Leeds demonstrate how football investors tend towards own goals

Investing in football clubs that go public is as uncertain as soccer itself, especially when one of your major assets walks out…

Investing in football clubs that go public is as uncertain as soccer itself, especially when one of your major assets walks out the door. For every Man Utd and Celtic which has made investors rich, there is also the likes of Caspian, the investment group which had the misfortune to buy those legendary entertainers, Leeds United.

This week, Leeds suffered another misfortune when they had to give Swedish striker, Tomas Brolin, a £140,000 pay-off and a free transfer, or else leave him kicking his heels for the rest of his contract at a cost of £700,000. Naturally enough, Leeds chose to cut their losses and Brolin is on the move after costing Leeds a pricey £1.5 million a goal in his two years at the club. And as for Caspian, the shares which reached a peak of 48p a year ago are now languishing at 23p. Enough said!