Rams find American owners

Derby to make 'positive announcement' on Monday

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 25th January 2008

Rams find American owners
The key aim is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which is renowned as a Premier League force.

Adam Pearson
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Derby County are to announce at a press conference on Monday that the club have been taken over by new American owners.

Rams chairman Adam Pearson has been searching for new investment since his appointment in October and a takeover of the club has now been completed.

The new owners have not been named, but it has been reported that Derby have been negotiating with a sports management company which is heavily involved in a number of American sports.

A statement on Derby's official website said: "Derby County football club is to make a positive announcement on the club's future at a press conference to be held at Pride Park this coming Monday."

And in a statement to be published in Saturday's matchday programme for the FA Cup fourth round clash with Preston, Pearson is set to announce that it is hoped the new investment will convert Derby to a worldwide brand.

Develop

"This new investment will establish the Derby County brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, the Far East and Africa," Pearson said.

"The key aim is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which is renowned as a Premier League force. This will add new financial firepower to the squad."

Derby become the latest Premier League side to come under American ownership.

The Glazer family were the first Americans to take charge of a top-flight side after completing a takeover of Manchester United in 2005.

Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks also hail from across the Atlantic, while Aston Villa are owned by American Randy Lerner.

Comments (6)

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Chris Norton (Southampton fan) says...

As a fan of a club, which is constantly ripe for takeover, I can only watch with interest as to how this develops. So far (Abramovich apart) I wonder how many clubs can say that consortium/foreign ownership has helped. We are a club massively in debt with no prospects of returning to the premiership. Is it too late? unless the well is bottomless are we going to compete?. I fear that these owners will just look for a return on their investment from the fans because in all honesty clubs like Derby and Southampton are not going to be marketing gold mines like Man u with players whose shirt sales could fund a squad. I wish Derby the best and just hope football wins out in the end.

Posted 10:13 28th January 2008

Richard Dawes (Derby County fan) says...

I am optomistic but cautious - lets hope they are more like Mr Lerner at Villa than Messrs Gillett and Hicks at Liverpool. Lots of Derby fans seem to think with Paul Jewell promotion back to the pPremier League is a certaity - we must remember that it is a difficult division to get out of - and other clubs in that division have also have good financial backing (such as QPR).

Posted 12:44 26th January 2008

Liam Bagguley (Derby County fan) says...

I think its good news for next season. Maybe this would answer the gillette soccer saturday panels question to why Jewell has come to Derby. The answer simple; we have a great future and its become even greater with this take over!

Posted 22:36 25th January 2008

Smudge Smith (Derby County fan) says...

For once I totally agree with a Spurs Fan. My other concern is as a season ticket holder, how much will it cost me next season. I appreciate that our prices are quite good compared to other teams of our size, but I have a horrible feeling that these American's are only coming into the club I love to make money. I just hope Mr Pearson and Gadsby (who I hold in high regard) have got this right. Come on you Rams

Posted 22:14 25th January 2008

Charles Augustus (Derby County fan) says...

On the subject of this takeover it gives the club new hope and optimism. After a wretched season in the Premier League so far this has to be great news for all Derby County Fans. The club has a first class stadium a fabulous training facility and a top manager in Paul Jewel. The fan base of this club is second to none and is probably the envy of most premier league clubs, The American Investment has come at the right time, it will be welcolmed by most as this club has been through a lot since the days of winning championships under Brian Clough and Dave Mackay. If has reports suggest that the current board are on there way out then special thanks must go to Peter Gadsby, Mike Horton, Don Amott and the rest of the board for pulling out all the stops to save the club and return it to the Premier League. Also Adam Pearson the executive chairman in bringing about this investment. It looks good for Derby County and ok if they do go down then with this investment it looks like that they will rebuild in the summer for the Championship and come back the season after into the Premier League and make a better fist of it. All i can say is well done and watch Derby County ROCK!

Posted 21:49 25th January 2008

Ty Harman (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

its not really going toi help derby this season, it should have been sorted before the season so they could have invested in some decent players beforehand. its going to be another 2 years before derby can regain premiership status so i hope for derbys sake the new owners will be patient!!!

Posted 21:24 25th January 2008
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