Two groups look into takeover of Derby County

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Two groups are lining up potential takeover bids for the Championship club. Local businessman Peter Gadsby, a former Derby County vice chairman, leads one consortium. The other group is London-based private venture company SISU capital, led by directors Dermot Coleman and Joy Seppala, both 44 years old.

Either group would inherit the club’s GBP 44 million debt, owing GBP 29 million to Co-op bank and GBP 15 million to ABC Corporation. According to reports, Gadsby is willing to offer up to GBP 50 million for the club, pay off the club’s debt and invest in players with a hope of returning to the Premiere League. Refusing to name his partner investors, Gadsby has told the Derby-based Evening Telegraph, “They are people I have known for a long time, and in many cases people I have worked with and been in business with. They have mixed skills, which will be necessary to bring the club back into commercial realism…These are people who will be coming to put their time in, and, more importantly their cash in.”

Derby County chairman John Sleightholme implied that he favours a local group taking over the club, but also said that there are differences of opinion within the board, which could lead to the ousting of himself and Director of Football Murdo Mackay. Mackay dismissed reports that he has ties to the potential local investors. Mackay said: “I'm just focused on trying to help caretaker manager Terry Westley, Steve Taylor and the players as much as I can.”

The fans seem to be in favour of a local takeover group. During a game against Leeds, fans chanted Gadsby’s name and more than 500 stayed after the game to protest the current board. SISU describes itself as a “special situations investment fund” management company. The Club’s operations director Paul Clouting said: “SISU have been here and had a look at the stadium and the Moor Farm training ground…"They see the strength of our fan base and the passion of the supporters. They see the potential of the business.”

For its part, SISU has not publicly acknowledged an interest in the club. However, a company spokesman said, “If it was interested, SISU would want to invest in new players, take the club back into the Premiership and then sell when it would be worth five, seven, eight or 10 times what it is now. There would be changes to the Board.” The spokesman said that while SISU specialize in companies approaching insolvency, it would not be stripping the club of any assets. So far this season, the club have maintained a respectable attendance average of 23,689 at its stadium, Pride Park, a capacity utilisation rate of 71 percent.