What Mayor Andy Street said to the English Football League about Birmingham City FC
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It’s been another difficult season for Birmingham City on and off the pitch.
John Eustace’s side sit 17th in the Championship table after a tough campaign, although they are on course to avoid being dragged into a relegation dog fight after Saturday’s 1-0 win away at QPR put them 9 points clear of the drop zone.
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Hide AdOff the field, the club are facing more ownership issues. City chairman Wenqing Zhao recently confirmed a ‘third party’ have initiated talks over a proposed investment into the stadium and into the club. And although he said the club has been supporting the parties throughout the due diligence process, he said he won’t be placing ‘any time frames on such a process’.
The chairman was responding to supporters who sent a letter to the club calling on the owners Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited (BSHL) to once again put the club up for sale. The letter came after the club were charged by the EFL in February for allegedly breaching a number of the League’s regulations following an investigation.
The charges relate to the ongoing ownership situation, specifically to the proposed acquisition of Blues. The club itself and individuals have been charged, meaning the club could face a points deduction for the second time under the club’s current owners BSHL.
Blues fans have been calling for a change of ownership for more than a year now, holding numerous protests before and during home matches over the last 12 months. Following the EFL charge last month, Birmingham City supporters sent the letter to the club calling on the owners to once again put the club up for sale, with the club still facing an uncertain future.
Mayor says new owners are needed
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Hide AdWest Midlands mayor Andy Street revealed on social media that he spoke with the English Football League (EFL) on Monday (March 20) about the club’s ongoing ownership issues.
He said he believed that the club needed new owners to be able to move forward. Posting on his Twitter account, he wrote: “Another very important call with the EFL this afternoon to discuss the ongoing situation at BCFC. It was enlightening to hear their latest thinking, but it remains abundantly clear that new owners are needed. It is frustrating we’ve not yet been able to help make that happen.”
Some Blues fans asked the mayor whether he asked the EFL who the club’s owners actually are. One fan wrote: “Any joy with finding out who our current owners are? That may help with sourcing new ones. Next time ask the @EFL they seemed to think they were fit and proper!”
Others praised the mayor for stepping in on the issue. One supporter responded: “I’ve criticised you for not doing enough Andy, so I apluad you for hopefully helping pushing things along. Like to know what you mean bye enlightening? Also you say we haven’t been able to make it happen?”
Latest on club investment
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Hide AdBlues have been in talks with a group led by the former Motorola and Microsoft executive Jeremy Dale over investment into the club. That’s according to The Athletic, which has claimed that City are in talks with a group led by Dale.
Dale was also reportedly at the club’s training ground recently with members of his consortium.
Discussing the EFL charge and proposed investment into the club, Zhao issued a statement to the BCFC.com website confirming that talks over a deal for Blues is underway with a third party - but he failed to outline any timeframe for when these discussions could conclude for any potential deal.
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