9:57am Monday 6th July 2009
By Echo Reporter
ENTREPRENEUR Richard Williams has spoken about his company’s multi-million pound negotiations to buy Southampton Football Club.
Mr Williams, 44, from Bradford, 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 Echo 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.
As revealed by the Echo at the weekend, former York City FC owner John Batchelor is fronting the bid and acting as negotiator.
Gillico's £12.5m bid was submitted on Friday and the group is now awaiting a response from the administrators.
If 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.”
See today's Daily Echo for a special report about John Batchelor and the Gillico bid.
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