Elgin set to "Do a Gretna"

[CaleyD]

I caught the tail end of a piece on the radio earlier and it sounded like someone had just pledged £5 Million to Elgin in order for them to emulate Gretna and take them to the SPL in 5 years.

Did I catch the story right and has anyone got any more info - can't find anything online anywhere.

[KilveanLegend]

Somebody must be having a laugth buying Elgin.

[wyness_is_god]

Possibley True, Found on an Albion Rovers forum.

A security company bodyguard with links to the sex industry is mounting a takeover bid for Elgin City, the Press and Journal can reveal.

From the P&J

Neil MacGregor, who claims to provide security for celebrity clients such as Madonna and George Clooney, wants to buy the Third Division side for £400,000.

The former soldier, who provides escorts as well as actresses for the adult entertainment industry, wants to invest £5million a year in the club in an audacious attempt to make it an emerging force in the Scottish game.

Last night MacGregor said he had aspirations to become the 'David Murray of Elgin' and promised to have Elgin City in the Scottish Premier League within five years.

"I have been quoted a price of £400,000 to buy shares in the club and have made an offer for £400,000 - it is in their hands.

"My own team, Rangers, don't need my help but I am looking to invest in Scottish football. I want to be the David Murray of Elgin."

MacGregor, who splits his time between Glasgow and Los Angeles, set up MacGregor Protection Services in 1996.

The company's website lists clients including Formula One drivers Jensen Button and David Coulthard and celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Tom Cruise.

A sister company, MacGregor's Adult Entertainment Services, claims to provide £250-an-hour male and female escorts, as well as sex toys and pornographic films.

MacGregor is said to have considered bidding for Aberdeen and Gretna before ruling them out in favour of the Moray club.

"I considered investing in Major League Soccer in America but the trend is to invest in British clubs," he said. "I would, however, like to bring in players from the MLS in America.

"It has been discussed by the directors at Elgin, where I have been talking to Graham Tatters. The discussions have been confidential but, obviously, that has been breached somewhere. I am happy for the people of Elgin to know about my plans and it is up to fan power to make it happen."

He said the investment would be used to build a new stadium and training facilities and promote football in the community.

"If you look at Livingston, Caley Thistle or Gretna, it is clear that £5million per year is not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things when it comes to building a new stadium, providing training facilities and paying wages.

"Certainly, if you went to a club in the English League offering £5million a year, they would laugh at you. In football, it isn't a huge sum.

"Elgin, with the right investment, could be in the SPL within five years."

One of Elgin City's nine directors, Steven Milne, confirmed the club had received an approach.

Milne, managing director of a car dealership, said: "We've had an inquiry regarding the purchase of shares and it will be discussed at the board meeting on Tuesday."

The club is understood to have a million shares, of which around two-thirds are already allocated. Only 35% of the club's stock is available for purchase.

A potential stumbling block to any deal could be MacGregor's involvement in the sex industry. The Moray club prides itself on its youth policy and community links and would be keen to avoid tarnishing its reputation.

Elgin City finished second bottom of the Third Division last season and attracted an average crowd of fewer than 500 for home games.

In 2005 Aberdeen businessman Kenny Black failed in a bid to take control when the club's shirt sponsor became the major shareholder instead.

At a dramatic extraordinary general meeting, it was revealed the Robertson Group had bought previously unallocated shares in the club for about £280,000.

Leslie Benzies, president of Rockstar North, also tried to buy shares in April 2006.

[clacher_holiday2]

id actually welcome elgin not being so p1sh, itd make a change from even more investment going into the dead horse to our west, they do have the potential to be a first division sized outfit

[Scotty]

It would actually be quite interesting to have a reasonably strong set of teams across the traditional Highland League catchment area , it would annoy the **** out of some pundits and grass roots football people who think the country ends just before Perth.

[caley100]

I heard the interview with this guy Mcgregor on the news this morning, sounds like delusions of grandeur in a big scale, he said that Elgin could be a huge team with a new stadium built they could attract fans from the large cities of Aberdeen and Dundee, not to mention the western isles! he claimed they could get crowds of 20k..... :crazy07: :crazy07: :crazy07:

This one is doomed to failure..Elgin is a closed shop.

[PullMyFinger]

All that for a mere £5M 

[Guest TinCanFan]

Crowds of 20,000! Fans from Aberdeen and Dundee! Are you sure he's not in the booze industry because it seems like that is where his brain is at.   He must be having a laugh and SPL in five years! I'll believe it when I see it.

[CaleyD]

I heard the interview this morning also.

His opening line "Once I have control of the club I will do what I like with it"  :017:

He then went on to say that by building new training facilities he would attract other teams like the Deveronvale's, Wick Academy's etc to use it.....even Inverness!!!

The guy certainly seems to be living in cloud cuckoo land in terms of what he expects his money to buy, from what I understand he is looking to take approach 30-35% of the club by buying up the remaining shares for £400k, then making a move to get 51% or more.  He then talks of holding a share issue to give the ownership of the club back to the fans in the same was as Rangers did.  :029:

Regardless of the sums of money he is offering up I'd be very nervous about letting someone that talks and comes across the way he does anywhere near my club.  For Elgins sake I hope he is just the money man and he has another brain working in the background keeping him on track.

Elgin certainly have the potential to be a far bigger club than they are and they seem to have had no shortage of offers from people who want to invest heavily in the club.  If they are sensible they eill hold out for someone who at least lives on the same planet as the rest of us.

[beachcomber]

It's extraordinary that Elgin has become such a basket case when there appears to be plenty potential there.

Can't see this joker being the answer though if he adds them to his stable of neds and slappers.

Mind you, Borough Briggs security would be tight and the half time entertainment might be quite spicy.

[Guest TinCanFan]

Could this be the Romanov of the north?

[CaleyD]

I think he needs to invest some of that cash in his website - it's absolutely shocking  :015:

http://www.macgregorprotectionservices.com/

[wyness_is_god]

Update Story in P&J

More on this become realistic for Elgin in the link above :003:

He added: "I am former Army personnel and have morals and would never do anything to embarrass the club or anyone."

Coming from the guy who thinks he can get 20000 following Elgin in the SPL Even Aberdeen can't do it unless the old firm visit, so what makes him think Elgin will :024:

[RossP]

Update Story in P&J

More on this become realistic for Elgin in the link above :003:

He added: "I am former Army personnel and have morals and would never do anything to embarrass the club or anyone."

Coming from the guy who thinks he can get 20000 following Elgin in the SPL Even Aberdeen can't do it unless the old firm visit, so what makes him think Elgin will :024:

From personal experience, i'd guess there are around 20K Old Firm fans in the Moray area!!!

[Proctor]

The difference between Elgin and Gretna is that Elgin is ten times Gretna's size in terms of population and would therefore have a better chance of bigger crowds, mabye not 20,000 but up to 5,000 if they attract people from Keith, Buckie and the surrounding area. I wouldnt mind this because I'm from Elgin and my great grandad was on the Elgin city board.

[ictchris]

Confirmed as a hoax, the Elgin board said that he didnt' want to communicate other than through email and wouldn't meet soliciters.

I have to say I, for one, am hugely shocked that anyone operating in the security and escort industry would display anything other than the highest ethical standards in their business dealings. :014:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Links with the sex industry - somebody test the **** fer syphillis.