Perth Glory has secured a new owner, four months after the A-League outfit was placed into receivership following the departure of long-term chairman Tony Sage.
Key points:
- Perth Gory was placed into receivership in July
- Melbourne based property developer Robert Brij has now bought the club
- The Glory men’s team begins its A-League season on October 22
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) confirmed on Tuesday that Melbourne-based property tycoon Robert Brij had purchased the club.
While the specifics of the deal remain unclear, it is understood all current Glory staff and players will be retained on their current deals.
Mr Brij is the chairman of the property group Primeland, which controls a number of large projects in Melbourne and Adelaide.
He is also the chief executive officer of a Singapore-based sports management and private equity firm.
He said he was honoured to become just the third owner of the Glory in its 27-year history.
“We believe in the potential of football, the potential of the A-League and particularly in the potential of Perth Glory,” Mr Brij said.
“At its best, Glory was a representation of Perth and WA, and we are eager to reconnect, especially with the fans, and bring everyone along for the journey in what we believe will be an exciting future for the club.”
The Glory was placed into receivership in July when Mr Sage ended his 15-year ownership tenure.
He blamed the financial impact of COVID-19 and a forced relocation from the CBD to Macedonia Park in Perth’s northern suburbs for his decision to part with the club.
The Glory were forced to move from their usual home venue, Perth Rectangular Stadium, for 10 games last season while upgrades were made ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Advisory firm KordaMentha had been handling the day to day operations of the club while the APL conducted negotiations with several potential buyers.
Perth begins its A-League Men’s season this weekend at home to Newcastle.
Its A-League Women’s outfit kicked off the new season last Saturday with a 2-0 win over Western United.
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