Bristol Rovers news: Hussain Al Saeed investment, new stadium and promotion from League One
Bristol Rovers owner Wael Al-Qadi
Planet Sport understands Bristol Rovers have secured a major new investment from Kuwait to fund a new stadium and promotion push.
Bristol Rovers secure Kuwait investment
Wael Al-Qadi is in negotiations with a Kuwaiti investor to sell a controlling interest in Dwane Sports, the holding company that owns Bristol Rovers. The deal would see the Jordanian remain as club president.
The deal will see Hussain Al Saeed purchase a 55% controlling stake to become the new co-owner of Dwane Sports, the holding company that owns the club.
Current chief Wael Al-Qadi has been at the helm since buying the club in 2016 and is expected to remain the chairman of the club.
Al-Qadi joined on the back of a promotion from the National League to League Two and helped oversee a second consecutive promotion to League One the following season.
The Gas has returned to League Two since but made an immediate return to the third tier of English Football with Joey Barton in charge.
Al-Qadi's investment since his arrival has been key, with the Jordanian spending more than £20 million of his personal wealth to help keep the club functional during COVID and beyond.
In 2017, Dwane Sports Group acquired a 28-acre site in Almondsbury called The Colony, which would be developed into the club's new training ground.
Although the site remained undeveloped until June 2020, the new training quarters have helped the club level up significantly and over time attract an increasing calibre of players.
Bristol Rovers new stadium
Al Saeed's arrival is a natural next step with Al-Qadi always being honest about the need for fresh investment to keep growing the club, specifically referencing funding the new stadium.
Not much is known about the personal wealth of the Kuwait national Al Saeed who is the Regional Head of the Corporate Banking Group at Ahli United Bank.
Reports suggest that he as an individual is buying the controlling stake, however, his elevated status within Ahli United Bank could be the key to investment.
As well as operating 147 branches around the Middle East and the UK, holding assets over $41 billion, Ahli United Bank also offers investment banking services.
Al-Saeed is understood to be key to Rovers' progression at the Fruit Market, the piece of land the Gas chief is eyeing up as the location for a new 20,000 all-seater stadium.
The plans are thought to include a housing and urban development project that will include hotels, restaurants and recreational amenities.
Early this year, Conygar, the developers, exchanged conditional contracts with Bristol Fruit Market and have been finalising their plans for the development ready for submission.
There have been numerous false dawns at Rovers over the years but with a deadline of March 31, 2024 set for application submission, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Bristol Rovers start work on new stand
In the short term, the club are pressing on with plans to redevelop the often mocked and maligned South Stand likened to a circus tent with seats 'borrowed from Wimbledon'.
The club have already demolished the old structure and broke ground as they press forward with plans to build a new stand, but the issue is they don't have planning permission.
A source has suggested there are delays of up to six months in planning applications being reviewed and the club have been told by Bristol City Council that no work should take place.
Despite this, building works have begun and irked the wrath of residents, prompting concerns the club could be ordered to reverse the works and raising questions over this season's capacity.
A large number of supporters have bought season tickets for the South Stand, which also houses a small portion of the away support as per EFL rules.The rules state:
'Each Club shall, subject to any dispensations granted by the Board, make provision for at least 200 of the visiting supporters (of which not less than 100 must be seats) to be accommodated under cover.'
'Any Club which fails to meet the requirement of 200 visiting supporters being accommodated under cover and which does not have a dispensation granted by the Board shall have such amounts as the Board shall determine (in its absolute discretion) withheld from that Club's central distributions from the Pool Account until such time as the Club can meet the requirement.'
In Lehman's terms, there is a responsibility to provide 200 away supporters with covered accommodation, which prevents a logistical nightmare given the only other option is the West Terrace.
Tickets are yet to go on sale for the League One curtain-raiser which takes place in a little over a week at Memorial Stadium when Barnsley visits.
Joey Barton's promotion push
Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers are preparing for a second season in League One under the stewardship of Joey Barton.
The additions of Jevani Brown, Luke Thomas, James Wilson, George Friend and Tristan Crama among others look to have elevated the Gas to another level.
Based on last seasons goal contributions at their relevant clubs, no side in the league has a front line that produced more goals and assists than Bristol Rovers.
The approach of adding an experienced head like Wilson and pairing him with the up-and-coming Crama is a major upgrade at the back and the pair has looked solid in pre-season.
The promise of fresh investment from Al Saeed in the coming transfer markets will further heighten expectations from fans, but Planet Sport believes they're already a contender for the play-offs.
