Tonight:
5°c
Like the football manager thrashed several to nil who admits “we were lucky to get nil”, a firm of players agents has pulled off that rarity for a listed company: absolutely no income.
In fact the picture is even worse at Premier Management. The players agency, run by wheeler-dealing Barry Gold, today actually reported in its revenue column negative sales as the business was forced to issue a credit note to a football club client.
Premier Management made a splash on the Stock Exchange at the beginning of this decade when several players agencies floated on the stock market, before agents in general reverted to their normal popularity rating on a par with investment bankers.
Then, run by Gold and his partner Billy Jennings one-time favourite of the West Ham faithful and equally popular in the bars of the City, Premier was making more than half a million pounds a year profit.
It claimed to have 250 players on its books including the likes of Kevin Nolan, now of Newcastle United. However, with Jennings leaving the company, the business nearly went bust in 2005. The shares have remained listed on the Alternative Investment Market, albeit priced at just ½p.
Today Gold told long-suffering investors that some cash is on the way.
“Business has been brisk,” since the summer player transfer window, said Gold, adding that he expects payments within the next year.
