Birmingham´s McLeish sees bright future under Yeung

Carson Yeung, the Hong Kong businessman who is in the process of taking over Birmingham, has had his suitability to be a director of a top flight English club approved by the Premier League.

Yeung’s associate Vico Hui Ho Luek has also passed the League’s ‘fit and proper persons’ test, Yeung’s Grandtop International Holdings said in a statement to the Stock Exchange.

The approval came after Grandtop, which is hoping to complete a full buyout of Birmingham’s other shareholders early next month, said it had raised its stake in the club to 81.7 percent.

Saturday’s match against Bolton will be the last under the current regime of co-owner David Sullivan and managing director Karren Brady and Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said he was looking forward to working under Yeung, although it is still unclear whether he will be granted significant sums for new players.

“It looks pretty certain that we will be looking forward to a new era now,” the former Scotland manager said. “There is a buzz about the place and the fans are anticipating another step forward.”

McLeish is hoping to meet Yeung soon and insisted he was not concerned that the new owner might want to bring in a new manager.

“I don’t know a lot about things yet but that makes it a bit more exciting and I don’t have any fear or anything like that,” he added.

“This is something I have a great anticipation for and I am waiting for it to happen.

“I’m looking forward to working for the new owners and let’s hope we can take the club forward.

“I don’t think there is any problem now with me picking up the phone and speaking to Carson’s people and, as soon as we set up a meeting, that will be excellent.”

McLeish added: “I don’t have any trepidation with the new owner taking over. As far as I am aware, my contract protects me.

“But I am looking at it positively, having new owners, working together.

“They are ambitious, I’m ambitious, let’s see if we can take the club to another level.

“People ask if we will be the next Manchester City and I’d certainly like to think I’d choose the right players if we do get a big pot of gold.”

Grandtop’s statement to the Stock Exchange read: “The Premier League has confirmed to Grandtop that it has no objection to Grandtop increasing its stake in Birmingham City PLC to over 30percent.

“The Premier League has also confirmed that Carson Yeung Ka Sing and Vico Hui Ho Luek qualify for appointment as directors of Birmingham City FC and that their appointment as directors of the club may, so far as the Premier League is concerned, proceed.”