Gold rules out takeover
18 Dec 2007 - 14:15:38
Birmingham City chairman David Gold insists there is no chance of Carson Yeung's proposed takeover of the club going through.
Gold has also said that the club now needs a period of stability and he will not discuss any other possible takeover bids until next summer at the earliest.
Russian billionaire Vagit Alekperov has been linked with the Blues, but Gold told PA Sport: "We now need a period of stability. That is 100 per cent correct. We will do nothing now although we can't stop people making enquiries.
"We will concentrate 100 per cent from now until the end of the season on Birmingham staying in the Premier League.
"We won't entertain anything until the summer. Our fans have been to hell and back and so have the staff. The board has also gone through a difficult time over this.
"Now is the time to focus on staying in the Premier League everyone worked so hard to get back into last season.
"It is still technically plausible that Mr Yeung could walk into the football club and put a cheque on the table but, according to takeover rules, there is a time factor - and that time factor has expired.
"It is like buying a house. If you buy a house there are still things that take time. It is the same with the takeover. They would still have to do those things.
"They can't just walk in and give us a cheque. They have to go through the whole process and that takes at least a week. It is December 18 today. It can't be done.
"The process would have had to have started by now. As far as I am concerned, the deal is dead in the water."