkest periods in our history. 'We have faced some tough decisions and learned some hard lessons. 'We will come out of this experience in a much stronger position.

Wright has retained a 25% stake in the company as well as ownership of the club's training ground.

========================= Previously =========================

The refinacing deal reported previously is close to being completed which will allow QPR to be released from administration.

The refinancing of the club has been completed by the administrators, Ray Hocking and Simon Michaels.

Former chairman Chris Wright has written off a substantial part of his loans and handed back part of his shareholding in the company, thus helping the repayment of debts to all the Loftus Road club's creditors.

Hocking said: 'This is an excellent outcome and is welcome news at a time when a lot of clubs are experiencing financial difficulties and considering entering administration or liquidation.'
In recognition of his help Wright has been offered the position of life vice-president, which he accepted.

The administrators also cited the reduction in the number of players at the club and the deal with Fulham which will see them ground sharing at Loftus Road in the coming season as contributing to the outcome.

====================== Previously ======================

Reported on the official club website.

QPR are expected to complete the refinancing of the company by April 26.

Chief Executive David Davies today confirmed that heads of terms have been agreed on the deal put forward by the current board to bring the club out of administration, however he warned it may just take a few more days to complete.

The board will also be speaking to the High Court regarding the process of having the administration order lifted.

Davies said: 'We would hope to have everything completed by April 26. To explain the process simply, think of when you buy a house. You put your offer in, it is then decided upon and accepted, contracts are then drawn up and it can take a few days to complete the legal work.

'We are in that completion stage. The contracts are being examined by lawyers to make sure both parties are happy with the final terms of the agreement. Obviously there is another part of this process in terms of our administration order. At the same time of completing the refinancing, we will be speaking to the High Court to get a date as quickly as possible to have the order lifted as soon as the deal is completed.

'There have been some delays through holidays and some of those involved being out of the country, which has been frustrating as we would have liked to completed the deal sooner, but we expect to have everything completed by April 26.'

=================== Previously ===================
The Loftus Road board have launched their own bid for the club following the failure of the consortium fronted by Brian Melzack.

Board members Ross Jones, Nick Blackburn and David Davies have made an offer to owner Chris Wright in an attempt to acquire Rangers and parent company Loftus Road plc.

=================== Previously ===================

Reported on qpr.co.uk

Loftus Road plc and administrators BDO Stoy Hayward have claimed that talks are at an advanced stage between the current board of Loftus Road and Chris Wright regarding a deal that could see QPR and the plc come out of administration within the next two to three weeks.

The board say they will enter discussions with a number of interested parties to secure further funding for the forthcoming season. It is expected that one of those parties will include Harold Winton and Maurice Fitzgerald.

more details of this announcement are on qpr.co.uk

=================== Previously ===================

Ron Noades claims that Brentford FC has offered £10m for the Loftus Road ground, or £6m for half. Noades said that a consortium of Harold Winton and Maurice Fitzgerald '(supported by the QPR supporters trust)' had also made an offer for QPR FC. QPR 1st's name has apparently been taken in vain and QPR 1st deny any knowledge of this.

Noades' also said that the Winton-Fitzgerald consortium would be bringing £2m to the party, which would be QPR's working capital. In addition, 'Brentford FC Limited and the Winton Fitzgerald consortium will protect Queens Park Rangers Football Club rights to remain at and play football at Loftus Road. It is the intention of Brentford Football Club and the new Queens Park Rangers Football Club to relocate out of Loftus Road and construct a new purpose built stadium in West London in the next (2-3 years) using the Griffin Park and Loftus Road sale proceeds. This proposal is being rejected by the current owners of Queens Park Rangers because of the rights of Wasps (the rugby union club) to occupy Loftus Road.'

So Ron Noades not only want's to sell 'his clubs' home ground but now wants to be involved with the sale of Loftus Road It will come as no supprise that the majority of fans oppose these plans!


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