UPDATED: " TODAY AT THE CCS / THE FRONTRUNNER TO BUY US "

He's into sport, already owns the Blue Bulls, will he add the Bluebirds?
Rugby:

He previously owned a 50% stake in the English Premiership Rugby club Saracens through his Remgro company. He sold his stake in 2018 after they won multiple premiership titles and Champions Cups.

His company, Remgro, also has a 50% ownership of the Blue Bulls rugby team in South Africa.

More recently (as of January 2025), a consortium including Johann Rupert has made an offer to become an equity partner in SA Rugby, the governing body for rugby union in South Africa.

Football:

Remgro, the company he chairs, is the 100% owner of Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS), which in turn owns Stellenbosch Football Club in South Africa.

Golf:

He is extremely influential in golf. He is the Chairman of the Sunshine Tour (South Africa's professional golf tour) and the South African Golf Development Board.


He developed the Leopard Creek Golf Club in Mpumalanga, South Africa, which hosts a DP World Tour event (Alfred Dunhill Championship).

He also hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, a prominent pro-am event on the DP World Tour.

He was inducted into the South African Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

He's known for his efforts to bring peace to the "civil war" within professional golf (referring to the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf disputes).

Horse Racing:

Johann Rupert and his wife, Gaynor, are prominent racehorse owners and are highly involved in the horse breeding industry in South Africa. Their horses compete internationally and have won prestigious local races.

Broader Sporting Initiatives:

He founded the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in 1990, which uses sport to tackle social issues and uplift disadvantaged youth globally.

He co-founded the Sports Science Institute at the University of Cape Town.

He is a former cricketer and an accomplished golfer himself, and was inducted into the South African Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

He's into sport, already owns the Blue Bulls, will he add the Bluebirds?
Rugby:

He previously owned a 50% stake in the English Premiership Rugby club Saracens through his Remgro company. He sold his stake in 2018 after they won multiple premiership titles and Champions Cups.

His company, Remgro, also has a 50% ownership of the Blue Bulls rugby team in South Africa.

More recently (as of January 2025), a consortium including Johann Rupert has made an offer to become an equity partner in SA Rugby, the governing body for rugby union in South Africa.

Football:

Remgro, the company he chairs, is the 100% owner of Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS), which in turn owns Stellenbosch Football Club in South Africa.

Golf:

He is extremely influential in golf. He is the Chairman of the Sunshine Tour (South Africa's professional golf tour) and the South African Golf Development Board.


He developed the Leopard Creek Golf Club in Mpumalanga, South Africa, which hosts a DP World Tour event (Alfred Dunhill Championship).

He also hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, a prominent pro-am event on the DP World Tour.

He was inducted into the South African Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

He's known for his efforts to bring peace to the "civil war" within professional golf (referring to the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf disputes).

Horse Racing:

Johann Rupert and his wife, Gaynor, are prominent racehorse owners and are highly involved in the horse breeding industry in South Africa. Their horses compete internationally and have won prestigious local races.

Broader Sporting Initiatives:

He founded the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in 1990, which uses sport to tackle social issues and uplift disadvantaged youth globally.

He co-founded the Sports Science Institute at the University of Cape Town.

He is a former cricketer and an accomplished golfer himself, and was inducted into the South African Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

If Annis is correct and the person has spent most of his life outside of SA then it can’t be this guy as he has spent most of his life in SA Spent 5 years in US and has a place in Switzerland but has his main residence in SA since 1979

[quote="Taff on the Mersey"]Patrick Soon-Shiong
Roelof Botha
David Sacks
Rodney Sacks/Schlosberg

Interesting that Roelof Botha is a partner in Sequoia Capital where Michael Moritz was also a partner and worked for until 2023. Michael Moritz was born in Cardiff and is Wales's richest person

Patrick Soon-Shiong
Roelof Botha
David Sacks
Rodney Sacks/Schlosberg

Interesting that Roelof Botha is a partner in Sequoia Capital where Michael Moritz was also a partner and worked for until 2023. Michael Moritz was born in Cardiff and is Wales's richest person

I spoke to Michael Moritz briefly in 2022 and asked him to invest in the club, given his roots. It was a very quick no, so this would be an ironic, yet nice surprise

He's into sport, already owns the Blue Bulls, will he add the Bluebirds?
Rugby:

He previously owned a 50% stake in the English Premiership Rugby club Saracens through his Remgro company. He sold his stake in 2018 after they won multiple premiership titles and Champions Cups.

His company, Remgro, also has a 50% ownership of the Blue Bulls rugby team in South Africa.

More recently (as of January 2025), a consortium including Johann Rupert has made an offer to become an equity partner in SA Rugby, the governing body for rugby union in South Africa.

Football:

Remgro, the company he chairs, is the 100% owner of Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS), which in turn owns Stellenbosch Football Club in South Africa.

Golf:

He is extremely influential in golf. He is the Chairman of the Sunshine Tour (South Africa's professional golf tour) and the South African Golf Development Board.


He developed the Leopard Creek Golf Club in Mpumalanga, South Africa, which hosts a DP World Tour event (Alfred Dunhill Championship).

He also hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, a prominent pro-am event on the DP World Tour.

He was inducted into the South African Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

He's known for his efforts to bring peace to the "civil war" within professional golf (referring to the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf disputes).

Horse Racing:

Johann Rupert and his wife, Gaynor, are prominent racehorse owners and are highly involved in the horse breeding industry in South Africa. Their horses compete internationally and have won prestigious local races.

Broader Sporting Initiatives:

He founded the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in 1990, which uses sport to tackle social issues and uplift disadvantaged youth globally.

He co-founded the Sports Science Institute at the University of Cape Town.

He is a former cricketer and an accomplished golfer himself, and was inducted into the South African Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

If Annis is correct and the person has spent most of his life outside of SA then it can’t be this guy as he has spent most of his life in SA Spent 5 years in US and has a place in Switzerland but has his main residence in SA since 1979

Yes and Annis said the South African is football mad, this does not back that up.

Quote from Johann Rupert is true and widely reported.

In October 2008, when he was indeed linked with a takeover of Newcastle United, he publicly denied the speculation. As part of his denial, he stated:

"I haven't spoken to any of the other parties either. I don't know Mr Cleland, I have a preference for cricket and rugby. I don't know anything about football and I'm not a football man."

He also expressed frustration with his name being used in such rumors, saying, "I think it is a bit naughty. They use your name, you deny it – it is a total joke."

While his involvement in sports has expanded since 2008 to include football ownership (Stellenbosch FC), at that specific time, his public stance was that he was not a "football man."

Patrick Soon-Shiong
Roelof Botha
David Sacks
Rodney Sacks/Schlosberg


Has to be one of these, surely!

What about Andrew Sachs(Manuel from Fawlty Towers).That would be about our level!!

I agree with some of the above. Whilst it would be nice to have someone worth £16b as owner of our club I also have my reservations as to whether this is the right person.

As the above poster mentioned he appears to have very little interest in English football. Cricket and Rugby are his main interests. Accordingly he doesnt seem to be the person who "has been interested in us for years".

Born in South Africa yes. But again, like the above poster mentioned, he has spent most of his life in South Africa and not the US or UK as suggested.

I agree with some of the above. Whilst it would be nice to have someone worth £16b as owner of our club I also have my reservations as to whether this is the right person.

As the above poster mentioned he appears to have very little interest in English football. Cricket and Rugby are his main interests. Accordingly he doesnt seem to be the person who "has been interested in us for years".

Born in South Africa yes. But again, like the above poster mentioned, he has spent most of his life in South Africa and not the US or UK as suggested.

Paul what do you read into this Private Jet that was mentioned. I know you are worse than me for going down rabbit holes and deep diving on info.

The jet is tied to the bidder, as mentioned in the OP. There are only around 330 of that specific model in use around the world.

It flew in from Nice yesterday morning and flew back there in the evening. This points to Dalman Links. But then Rupert owns one of those planes.

Oh I do love a puzzle. No one take this away from me by posting a done deal.

I know. Its my autism.

So I just entered the following into ChatGPT
What I am looking for is someone who meets the following criteria: (a) owns a bombardier global 6000 (b) Who is worth more than £750m (c) Who was born in South Africa (d) Who has spent most of his life in the USA and the US. Apparently there are only 330 of these planes. So what I am looking for is someone who meets most of the criteria

ChatGPT replied with:
Laurence Graff who possibly along with his son Francois Graff
Nationality & birth: Born in South Africa (Stellenbosch), later moved to the UK and became based there
Wealth: Estimated net worth of approximately US $4 billion (~£3.2 billion), well above your £750 million threshold .
Jet: Owns a Bombardier Global 6000 (registration OY‑LGI), which reportedly cost around US $50 million
Residency: Lives in the UK (St Jean Cap Ferrat estate in France is a holiday retreat), indicating most of his adult life has been spent in the UK

Of Interest he was born in Stellenbosch which, incidentally, is the club that Johann Ruperts business owns.



Did anyone manage to take a photo with the tail number - as that would identify the owner.

Did anyone manage to take a photo with the tail number - as that would identify the owner.

That was a much better ChatGPT script than mine. FlightRadar24 showed the flights but without the aircraft registration details.

Let's hope we get something happening, we would all want G Bale"s team to buy the club, but...anything is better than Tan the man.

I’m not too bothered who buys us.

IF it turns out to be Johan Rupert then he is worth 17b (us) so he’s more than rich enough to take us upwards

You should be (bothered), as most people (some deny it) welcomed Tan with open arms after The Riddler, and look what happened next…

Hopefully, the next owner will take us forward properly and work with the supporters to make this club what it can/should be

Let's hope we get something happening, we would all want G Bale"s team to buy the club, but...anything is better than Tan the man.

I’m not too bothered who buys us.

IF it turns out to be Johan Rupert then he is worth 17b (us) so he’s more than rich enough to take us upwards

You should be (bothered), as most people (some deny it) welcomed Tan with open arms after The Riddler, and look what happened next…

I think we were all duped into thinking Tan was our saviour and a very honourable man. Look how wrong we were

Let's hope we get something happening, we would all want G Bale"s team to buy the club, but...anything is better than Tan the man.

I’m not too bothered who buys us.

IF it turns out to be Johan Rupert then he is worth 17b (us) so he’s more than rich enough to take us upwards

You should be (bothered), as most people (some deny it) welcomed Tan with open arms after The Riddler, and look what happened next…

I think we were all duped into thinking Tan was our saviour and a very honourable man. Look how wrong we were

Well he did save us.

Saved us from what? You mean took us from being a paltry £20 million in debt with a top 10 championship squad to £200 million in debt and a squad worth nothing on high wages in league 1…..done great, fair play. And it’s nothing to do with the fans, how 22000 still go all the time is a miracle…..

Saved us from what? You mean took us from being a paltry £20 million in debt with a top 10 championship squad to £200 million in debt and a squad worth nothing on high wages in league 1…..done great, fair play. And it’s nothing to do with the fans, how 22000 still go all the time is a miracle…..

We were more than 20 million in debt when Tan took us over.

Let's hope we get something happening, we would all want G Bale"s team to buy the club, but...anything is better than Tan the man.

I’m not too bothered who buys us.

IF it turns out to be Johan Rupert then he is worth 17b (us) so he’s more than rich enough to take us upwards

You should be (bothered), as most people (some deny it) welcomed Tan with open arms after The Riddler, and look what happened next…

I think we were all duped into thinking Tan was our saviour and a very honourable man. Look how wrong we were

Well he did save us.

He certainly did, despite the protestations of some that he didn’t. However, what happened after that has been a mixture of good (promotion) and mostly bad (the red, poor management, poor decisions, seeming intransigence, and a diabolical attitude to ‘supporter liaison’

Let's hope we get something happening, we would all want G Bale"s team to buy the club, but...anything is better than Tan the man.

I’m not too bothered who buys us.

IF it turns out to be Johan Rupert then he is worth 17b (us) so he’s more than rich enough to take us upwards

You should be (bothered), as most people (some deny it) welcomed Tan with open arms after The Riddler, and look what happened next…

I think we were all duped into thinking Tan was our saviour and a very honourable man. Look how wrong we were

Well he did save us.

He certainly did, despite the protestations of some that he didn’t. However, what happened after that has been a mixture of good (promotion) and mostly bad (the red, poor management, poor decisions, seeming intransigence, and a diabolical attitude to ‘supporter liaison’

Agree

I know. Its my autism.

So I just entered the following into ChatGPT
What I am looking for is someone who meets the following criteria: (a) owns a bombardier global 6000 (b) Who is worth more than £750m (c) Who was born in South Africa (d) Who has spent most of his life in the USA and the US. Apparently there are only 330 of these planes. So what I am looking for is someone who meets most of the criteria

ChatGPT replied with:
Laurence Graff who possibly along with his son Francois Graff
Nationality & birth: Born in South Africa (Stellenbosch), later moved to the UK and became based there
Wealth: Estimated net worth of approximately US $4 billion (~£3.2 billion), well above your £750 million threshold .
Jet: Owns a Bombardier Global 6000 (registration OY‑LGI), which reportedly cost around US $50 million
Residency: Lives in the UK (St Jean Cap Ferrat estate in France is a holiday retreat), indicating most of his adult life has been spent in the UK

Of Interest he was born in Stellenbosch which, incidentally, is the club that Johann Ruperts business owns.



Did anyone manage to take a photo with the tail number - as that would identify the owner.

According to Wiki, Laurence Graf is English and is an East ender from Stepney?

Don't know where his son Francois was born though.

Don't know why chat gpt said born in south Africa either!!

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Agree Allan very puzzling

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Maybe its not true then and the people on the plane weren't connected to cardiff , the one thing for sure is the plane is real .

I think people maybe getting a bit carried away here.
I really wish this to be true however there is literally nothing other than what's been posted here to support any of these claims

""""The South African billionaire was at the CCS today with his people.

They arrived in his £60m plane ( The Bombardier Global 6000 ) at Cardiff Airport.

They stayed at the CCS for a couple of hours speaking to Tan's people.""

So, where did this originate from?

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Maybe its not true then and the people on the plane weren't connected to cardiff , the one thing for sure is the plane is real .

Not questioning the validity of story wez ..... but don't you find it very strange that nowhere is this being reported? I've never known such total secrecy surrounding a sale of a club? Reporting of a interested party being at a club is fairly normal so why absolutely nothing ? If us fans knew about plane surely wol or ssn knew about it....

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Maybe its not true then and the people on the plane weren't connected to cardiff , the one thing for sure is the plane is real .

Not questioning the validity of story wez ..... but don't you find it very strange that nowhere is this being reported? I've never known such total secrecy surrounding a sale of a club? Reporting of a interested party being at a club is fairly normal so why absolutely nothing ? If us fans knew about plane surely wol or ssn knew about it....

Only the Bale story has been put in the media.

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Maybe its not true then and the people on the plane weren't connected to cardiff , the one thing for sure is the plane is real .

Not questioning the validity of story wez ..... but don't you find it very strange that nowhere is this being reported? I've never known such total secrecy surrounding a sale of a club? Reporting of a interested party being at a club is fairly normal so why absolutely nothing ? If us fans knew about plane surely wol or ssn knew about it....

The media will often work with the club. Don't know this has happened but can imagine a scenario where the club have told the media not to report it because it could prejudice any potential sale.

The only reason the Bale stuff was reported in the media was because a respected international journalist (Ornstein) reported it due to Bale's name and then Bale said it publicly himself.

Fans don't have to follow those rules.

What I said in my post is 100% true and flight trackers back that up.

Why as this story of this person visiting stadium not made the local rag "wol" at least? Whilst confidentiality regarding deal is paramount in these cases the fact he came to stadium is always reported by most news outlets with an interest ssn being one..... .not doubting he came just find it unusually odd it not being reported by anyone other than this forum.

Maybe its not true then and the people on the plane weren't connected to cardiff , the one thing for sure is the plane is real .

Not questioning the validity of story wez ..... but don't you find it very strange that nowhere is this being reported? I've never known such total secrecy surrounding a sale of a club? Reporting of a interested party being at a club is fairly normal so why absolutely nothing ? If us fans knew about plane surely wol or ssn knew about it....

Only the Bale story has been put in the media.

Exactly only because he put it out there... so why haven't anything been reported on yesterday's events not exactly a secret? Or about the 3rd party.... there's confidentially but it's been taken to the extreme for whatever reason..

Patrick Soon-Shiong
Roelof Botha
David Sacks
Rodney Sacks/Schlosberg


Has to be one of these, surely!

What about Andrew Sachs(Manuel from Fawlty Towers).That would be about our level!!

What? A man who died in 2016?

Shocking!

Why is anything to do with city always a drama? Got supposedly 3 bids to buy club Bale dalman and a mystery buyer! Yet absolutely nothing is known about the buyers themselves why is that? Normally you have the protagonists if not the price but we've absolutely nothing other than bale.... not sure ever had that situation regarding sale of a club wheres theres absolute secrecy on everything wheres the media interest its non existent....