Smooth deal marks a new era

Midlands-based law firm, Smith Partnership, has played a pivotal role in securing the sale of Burton Albion FC to the Scandinavian-based Nordic Football Group (NFG). The deal, which took around six months to finalize, was facilitated by Smith Partnership's partners Fraser Cunningham, Danielle Upton, and James Johnson. This transaction will see Ole Jakob Strandhagen become the new chairman of Burton Albion, with Fleur Robinson, daughter of the club's previous chairman, Ben Robinson, appointed as the new Chief Executive.

Reflecting on the sale, Ben Robinson MBE DL expressed his satisfaction with the outcome. “After careful consideration, I decided that the time was right to sell my controlling interest in the Club to the Nordic Football Group UK Ltd, and I am extremely grateful for all of the support and hard work put in by Smith Partnership to help make it happen,” he said. He emphasised the alignment of NFG with the club’s values, saying, “They are people who share the same core values of integrity, honesty and respect, which have helped Burton Albion get to where it is today.”

Smith Partnership's involvement extended to various aspects of the sale, particularly in property due diligence, a crucial element in such transactions. Danielle Upton, a partner specialising in commercial property, noted, “In a sale like this, when you are dealing with the property side, you are primarily focused on the stadium. You are aiming to ensure there are no massive red flags that are going to cause any issues.”

She elaborated on the detailed due diligence process that buyers typically undertake, which includes inquiries about the properties owned by the business, their usage, tenancy arrangements, and compliance with planning conditions. Upton highlighted the importance of this meticulous approach, stating, “Since the stadium is open to the public, you’ve also got health and safety regulations that you have to be compliant with if you’re having members of the public in your premises.”

Smith Partnership also advised on issues related to the Burton Albion Community Trust and liaised with the FA over the future use of St George’s Park, the English Football Association's national football center.

Fraser Cunningham, another partner at Smith Partnership, underscored the importance of timing in such deals, particularly in the context of a football club sale. “There’s always drivers, in any deal, to try and get things done at particular times. But in this scenario of the sale of a football club you’ve got a season that dictates that,” Cunningham explained. “There are contracts that need to be agreed by a certain time, for the players, so the club knows who’s playing from one season to the next.”

Cunningham also spoke to the dedication required to close the deal, remarking, “We have the expression ‘When it’s on, it’s on’, and that might mean working 24/7. When there’s a deal to be done, there’s a deal to be done. It does occasionally involve working until three in the morning because there is a deadline.”

Both Cunningham and Upton believe the future of Burton Albion FC is secure with the new ownership. Cunningham noted, “You want to make sure that the people you’re selling to aren’t just going to rip the thing up. I’ve met the buyers a few times, and they seem like good people to me, with the future and longevity of the football club at their heart. This sale has a warmth to it, and I think that’s why Ben may have looked at it and said this feels like a good deal to do.”

As Burton Albion embarks on this new chapter, Smith Partnership's role in ensuring the club’s values and traditions were respected throughout the sale process has been integral, providing a stable foundation for the club’s future growth.