NEW OWNERS FOR Plymouth Raiders?

Plymouth Raiders look set for new owners following talks with Bob Widdecombe

Plymouth Raiders could soon be under new ownership following 'positive and fruitful' talks between current owner Bob Widdecombe and an interested party.

The party that are in talks with Widdecombe comprises of Richard Mollard and Ross Mackenzie, both of whom describe themselves as 'huge Raiders' fans.'

In May, a company named Plymouth Raiders 1983 LTD was listed with Companies House.

Mollard and Mackenzie were named in the 13-page document as the company's two directors.

When contacted by Herald Sport about the company, Mollard, whose father Keith was one of the founders of Raiders, said: "We can confirm we have held some discussions with Bob Widdecombe regarding a possible involvement in the running of the Plymouth Raiders, however, although these discussions have been very productive there is nothing more to report at present."

"Ross and I are both huge Raiders' fans having been involved one way or another since the club's inception in 1983, and if there is any way we can help in the future, we'd be very excited and honoured to do so."

Widdecombe has also revealed that talks have been ongoing.

In a statement give the Herald Sport, he stated that announcements will come at an appropriate time.

"I am always happy to discuss the Raiders with any interested party who have the club's best interests at heart, and I can confirm I've had some very interesting discussions with Ross and Richard over the past few weeks," Widdecombe said.

"If the outcome of these discussions proves fruitful and positive for the future of the Raiders, announcements will be forthcoming at the appropriate time.

"In the meantime, everyone at the Raiders is busy preparing for next season, we thank our fans and partners for their patience during this closed season, and we hope to have news to break in the coming weeks."

This move comes after four successive seasons that have ended in disappointment, with the side missing out on the end of season play-offs on each of those occasions.

Last season ended in controversy for Raiders, with then-head coach Johnny White at the centre of an investigation by the BBC, over visa inaccuracies.

Anton Grady was also released from the club following reports that he had failed a drugs test that was taken at the BBL Trophy final in March.

Whoever is in charge at the start of the 2017/18 season will be hoping to see success on and off the court.
Who is Richard Mollard and Ross Mackenzie?

Both will be well known to Raiders fans. Mollard, a freelance project and programme management consultant, is the son of Raiders founder Keith Mollard and is the owner of Pilgrims Ice Cream on the Barbican

He was a ball boy for the club in it's very first season and been in love with the club ever since, whilst undertaking various roles for the Raiders over the years from table official to programme and logo design.

Mollard has also represented Raiders as a player at junior through to senior levels, but his connections with basketball do not end there.

He is the former development director of the Guildford Heat, winners of all four BBL trophies between 2006-08, and was the team liaison for the Australia Men's basketball team (The Boomers) at London 2012, and team liaison for CSKA Moscow at the 2103 Euroleage Finals at the 02.

Mackenzie is founder and managing director of CourierForce, based at Langage Science Park.

He too has represented Raiders as a player at junior through to senior levels and is currently playing with the Raiders' Masters team, due to complete in the GB Masters tournament this weekend.

Taken from Brent rag

The takeover of Plymouth Raiders has been completed as Ross Mackenzie and Richard Mollard take the reins from former owner Bob Widdecombe.

The deal has seen the club's assets, naming rights and BBL Franchise transferred to the new owners, as a new dawn begins at the club.

The sum for which the package was bought has not been disclosed, but the statement from the club emphasised that Mackenzie and Mollard want to build on the 'strong emotional and familial ties' that they have with Raiders.

"I am extremely proud and honoured to be able to become one of the next custodians of this great club," said Mollard.

"Ross and I both have long associations with the club, and we felt the time was right to get involved, to build on what has come before and take things to the next level.

"For me personally it is a dream come true to have the opportunity to help continue to grow a club my father – Keith Mollard – helped found and then ran for over 20 years; I just hope we can do him, the club we've loved and followed since childhood, and the fans, the justice they deserve.

"It's also very important at this time that we publicly thank Bob and Pat Widdecombe for their total support during this transition and their absolute dedication to the club over the years."

Plymouth Raiders reached the final of the BBL Trophy last season, but were unable to claim their first bit of silverware for a decade.

That is something that Mackenzie wants to change and he is looking to make changes away from the court, in order to bring success on it.

"There are some areas of the business we will look to improve as a priority, and we will focus immediately on the areas that will release the huge potential within the club to improve our on-court performances," said Mackenzie.

"Our goal is to provide stability across the entire club, from great team performances on game night, to building stronger relationships with the fans and sponsors who generously and passionately support the club.

"Ultimately our success will be judged by bringing silverware back to the city, and we hope that the stability we will strive to bring to the club in the coming seasons will provide the perfect platform to make that happen.

"It's going to take time and a lot of hard work, but we are fans first and foremost, we're doing this for them and we can't wait to get back to the Pavilions in September and get to work."

Many BBL clubs are well underway of securing players for next season, but the takeover has obviously stopped any recruitment as of yet.

Now the transfer to new owners is complete the club's focus is on the appointment of a new head coach, who in turn will lead the recruitment of players for the 2017/18 season and beyond.

Mollard and Mackenzie have already held discussions with a number of exceptional candidates for the position and hope to make a formal contract offer by the end of the month.

Raiders' fans will be able to see the team back in action in early September, and to reward fans' loyalty, the club will be extending the early bird season ticket prices until the end of July.

Former Plymouth Raiders head coach Gavin Love is set for a sensational return to the club and will lead them into the 2017/18 season.

The deal is the first made by new owners Ross Mackenzie and Richard Mollard, who officially took control of the club at the start of the week.

Love made 371 appearances for the Raiders, which left him as the most capped player of all time.

He first coached Raiders as an assistant to Gary Stronach before taking on the main role between 2010 and 2013.

In that time he took the club to the BBL Trophy Final and the BBL Cup Final in the 2011/12 season, they made the semi-finals of the BBL play-offs in 2012/13 and he lead them to a fourth place finish during the 2011/12 season.

The team have not made the play-offs since Love's departure. He has most recently served as head coach for AB Contern in Luxembourg (2016/17) and also served as head coach of the German Basketball Academy (2015/16) and head coach for Wolf Pack Copenhagen (2014/15).

Speaking of his return Love said: "I'm really delighted to be returning to Plymouth, to the club where my career began.

"This is such an exciting time for the Raiders and I'm very much looking forward to being part of it.

"Coaching in European basketball over the past few years has allowed me to develop as a coach and I can't wait to bring those skills to the BBL, with a new group of players, new owners but the same great fan base – Raiders fans are by far the best in the league!"

Co-owner Ross Mackenzie said of the appointment: "We had a number of exceptional candidates express interest in the head coach role, but the opportunity to bring Gavin back to the club, after a number of successful seasons operating around Europe, was one we couldn't pass up.

"As a player and as a coach he embodies everything we are looking for as we rebuild and take the club forward into a new exciting period and with a management team that are committed to taking the team to another level.

"Gavin is a leader and has a very clear style of basketball which fans will appreciate and get excited about, and we know he can't wait to get going."

Love is expected to return to the UK later this week and take up his role with Raiders with immediate effect.

Once in post his priority will be to identify a number of key targets, with announcements on player recruitment to follow.