MONEY TALKS

Barnsley chief has spoken to four SPFL clubs about takeover

BARNSLEY chief Paul Conway last night admitted holding takeover talks with four clubs in the SPFL.

Part of the wealthy international consortium who own 80 per cent of the English Championship outfit, and Swiss side FC Thun, Tykes co-chairman Conway has been in Belgium to complete a deal for KV Oostende.

And with the SFA prepared to relax dual ownership rules to attract investment to

Scots clubs stricken by the coronavirus shutdown, Conway and partner Chien Lee are still scouring the market for a purchase north of the border.

Overtures to Hearts and Motherwell were knocked back. And, while Conway won’t divulge the names of others targeted,

Sportsmail understands that conversations with Premiership club Livingston and an unnamed Championship outfit have now

reached an impasse. ‘In the last two months, we have had some detailed conversations with four clubs in Scotland,’ said the American businessman. ‘But there still seems to be a lot of turmoil within the league and everyone seems to be stuck in that turmoil, not realising that in the next couple of months there are going to be some serious liquidity issues. ‘The well-run clubs will figure it out. But we will keep on plugging away in Scotland because every club in the world is losing money every month now. ‘And simply restarting the season doesn’t solve things, because wages are going to go up and sponsorship and ticketing money is going to go down. ‘These clubs need to raise money and it doesn’t matter where it’s from. If they wait too much longer hoping and praying a new TV deal will replace lost revenue, it’s a fantasy. ‘A few clubs are only a pay cheque or two away from administration. So we remain open to talking.’ Conway’s first move for a Scottish club saw lengthy negotiations with Partick Thistle break down last year. Discussions were overshadowed by the SFA’s dual-interest regulations, and the Firhill club eventually accepted a community-ownership bid fronted by Colin Weir prior to the lottery winner’s death in December. With the current financial turmoil in Scottish football, the governing body are prepared to consider any request to hold a bigger stake in clubs. And Conway (left) sees an opportunity to introduce data-led Moneyball principles to an SPFL club and build from a low base. ‘There is always an opportunity when clubs are not well run,’ he said. ‘I am in Belgium after closing a deal to buy KV Oostende. And nobody in Scotland is using the data we use at Barnsley. ‘There are good players and it’s not a huge commitment to youth either. ‘The average age of some Premiership teams is quite old by continental standards. Our model is to bring through young players. We’ve also learned that not a lot of teams in Scotland press. So our belief is that a young, attacking pressing team should overachieve in the market compared to budget size.’