WEALTHY Scottish businessman Gordon Pairman is the mystery bidder looking to take over Belle Vue Speedway.
Aces owner Tony Mole is refusing to divulge the name of the man who has made an out-of-the-blue offer for the club regarded as the Manchester United of the speedway world.
But it is understood that Pairman, a 57-year-old Glaswegian chartered accountant, who lives and works on the Isle of Man, has the money behind the bid.
He is part of three-man promotion team at top Premier League club Glasgow, and fits the description of the Belle Vue bidder as a man with promoting experience but not at Elite League level.
Pairman has been a Glasgow supporter since 1966, but didn't get seriously involved with the club until 2003 when he helped to finance the signing of Czech star George Stancl from Wolverhampton. He became a promoter at the beginning of last season.
Mole told M.E.N. Sport: "I am not prepared to disclose the name of the person who has made the offer until the deal is complete. I think it is more likely to occur than not.
"I have told him that I want a decision by September 27 so I can announce it at a meeting of the British Promoters' Association. We won't be talking after that date and I won't be messed around.
"I want to stress that Belle Vue is not on the open market and I won't place it there. But I am confident in the ability of the man who has made the offer to take over the club. If a deal isn't done, then I will be back next season."
What do you think of the news? Have your say.
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Phil, Manchester (08/09/2006 at 10:29)
He was one of the driving forces behind the weakening of the Premier League....would he want the same in the Elite League?? Would his cost cutting drive Crump away from Belle Vue and stop us attracting the top stars???
Maybe he is wealthy, but so is Tony Mole. And Tony Mole is a sound businessman and Speedway expert......Pairman is a newcomer to promoting......Mole has done brilliantly well with the club in the last 2 years.....he can still take it further....TONY MOLE DON'T GO!!!!
Tim Fisher, Wigan (08/09/2006 at 10:43)
It will have to be a strong candidate to takeover. Somewhere who has the Aces at heart.
I am yet to be persuaded that this is in the interest of Belle Vue, the club must continue to go forward. Not take any steps back.
ian collins, Stockport (08/09/2006 at 11:49)
paul emery, manchester (08/09/2006 at 12:24)
Frank, York (08/09/2006 at 12:49)
I can't pretend to know whether Mr Pairman is the right man to take the Aces forward, but I assume his bid is a substantial one, in which case he must surely have definite ideas and plans about how he's going to make a return on his investment.
Mr Mole will certainly be tempted by the money, but the fans will want proper details of Mr Pairman's plans for the Aces over the next few years, before they'll be convinced that this will be a good deal.
Louise Northey, Warrington (08/09/2006 at 12:54)
Malcolm, Sale (08/09/2006 at 13:51)
Peter, Manchester (08/09/2006 at 14:26)
jack, stockport (08/09/2006 at 16:44)
Although Belle Vue is a different proposition every fan would surely prefer the safe hands of Tony Mole rather than someone who is constantly threatening to close the track that he operates at present.
No doubt Mr.Mole would find a large cash offer difficult to turn down, but Mr.Pairman's record doesn't fill me with confidence.
Alan, Glasgow (08/09/2006 at 19:14)
Burnage Ace, Burnage, Manchester (08/09/2006 at 20:40)
Schweppes, England (08/09/2006 at 21:34)
Secondly, the work that has been put into starting Birmingham behind the scenes has been immense and this venture will be Tony Moles main interest in the sport.
Although Aces fans have been delighted with the Mole Thomas partnership, this is mainly due to the vast improvement considering the former promoter.
For the long term future of Belle Vue, this could well be a blessing in disguise as the current management team have done their job by putting Aces back to the top and releasing control to a new investor could be exactly what the club needs.
While this appears to be a sole bid, it may become clear if this goes through that a second party is involved with this take over who would have Belle Vue at heart.
Ssshhhhh, you know who !
mark mcgeever, GORTON (08/09/2006 at 21:34)
Brian Renshaw, Manchester (08/09/2006 at 22:36)
They say everything has it's price but for me Belle Vue is a better proposition than either the yet to be formed Birmingham Team or with due respect to them Workington.
If it isn't the gold that glitters then it is something else. Tony lives in Kidderminster and some of the other advertising interests I was introduced to over a year ago from the then Promotions manager such as Plasma Screen Television advertising were centred around Birmingham e.g Birmingham City FC, West Bromwich Albion, the M6 Toll Services.
I hope Tony, Redvers and Ian Thomas retain the Aces because they have done great things for the team I have always supported.
Tony has said he would not sell the Aces other than for an offer he couldn't refuse.
Personally speaking my heart says Don't Sell. My Head tells me that in an even contest tug of war between Birmingham and Manchester, the Brummie interest would triumph every time.
Let's hope not
Tony, Manchester (10/09/2006 at 15:15)
Mole and Thomas have turned this club around magnificently...the crowds are up considerably.....the team has gone from bottom of the league to silverware contenders.....media coverage is gradually increasing...team spirit is at all alltime high....sack the board is often heard in football and other sports, but how many sports team in the country have a chairman/manager that the fans want to stay?? Well we have!! make no mistake, 2 years ago 99.9% of Aces fans wanted Perrin to go....two years later 99.9% of Aces fans want Mole and Thomas to stay.....its been a great 2 years of moving forward...and we've still a long way to go.....TONY DON'T SELL....PLEASE STAY!