Wael Al Qadi risking his Bristol Rovers legacy with decision to cut and run | OneFootball

An outpouring of affection followed the Wael Al qadi announcement to sell Bristol Rovers accompanied with a sense of dread

A new era has commenced at Bristol Rovers following the announcement that club president Wael Al Qadi is to sell his remaining 45 percent stake in the football club to his recently recruited business partner Hussain Al Saeed, who initially purchased a controlling 55 percent stake in Rovers parent company Duane Sports in the summer of 2023.

In a statement released last Friday it was stated that Mr Al Qadi would remain President of Bristol Rovers for the next 18 months, at which point the entire transaction will be completed.

The statement read: "Bristol Rovers Football Club would like to announce that an agreement has been reached for Hussain Al Saeed to acquire all shares (45 percent) held by Wael and Samer Al Qadi. This marks a significant moment in the club’s journey towards long-term growth.

"The acquisition will be completed over an 18-month period, during which Mr Hussain Al Saeed will provide all funding to support the club’s ongoing operations and development. Mr Wael Al Qadi will remain club President until this time."

Widespread affection with a palpable sense of dread

There was widespread affection shared for Al Qadi in the wake of the news as well as a clear and palpable sense of concern also surfacing. The Bristol Rovers faithful largely share an affection for Mr Al Qadi for all he has done to progress the club on and off the pitch and Gasheads appreciate his attempts to strike a connection with the fanbase.

However, there are some who question the timing of the sale and the same sense of affection can not at this stage be said for the prospective new owner.

In recent weeks and months, amid communication concerns which stem much deeper than communication between club and supporters, speculation has been rife with regard to a degree of overstep by the new hierarchy. That was further fueled by comments from former Rovers manager Joey Barton who stated he had fallen out with the new Kuwaiti owners for this reason.

There can be no doubting of Al Qadi’s commitment to Bristol Rovers and of his love for the club whilst custodian. He was a regular feature at matches and could even often be seen in the away end and in the bars, having traveled the length and breadth of the country to watch his beloved team. He pumped huge sums of cash into the club during Covid as the world of football ground to a halt. And Al Qadi begins his transfer of shares with Bristol Rovers on a stronger financial footing than when he took over, having cleared much of the club's structural debt.

Al Qadi's Bristol Rovers legacy at stake

Of course, some will say that he failed to deliver on the promise of a new stadium with several false starts – although he did oversee the development of The Quarters training facility. And now Al Qadi appears to be cashing out while the club is still in a good position, which some have said is akin to throwing the club under a bus.

Amidst a constant and varying stream of new speculation surrounding the activities of the new owners, and the never ending wave of negativity currently enveloping the Gas, Al Qadi cannot be blamed for wanting to cut and run - to protect his investment. But his legacy is at stake should the club freefall under the pressure from a hierarchy with a lot to do to convince supporters they are the right custodians for Bristol Rovers Football Club.

18 months is a long time in football and Football League World understands the share transfer agreement to be a phased reduction – with the first phase already completed and Mr Al Qadi is set to relinquish his remaining stake in his beloved Bristol Rovers to Mr Al Saeed by June 2026.

There could also still yet be a twist in the tale, however, as that question of legacy may mean the outcome in 18 months will look very different from what we currently expect the allocation to look like.