Now that Premier League status is…dare I say it….nearly secure after this weekend’s 3-1 win against QPR, will we move any closer to completion on a US club takeover this week? The takeover of Crystal Palace has been a much debated topic for months now with every Palace fans’ ears waiting for any confirmation on what the future of our club holds.
Palace forums and social media sites have for months reflected the conflicting views on the rumours of Josh Harris and his £100 million takeover deal, and views sway towards the fans being wary and negative to the deal. Perhaps it’s the mere word of ‘takeover’ rather than investment, or possibly the lack of sound information that could have been courteously given by the club, that is sparking nerves, frustration and negativity. If we had some clarification, could we start to look at the positives of what could be another turning point for our beloved club?
The Daily Telegraph reports that Harris, who also owns the NBA side Philadelphia 76ers and NHL team New Jersey Devils, is “confident of striking a deal within the next 48 hours and is already targeting a major redevelopment of Selhurst Park.”
He will support manager Alan Pardew in the summer with transfer funds to bring in players to help the club establish themselves further than they have in the the past couple of years. Palace co-chairman Steve Parish is expected to stay on for an “indefinite period” and “concentrate on the day-to-day running of the club.” It has also been noted that the other three co-chairman will keep a 5% stake in the club – so to me, this doesn’t sound too bad of a deal. Obviously, we need to know more details and squash rumours but looking at the bigger picture; I believe that this could further establish the Eagles as a Premier League club. We should be proud and gratified that high rollers have the confidence and the will to invest in the club’s long term success.
Contradicting myself slightly… It shouldn’t come as any surprise however, that after the announcement of the £5.2 billion TV rights deal, that investors would not want a slice of the Premier League pie. We will have to trust Steve Parish in keeping the best interests of the club at heart and not just sell to the highest bidder.
We can remain confident that the current owners will still take the lead and ensure that passion still exists within the club, compared to other Premier League sides that have been taken over by American and international owners. Let’s be honest… who wouldn’t be excited at the prospect of a sold out 30-35k stadium every week? (I for one would just be happy with a happy tannoy system and a new screen for the Whitehorse Stand fans to see) Yes, we already possess a great family club etiquette and an ever better London location; but having some investment into Selhurst Park could create that bigger support base and make this dream a reality.
Changes and new fortunes will not only attract new fans. The higher transfer funds and wage budgets will also help the club to sign established Premier League players and hopefully, continue to grow the academy – ensuring we continue to see fantastic talent and skills coming through the ranks at Palace.
The question that has arisen is “will this change come at the detriment of the support?” – I very much doubt we will change overnight. The Holmesdale Fanatics won’t sit or quieten down for anyone, new owners or not. Crystal Palace Football Club have worked harder than most clubs to achieve their status and success over the years, surviving the tough times, financial downfall and near administration – with this in our memories and the best fans in the country, there is no danger of us losing our identity as a club.
The concept of new owners shouldn’t faze us, surely we are not too proud in this day and age to turn down financial support and take risks to open up new windows of opportunity. Supporters should look at this from a business perspective; we cannot be blind and naive to think that with the richest club only becoming richer, that we can continue to survive on the bare minimum. Let’s stand by and support the board’s decision, be as loud and proud as ever – showing any new owners that if they support us, we in turn will support them.
