Birmingham City: Peter Pannu pleads for "jealousy" of old regime to stop
Nov 21 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
PETER Pannu has pleaded that the Blues board be left alone to concentrate on making the club a success.
Pannu insisted there was a feelgood factor around the club and that the owners would not be derailed by any hidden agendas or ‘jealousy’ the previous regime may harbour.
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It’s been another remarkable week of claim and counter-claim as the old and the new have clashed publicly.
Detectives from West Midlands Police’s Economic Crime Team were also called in and handed documents by Carson Yeung’s lawyers concerning club finances.
And Blues moved to insist that Yeung was not a front man acting on behalf of other mysterious investors after it emerged Grandtop International Holdings planned to purchase a little known firm in a £70 million deal.
“Morale is so high, everyone is happy,” said Pannu, Blues vice-chairman executive and finance.
“There is a feel good factor. This goes without saying.
“You look at how the players are performing, the things they are saying. The fans too.
“The fans are singing again, they have not been as noisy as they are for a long time I understand.
“My hope, and the new board’s hope, is that the old board just leave us alone.
“We want nothing that will interfere with the morale of the team, interfere with their performance, or upset the fans.
“We hope there are no hidden reasons and agendas behind this (David Sullivan and David Gold outbursts), some jealousy and what have you,” he said.
The new regime said that they have been left with liabilities approaching £11 million since the £81.5 million takeover.
But that will not harm Alex McLeish in the January transfer window, insisted Pannu, who noted that Blues results and performances had begun to improve now the Hong Kong group were firmly ensconced.
“People should remember, all buildings are all made of concrete and steel. It’s the architects who make into them award-winning designs, who turn them into wonder buildings.
“The mood is good, everybody is on the right track.
“The team is confident. It is the same team as before who are now performing well, under the same coach. They are playing very well.
“We don’t want to engage in a war of words with David Sullivan and David Gold. We don’t have to do that.
“Our stance is let’s move on, it’s important for the club as we clear up all this mess left behind.
“We are having to pick up extra tabs and Carson has this week put in an extra £2 million to help.
“We don’t want any more nonsense that could influence team spirit and what we want to do at Birmingham City.
“Maybe some people can’t cope with what is happening at the club now, I don’t know.”
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