Ex-England defender Bertrand eyes £87m AFC Wimbledon deal

Former England defender Ryan Bertrand is leading a consortium that has proposed an £87m minority investment in League One side AFC Wimbledon.

Bertrand, who played for Chelsea, Southampton, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest during his career, is at the forefront of the group with British technology expert Omar Mir, who is the sole funder of the proposed minority share buyout through investment vehicle Sloane Street Capital (SSC).

The Dons Trust board presented their proposals to its members on Wednesday night.

SSC would invest £16m on completion for a minority 34% of the shares in AFCW PLC, the company that runs the club.

The remaining £71m would be spread over five seasons to the 2030-31 campaign.

If the deal is successful, SSC would oversee football operations, led by Bertrand as senior football advisor, but work within budgets and processes agreed by the AFCW PLC board.

The Dons Trust currently own 50.01% of the voting shares of AFC Wimbledon, which was designed to ensure the club remains fan-controlled.

Bertrand, who won the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League with Chelsea, said: "AFC Wimbledon's story is unique in English football and it was built by its supporters. We felt at home from our very first meetings.

"We are not here to change what this club is. We are here to help it go further on and off the pitch, for the men's team, the women's team and the academy.

"It would be an honour to join the Wimbledon family and help write the next chapter, and we look forward to meeting members and answering their questions over the coming weeks."

Under the terms of the deal, the Dons Trust voting rights would be unaffected, plus they would hold veto control of the Cherry Red Record Stadium freehold.

Other proposals include SSC taking two of the 12 seats on the club board, plus an observer position, while the Dons Trust would retain a veto over the club's name, badge, colours, ground and constitution.

Stuart Fiertz, co-founder of the investment management company Cheyne Capital and sports executive Oliver Ward would join the board if a deal is ratified.

Should SSC sell its stake, the Dons Trust would have first refusal and could block who they felt were unsuitable investors.

Also, as part of the terms, if SSC missed a payment, its share of AFC Wimbledon's value would stop growing immediately and control would return to the club within three months.

The voting period for Dons Trust members to decide on the proposals ends on 17 November. Earlier this year, members voted in favour of external investment on the proviso that fan ownership and control were protected.

Since then, the board has considered more than 20 potential investors, with SSC emerging as the strongest.

AFC Wimbledon's lawyers have completed source-of-funds and background checks on the individuals involved in the consortium.

Angus Fox, chair of the Dons Trust board, said: "The deal brings at least £87m into AFC Wimbledon over five years, while the Trust keeps a permanent majority of the votes, control of the Plough Lane freehold and a veto over everything that makes us who we are. We have set out the factors to weigh as plainly as the opportunities.

"The board recommends a yes vote, but this is our members' club and our members' decision."

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