West Brom: Sky Sports News broadcast rare Guochuan Lai footage amid ‘significant’ update
Sky Sports News shared footage of Guochan Lai as they revealed details of the West Brom takeover with Shilen Patel now set to take over the reins.
Pete Graves and Eleanor Roper anchored the broadcast explaining why Lai was unpopular among the Hawthorns faithful.
In an official statement on their website on 15 February, the Baggies announced Bilkul Football WBA, LLC has reached an agreement for an 87.8 per cent shareholding in WBA Group Limited, which is the parent company of the club.
Graves said: “If you’re a West Brom fan and you went to bed early last night, you would have missed some very significant news. It brings Guochan Lai’s controversial eight-year ownership to an end.”
Roper added: “The club announced that a takeover had been agreed with the Florida-based entrepreneur Shilen Patel.”
Graves then chimed in: “He [Lai] came under heavy scrutiny after refusing to pay back a £5million loan which was paid to one of his other companies in June 2021. That led to protests by fans in recent years.”
One of the few times Lai showed up for West Brom
Baggies fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief as Lai’s tenure, characterised by his hands-off approach with him rarely visiting the Hawthorns and the club’s financial struggles, comes to an end.
His absentee ownership contributed to a sense of disconnect between the club and its supporters, exacerbating frustrations as West Brom faced mounting challenges both on and off the pitch.
The club’s financial turmoil, exemplified by Lai’s reluctance to address a significant loan repayment, further strained relations with fans and cast doubts on the club’s stability.
With the takeover by Patel, there’s renewed hope for West Brom’s future.
Patel’s involvement signals a potential shift towards more engaged and proactive ownership, offering fans reassurance that the club’s interests will be prioritised.
The injection of new leadership and resources provides an opportunity for West Brom to rebuild and revitalise, with the ultimate goal of returning to the Premier League.
That can be achieved as early as this season with Carlos Corberan doing an incredible job despite the lack of financial backing.
In other West Brom news, footage has emerged as a journalist shares what the Baggies fans did to Daryl Dike in the Cardiff clash post his injury.
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