The family behind a charitable trust, who say they want to make an offer and would give finances to allow the club to continue running for the next 30 days, was named Rochdale AFC’s “preferred investor” today.
The Ogden Trust, the family’s charitable trust, was founded in 1999 and states on its website that its goal is to “promote the teaching and learning of physics.”
The revelation was made by the club, which stated that both Lady Ogden and Sir Peter Ogden, the trustees and ones who founded the trust, were born in Rochdale.
The family said in a statement that although “time is not on our side,” it plans to submit an offer to purchase the club once due diligence is finished.
It said: “We are providing the club with enough funding to allow it to function for the next 30 days in order to give us the time we need. We intend to have finished our due diligence and developed and presented our offer by the end of that time frame so that, if approved by the club, we may finalise an investment before the season ends.”
The development, which represents the most recent turn in Dale’s future story, occurs following the end of his exclusivity agreement with World Soccer Holdings LLC.
The Manchester Evening News has learned that there was no formal bid made to purchase Rochdale, despite the National League Club announcing earlier this month that it had begun a “period of exclusivity” with the US company.
Simon Gauge, the club chairman, has issued a warning, saying that if a buyer isn’t found by the end of the month, the club could go out of business and collapse.
The Manchester Evening News has learned that there was no formal bid made to purchase Rochdale, despite the National League Club announcing earlier this month that it had begun a “period of exclusivity” with the US company.
Simon Gauge, the club chairman, has issued a warning, saying that if a buyer isn’t found by the end of the month, the club could go out of business and collapse.
The club announced in a statement that there would now be another “period of engagement.”
It said this: “Rochdale AFC is happy to announce that it has been approached by, and has subsequently confirmed, the Ogden family as its preferred investor in the club. This comes after a period of exclusivity with World Soccer Holdings LLC expired.”
“After several detailed meetings with the club, as well as the Supporters Trust Chairman and Board representative, we will now work tirelessly over the next month so that due diligence can be completed, and future business plans put in place.”
“This is a different type of football investment, in that it is primarily driven by the recognition of, and motivation to preserve, the significant value,” stated Simon Gauge, chairman of Rochdale AFC.
The Ogden family is driven to assist us in achieving sustainability so that we can continue to be the hub of our community for a century and beyond, acknowledging the significance of our football mishap.
“We hope that the government will acknowledge the value that clubs like ours bring to communities across the nation, as well as the Premier League, EFL, National League, and other stakeholders. If so, they need to come to an agreement on a distribution plan that makes it possible for us and others to operate sustainably and build a correct pyramid that has three tiers above and below the National League in the EFL.
“A single automatic promotion spot in a system pushes teams to take unnecessary risks and run unsustainable operations. This ought to be discarded.”
Mr. Gauge continued by thanking the council and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
As long as the club “assists the Ogden family in carrying out a further period of engagement before a purchase of shares in the club is completed,” he said, neither the club nor the possible investor will make any more comments.
The Ogden family released the following statement: “Our family has deep ties in Rochdale. Rochdale is where Sir Peter Ogden and Lady Ogden were born. Numerous ongoing projects in Rochdale schools are carried out by our charity organisation, the Ogden organisation, which principally supports the teaching and study of physics in underrepresented communities.
“We had positive first conversations with the club and the Dale Supporters Trust after learning about the club’s recent struggles. Since then, since the club has been in exclusive talks with WSH LLC, we have been keeping an eye on the issue. After learning that the exclusivity period had ended, we intensified our deliberations and diligence.
“In our opinion, the club—as well as the Rochdale AFC Community Trust, which is closely linked to it—are priceless community assets that must endure.
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