Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today confirmed that an agreement has been signed for the sale of the Hyundai A-League licence of the Western Sydney Wanderers to a consortium of prominent businessmen.
The consortium is headed by Paul Lederer, CEO of Primo Group and includes Director of Sabre Sports United Jefferson Cheng, the Pirtek director and head of international business, Glenn Duncan, and David Slade, a partner in the Australian branch of the UK retail chain Topshop-Topman.
FFA established the Western Sydney Wanderers in April 2012 and has held the licence for the past two years. The transfer of the licence will be effective from 30 June 2014.
FFA CEO David Gallop said the licence transfer was an important step in the evolution of the Western Sydney Wanderers.
“The Wanderers were built for the people, by the people of Western Sydney,” said Gallop.
“That was the promise from day one and FFA has held true to that mission.
“Like FFA before it, the new consortium understands its role as the guardians of the Wanderers. They are entrusted by the members of the club to protect and build on what has been achieved.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Matthew Grounds, Guy Fowler and their team at UBS for the professional manner in which they handled the sale process.”
On behalf of the consortium, Paul Lederer said the culture at the heart of the Wanderers’ success would not be affected by the licence acquisition.
“The spirit of this club comes from the members, fans and the people of Western Sydney,” said Lederer.
“Nothing will change in that regard. I have been a director of the club for the past two years and I’ve had the privilege to play a part and see first-hand what makes this club so special.
“The consortium has responsibility to ensure the Wanderers have a sound financial base and a strong administration so the club can continue to grow and be successful on and off the field.”
