8:50am Monday 6th July 2009
By Ben Barnett
Bradford-born entrepreneur Richard Williams has spoken about his company’s multi-million pound negotiations to buy Southampton Football Club.
Mr Williams, 44, of Queensbury, is the director of Cleckheaton-based firm Gillico Limited, which is hoping to secure a £12.5 million deal to buy the troubled League One club.
He told the Telegraph & Argus last night his company was facilitating the bid on behalf of a consortium of four British businessmen and he was not investing any of his own money in any deal.
The real investors will remain anonymous until a contract is signed for the club’s acquisition, although former York City FC owner John Batchelor is involved in the negotiations.
The saga over a rescue deal to save Southampton saw the collapse of a long-running bid by Pinnacle, backed by legendary former Saints player Matthew Le Tissier, last Tuesday.
It is believed Gillico, whose bid was submitted on Friday, is vying with a Swiss consortium, among others, to purchase the club and administrators are hopeful of sealing a deal imminently.
If Gillico is successful, it will be one of the biggest deals Mr Williams has ever negotiated.
Brought up in Heaton, married man Mr Williams was educated at St Barnabas’ CE Primary, Frizinghall Middle School and Belle Vue Boys’ School.
He registered Gillico 15 weeks ago as a business acquisition firm.
He said: “We were approached through four individuals to purchase Southampton Football Club. They advised an amount they wanted to pay and we did work to make that fit.
“It was a nice proposition. It’s the first time I’ve done a football club and you get involved with a lot of characters.
“At the moment we are just waiting. We can do nothing more at this stage. It’s now down to the administrators.”
Joint-administrator Mark Fry said: “We have continued in our discussions with a number of parties.
“We are currently very confident a sale will be achieved and that this process will be concluded shortly.”
e-mail: ben.barnett@telegraphandargus.co.uk
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