THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Absolutely, and while I am not a Winkie-fawner... you can do a lot worse than him. He is an idiot though and his heart isn't in it and he can't sell up because to be honest there is nobody to sell it to.

Any sale would be very complex given the stadium and estate around it, and we are far from the most attractive side in the division to invest in.

I think it's a shame Red Bull can't take us over to be honest, but it is what it is.

In the short term I suggested Pete step down/aside, remain as owner, but appoint a CEO or similar that will take over the running of the club - someone that has some passion and knowhow, not Pete "I'll not learn as a go along" Winkelman.

In the long term he should sell to an appropriate buyer if the opportunity comes up, and he's already said that's his intention.

Either way, he's taken us as far as he can. Should have stepped aside at our last relegation to L2.

Have to agree with this……when do I ever disagree with Filthy.
Pete himself says often enough, find me a friendly billionaire, is Pete a billionaire …..I wouldn’t have thought so.
Secondly has he ever actively or publicly come out and said to the national media the club is up for sale, I don’t think he has, but I could be wrong, saying you will sell, and actually putting the FOR SALE signs up are a bit different.
Thirdly, he is under no obligation to sell, and he often says I want to sell it to the right person, well he could hold an interview process, if someone comes out of the shadows he could then decide yes or no……we all know how good he is at getting in the right person for the job….cough….cough.
And fourthly……people saying ….be careful of what you wish for…..really, are you telling me Pete gets it right all the time.
Like I’ve said……no obligation…..actively put it up for sale, and see who or what comes out of the woodwork.

_________________
Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

I think he has put the club up for sale as 'actively' as can be expected, i.e. by saying repeatedly 'if the right buyer comes along, I'll sell'.

All this chat about media announcements and interview processes seems totally detached from reality of football club acquisitions. You really think there's someone out there just waiting for a classified ad to appear in the MK Citizen before they check the Coutts account and put an offer down?

As for the fourth point, 'be careful what we wish for' is absolutely valid caution and surely any fan has it in the back of their mind. It's not binary. No, Pete doesn't get it right all the time. Clearly. We're in League Two. But the state of club ownership in the EFL shows us that his successor could be far worse. At least with Pete you know wages will be paid on time and his human rights record is clean.

FWIW, I think Filthy's suggestion makes a lot of sense, though it would be a big outlay on wages at a time when everything outside the playing budget is being cut to the bone. You'd have thought a CEO role would be on a salary close to £100k.

But other clubs have come out and said the clubs for sale to the national media ….so why not us, saying I’ll sell it when interviewed by Toby and Luke is hardly putting it in the public domain.
You mention the state of other clubs ownership and compound it with “it could be far worse” ….yes it could….and whilst there are plenty of examples of it going Pete Tong, there are also examples of it being the best thing since sliced bread. I’m sure Pete would be careful to make as sure as possible that the right buyers took control. One day he will sell, if not now, in years to come, the day will come whether people like it or not, Pete’s tenure is not indefinite….none of us live forever.

_________________
Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

I can’t imagine Pete can afford to hire a CEO. I expect he needs the salary himself.

From where I'm sat, or more accurately laying, it looks like he's beginning to lose interest in the football side of things.

We were one point away from The Championship a couple of seasons ago. Look where we are now. Sweeting offered to resign, Pete turned him down. I think someone's already mentioned that it's probably more to do with the fact that we'd struggle to replace him than the fact that he, Sweeting, massively fucked up last year.

I like going to football. Like the so-called matchday experience, meet up with friends, couple of vastly expensive pints, and just talk shit. The football has become a bit of a byproduct for me. As I've constantly banged on about, I'm really not well, and last season finally did it for me. I've said it before, and I'm saying it again now, it's only a fucking game.

We all know how the club came to be in MK1, a retail park development. If it hadn't been Wimbledon, it would've been someone else. I'm constantly amazed that folk are constantly amazed that Pete puts his other money-making ventures before the football club. He's a businessman, pure and simple, a businessman. Witness the recent parking debacle. There was no real reason to do that. There's plenty of spaces in and around the stadium. The only reason to do it is to squeeze even more money out of an already dwindling fan base.

It's not rocket science, he's a businessman who's out to make money, and the sooner folk grasp that, the happier folk will be.

_________________
They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

I do agree with the bit in bold. I think that's why we have to be careful with demanding Pete sells, though. He clearly wants to sell, so I worry that 'Pete out' chat will just make him think 'ah, fuck it' and be less careful with who he sells to.

It can be done. Look at Wycombe. Not every takeover ends as another Southend or Bury.

_________________
They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

There is no single entity that would be saleable. It would have to a package of various parts of the set up. But what sort of package could he put together that would attract a soccer mad multi millionaire ?

I'm not even sure that he would be free to offer the stadium without some agreement with MK Council.

Even the stadium has parts that a soccer buyer would probably not want to be responsible for. The Arena , the hotel, the Italian resteraunt etc for example.

There is not even a descent training facility, just some plans for one.

So what exactly has Pete got that he could sell as a football club ?