Hussain AlSaeed: New Bristol Rovers co-owner says the club has 'big potential'
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Bristol Rovers have played at the Memorial Ground since 1996 but are looking to move and develop a new stadium in the city
New Bristol Rovers co-owner Hussain AlSaeed says that Bristol Rovers have "big potential" for future growth.
The Kuwaiti businessman acquired a 55% stake of Dwane Sports, the holding company of the club, last month.
He has taken on the role of chairman with former majority owner Wael al Qadi remaining as club president.
"We will concentrate on the academy and training ground of Rovers as part of our development," AlSaeed told BBC Radio Bristol.
"We feel Bristol Rovers has big potential and requires a lot of work but I'm really seeking patience from our fans, we cannot do it all at once we need time.
"We need to look first at the operation and see how we can improve it.
"The main thing is to really run a club very wisely and really sustain it so that when we advance to a higher league then we'll be ready in terms of infrastructure, in terms of interior operation, so that we can compete and continue going up.
"It's not that we rush into it and try to go into the next league without really investing in the infrastructure, the training ground the academy and of course the stadium which is a very big challenge for us."
Jordanian Al Qadi, who has kept a 40.5% stake, bought the League One club in 2016 and took full control in 2020.
He said that the process of looking for new investment began before the Covid-19 pandemic with talks with AlSaeed starting in February this year.
"I've been approached by manty parties and all of them weren't at the same level as Mr Hussain is in terms of being the right partner and investor and co-owner that the club needs," Al Qadi said.
"I made sure that all those boxes were ticked and the chemistry was there. [I'm] really pleased that he's joined us and I'm really looking forward to working alongside him."
'Push through stadium plans'
Bristol Rovers have long been looking for a site in the city to build a new stadium, yet various plans have come to nothing.
The club have moved twice since 1986 and to their current Memorial Ground in 1996. In April Al Qadi said a potential development at Bristol Wholesale Fruit Market had moved a step closer.
AlSaeed, who has real estate business experience, said that he and Al Qadi had been in meetings with the site's developer.
"I think the initial idea is that he will build the stadium for us in exchange for taking the Memorial but of course as developers it takes time and they need to study and look at the numbers back and forth," AlSaeed said.
"At the moment we are in the process of negotiating with them how we can go forward but certainly we are determined to push this through."