Football Finance

New Albion owner Shilen Patel has cleared one of the club's significant debts in one of his first acts at the helm.

February 16 – Shilen Patel is set to become West Bromwich Albion chairman after a deal to purchase an 87.8% stake in the Championship club was agreed, to the delight of Albion fans.
The takeover by Bilkul Football WBA, owned by Florida-based Patel and his father Kiran Patel was approved by the English Football League on Thursday, with exchange and completion to take place next week.

The threat of West Brom falling into administration has been firmly ruled out despite the club still owing millions in loans and transfer fees.

There's a new face on the West Brom board

Albion's owners have rejected a shock £200million-plus takeover bid from a mystery US investor, it has emerged.

Guochuan has completed his purchase of Jeremy Peace's controlling stake in the Baggies

Albion’s frustrated minor shareholders have been bounced back to the club by the Premier League and the Financial Conduct Authority after neither body agreed to delay their approval of the Chinese takeover.

The Dalian Wanda Group have just set tongues wagging in the West Midlands

Roger Burden not in the frame for a position with the Baggies

Deal brings to an end the contentious reign of Guochuan Lai

West Bromwich Albion have confirmed the launch of an investigation into the historic loan taken against the club by former owner Jeremy Peace eight years ago.

West Brom owner Guochuan Lai has stated he is unable to settle a club debt due to restrictions in place by the Chinese government, the Express & Star report. The £4.1m debt dates back to West Brom's former ownership under Jeremy Peace, with Lai having inherited the loan following his takeover in 2016. In the time since The Baggies have been relegated from the Premier League and that has led to a restriction on finances and a reduction in the player and staff budget....

This is what John Williams said after his sacking

June 29 – West Bromwich Albion’s Chinese owner Guochuan Lai (pictured) and landscaping company Palm plan to construct up to six ‘soccer towns’ across China as part of Lai’s expansion of the West Brom brand across China.
A first deal has been signed with local governing bodies in the mountainous Guizhou Province to build the first sports town between Guiyang and Anshun. West Brom’s youth academy will be a centrepiece in all the locations which will be eco-focussed in their build and offer a wide range of social amenities. Read more …

£175m sale of the Baggies could be finalised today

'Owner Jeremy Peace is ‘close’ to sealing a £150million deal for the Baggies