Editing West Bromwich Albion F.C. (section)

===History of Albion's ownership and governance===

[[File:Billy Bassett chairman.jpg|thumb|right|[[Billy Bassett]], Albion's chairman 1908–1937]]
In the club's formative years, West Bromwich Albion were run by a seven-man playing committee, and funded by each member contributing a weekly subscription of 6d ([[Sixpence (British coin)|six pence]]) (2{{frac|1|2}}p).<ref>Matthews (2007) p. 10.</ref> Albion's first chairman was [[Henry Jackson (football manager)|Henry Jackson]], appointed in 1885, with the club becoming a [[limited company]] in June 1891.<ref name="Whos Who">Matthews
(2005) pp. 267–269.</ref> Other early chairmen of Albion included [[Jem Bayliss]] and [[Billy Bassett]], both of whom had earlier played for the club. Indeed, from 1878 to 1986 there was always an Albion player or ex-player on the club's committee or board of directors.<ref name="Whos Who"/> Bassett became an Albion director in 1905, following the resignation of the previous board in its entirety. The club was in deep financial trouble and had had a writ served upon them by their bank, but Bassett and returning chairman Harry Keys rescued the club, aided by local fund-raising activities.<ref>McOwan pp. 33–34.</ref> Bassett became chairman in 1908, and helped the club to avoid bankruptcy once more in 1910 by paying the players' summer wages from his own pocket.<ref>McOwan pp. 34–35.</ref> He remains Albion's longest-serving chairman, having held the position until his death in 1937.<ref>Matthews (2005) pp. 25–26 & p. 267.</ref> The club's longest-serving director was Major H. Wilson Keys, during the period 1930–1965, including 15 years as chairman. He became vice-president of the [[The Football Association|Football Association]] in 1969.<ref>Matthews (2005) pp. 267–268.</ref> Sir [[Bert Millichip]] served as Albion chairman from 1974 to 1983, after which he chose to concentrate on his role as chairman of the Football Association.<ref>Matthews (1987) p. 309.</ref> 

In 1996, the club became a [[public limited company]], issuing shares to supporters at £500 and £3,000 each, under the Chairmanship of Paul Thompson.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Albion's timeline
| url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,10366~1018329,00.html
| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
| date = 10 September 2008
| access-date = 11 November 2007
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071214090421/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0%2C%2C10366~1018329%2C00.html
| archive-date = 14 December 2007
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref> The shares were quoted on the [[Alternative Investment Market]], but the club withdrew from the stock exchange in order to become a private company again in 2004.<ref>{{cite news
| title = West Brom Go Private
| url = http://www.footballeconomy.com/archive/archive_2004_nov_11.htm
| publisher = The Political Economy of Football
| date = 21 November 2004
| access-date = 11 November 2007
| archive-date = 25 November 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071125180915/http://www.footballeconomy.com/archive/archive_2004_nov_11.htm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The name of the company thus reverted from West Bromwich Albion plc to West Bromwich Albion Limited, the latter becoming a subsidiary of West Bromwich Albion Holdings Limited. [[Jeremy Peace]] took up the post in 2002, after a rift between previous chairman Paul Thompson and manager [[Gary Megson]] forced Thompson to quit the club.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Baggies chief quits over rift
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/1960590.stm
| work = BBC Sport
| date = 1 May 2002
| access-date = 11 November 2007
| archive-date = 15 December 2003
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031215074327/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/1960590.stm
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

In September 2007, Peace acquired additional shares in West Bromwich Albion Holdings Limited, taking his total stake in the company to 50.56%. This triggered a requirement, under the [[Takeover]] Code, for him to make a mandatory cash offer for the remaining shares in both WBA Holdings Ltd and WBA Ltd.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Jeremy Peace statement
| url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1113928,00.html
| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
| date = 17 September 2007
| access-date = 11 November 2007
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071122043640/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1113928%2C00.html
| archive-date = 22 November 2007
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref> Later that year, Michelle Davies became Albion's first female director.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Official WBA Statement
| url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1182978,00.html
| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
| date = 5 December 2007
| access-date = 10 May 2008
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080418193934/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1182978%2C00.html
| archive-date = 18 April 2008
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref> She stepped down in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wba.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1925971,00.html |title=Davies to stand down |publisher=West Bromwich Albion F.C. |date=8 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111033908/http://www.wba.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1925971%2C00.html |archive-date=11 January 2010 }}</ref> Jeremy Peace announced in June 2008 that he was looking for a major new investor for the club,<ref>{{cite news
| title = Albion put deadline on investors search
| url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1327630,00.html
| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
| date = 13 June 2008
| access-date = 14 June 2008
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081015013602/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1327630%2C00.html
| archive-date = 15 October 2008
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref> but no firm proposals were received by the 31 July deadline.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Peace: We've had no investment offers
| url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1357635,00.html
| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
| date = 4 August 2008
| access-date = 5 August 2008
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080917121013/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1357635%2C00.html
| archive-date = 17 September 2008
| df = dmy-all
}}</ref> On 24 July 2015, Jeremy Peace announced that his sale exclusivity deal was called off after a potential buyer was unable to fulfil the terms of sale.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-brom-chairman-jeremy-peace-9720095|title=West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace ends exclusivity agreement|first=Bill|last=Howell|date=24 July 2015|website=BirminghamLive|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506020630/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-brom-chairman-jeremy-peace-9720095|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2016, Peace announced that he had found a buyer in the form of a Chinese investment group headed by [[Lai Guochuan]]. The figure agreed upon is believed to have been in the region of £175&nbsp;million – £200&nbsp;million. The takeover was successfully completed on 15 September the same year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/club-statement-west-brom-albion-takeover-guochuan-lai-3308509.aspx |title=CLUB STATEMENT: Latest on West Bromwich Albion takeover |access-date=16 September 2016 |archive-date=15 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915214317/http://www.wba.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/club-statement-west-brom-albion-takeover-guochuan-lai-3308509.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[John Williams (football executive)|John Williams]] was originally appointed Chairman of the club before Lai replaced him with associate [[Li Piyue]] after the club's relegation in the 2017–18 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-wba-li/relegated-west-brom-appoint-li-as-new-club-chairman-idUKKCN1IO0P0?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews |title=Relegated West Brom appoint Li as new club chairman |publisher=Reuters|access-date=21 September 2019}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Lai himself took over as Chairman on 2 February 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/ron-gourlay-appointed-albion-ceo |title=Ron Gourlay Appointed Albion CEO |publisher=West BRomwich Albion |date=2 February 2022 |access-date=24 July 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702084212/https://www.wba.co.uk/news/ron-gourlay-appointed-albion-ceo |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2022–23 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|2022–23]] season saw increased scrutiny of the club's ownership, and the practices of majority shareholder Guochuan Lai.<ref>{{cite news|title=Furious West Brom shareholders demand to see club accounts after £20m loan|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2022/12/29/furious-west-brom-shareholders-demand-to-see-club-accounts-after-20m-loan/|access-date=29 December 2022|publisher=Express & Star|date=29 December 2022|archive-date=29 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229123037/https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2022/12/29/furious-west-brom-shareholders-demand-to-see-club-accounts-after-20m-loan/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=West Brom: Company owned by chairman Guchuan Lai misses deadline to repay £4.95m loan|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64134882|access-date=31 December 2022|publisher=BBC|date=31 December 2022|archive-date=31 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231170721/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64134882|url-status=live}}</ref> The club's financial situation began to receive national media attention, having already been commented on frequently in local press.<ref>{{cite news|title=How West Brom became a club in decline|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/12/16/how-west-brom-became-club-decline/|access-date=16 December 2022|publisher=The Telegraph|date=16 December 2022|archive-date=16 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216091240/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/12/16/how-west-brom-became-club-decline/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fears for West Brom after owner's new £20m loan|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/fears-for-west-brom-after-owners-new-20m-loan-btjh7zsm3|access-date=3 January 2023|work=[[The Times]]|date=3 January 2023|archive-date=3 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103182816/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fears-for-west-brom-after-owners-new-20m-loan-btjh7zsm3|url-status=live}}</ref> Supporter action groups and in-stadium protests by fans to raise awareness of the club's off-field issues took shape during the season,<ref>{{cite news|title="West Brom board owe us answers," Action For Albion founder|url=https://sportsgazette.co.uk/west-brom-board-owe-us-answers-action-for-albion-founder-alistair-jones/|access-date=1 January 2023|publisher=Sports Gazette|date=1 January 2023|archive-date=1 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101104647/https://sportsgazette.co.uk/west-brom-board-owe-us-answers-action-for-albion-founder-alistair-jones/|url-status=live}}</ref> but were briefly paused in April 2023 as the club's fans supported the side's promotion push.<ref name="BBC-20Apr2023">{{cite news |title=West Bromwich Albion: Fan protest against owner Guochuan Lai 'paused' with club eyeing play-offs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65336333 |access-date=21 April 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=20 April 2023 |archive-date=21 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421104446/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65336333 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 15 February 2024, it was announced that Florida-based entrepreneur [[Shilen Patel]] and his father, philanthropist [[Kiran C Patel]] had reached an agreement to acquire an 87.8% stake in the club, under the name Bilkul Football WBA. Shilen Patel would also be named as the Chairman of the club.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bilkul Football WBA Reaches Agreement for West Bromwich Albion Takeover|url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/bilkul-football-wba-reaches-agreement-west-bromwich-albion-takeover|access-date=17 February 2024|publisher=West Bromwich Albion FC|date=15 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="BBC-16Feb2024">{{cite news |title=West Bromwich Albion: Shilen Patel set to become chairman after takeover agreed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68313059 |access-date=19 February 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=16 February 2024}}</ref>