July 27 – Foreign investment interest in English clubs is not confined to the Premier League and Championship, but there is growing interest in opportunities provided by clubs in the National League, the fifth tier of English football.
Woking FC, situated 25 miles to the west of central London close to the M25 orbital route, is in early talks with new investors a potential sale of the club.
Woking finished 18th in the National League last season playing at the 6,000 capacity Laithwaite Community Stadium (previously known as the Kingfield Stadium). They have been in the National League for the past five seasons.
Local rumours are that Lander Sports, currently involved in a protracted takeover of Premier League Southampton for £210 million, could be looking for a second club. That isn’t the case, though there is Asian interest from Korean Group Sportizen.
Sportizen already owns Belgium second tier club AFC Tubize and were the first Korean investors in European football.
Blackbridge Sports’ Alexander Jarvis, who represented a rival bid to Lander in the acquisition of Southampton, introduced Sportizen. He has also reportedly recently introduced British and Chinese investors.
The attraction of Woking is its proximity to London and the economic strength that brings. Woking is a thriving and growing town with plenty of development opportunity.
The club’s stadium could be reworked into a mixed-use development, while the club itself is within touching distance of the Football League with all the benefits of being close to London’s playing talent.
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