Rams confirm new US owners

GSE bid to establish Derby as major Premier League force

Last updated: 28th January 2008

Adam Pearson Derby

Pearson: Deal has underpinned financial future

This is a significant day in the history of this club and the takeover adds new financial firepower, underpinning a long-term plan to establish Derby County as a major player in the Premier League and as an international club brand.

Adam Pearson
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Derby County's new owners have been confirmed as the US group General Sports and Entertainment, according to the club's official website.

Chairman Adam Pearson has confirmed the deal is in the form of cash, not debt, and believes the financial future of the club has been underpinned.

Pearson said: "This is a significant day in the history of this club and the takeover adds new financial firepower, underpinning a long-term plan to establish Derby County as a major player in the Premier League and as an international club brand.

"The long-term aim is to establish the Derby County brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, Far East and other continents.

"The immediate aim, though, is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which, over the coming seasons, is renowned as a Premier League force."

The chairman added: "The turnaround in the fortunes of Aston Villa, with their American investment in squad and club infrastructure, is a key model we would like to emulate over the coming seasons."

Excited

GSE chairman Andy Appleby, who established the group in 1998, said: "We are excited about the opportunity to make a significant impact at Derby County with our collective sports industry knowledge of best practices in management, sales and marketing.

"We have visited Derby County over the last six months and experienced a match day at Pride Park Stadium, where we were impressed with the incredible potential of the club and the loyalty of the fan base."

Appleby will join chairman Pearson - who is to retain his position - on the club's board, along with Tom Glick, who is to be brought in as a new president and chief executive.

Glick is a former chief marketing officer for the New Jersey Nets basketball team, and another GSE affiliate, Tim Hinchey, will move to Pride Park as an executive vice president.

Experience

Hinchey also has experience of top-level sport as a former vice president of the Charlotte Bobcats, another NBA franchise.

Don Amott and former chairman Peter Gadsby will continue as non-executive directors.

GSE will be charged with managing the investment of the consortium that was brought together to launch the takeover, whose identity remains a mystery.

GSE is a multi-faceted sports and entertainment marketing and management firm while Appleby has had long-term involvement with NBA side Detroit Pistons.

Full details of the deal are expected to be announced at a press conference at 2pm on Monday.