New Bournemouth owner Bill Foley calls himself a ‘dictator’ as Cherries chairman reveals he wants to attract a more diverse fan base for home games

New AFC Bournemouth owner Billy Foley has said he is the majority owner of the Cherries as he sees himself as a “dictator”.

Describing himself as “needing to be the captain of the ship”, the American businessman also described the plans he has for the Cherries’ fan base and stadium.

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Foley – who became chairman of the Cherries after his group Black Knight Football Club bought the Premier League outfit for £120million this week – owns 50.1% of the Cherries.

Creed and Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan and Nullah Saeker are also minority shareholders in the consortium.

And Foley explained that, although he only had the biggest stake in the club, being the main man was essential for him.

“I’ve looked at different Premier League investment situations for a number of years but I’m not a good minority owner,” he told the BBC.

“I tell my sponsors, and they know it, that there is nothing more limited than being a Bill Foley sponsor.”

Foley also owns the National Hockey League [NHL] franchise the Vegas Golden Knights, and he revealed he had been considering buying a football club for some time – but none allowed him to be the majority owner.

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“I looked at several teams over the last two or three years and they all involved minority investments and someone else is already in charge. I don’t like it. I’m a dictator,” he said. -he declares.

“When I’m involved, I have to be the captain of the ship. I had to wait for a situation where I could buy the team myself, with my partners of course, and control the fate of the team.

“I’ve always said with the Vegas Golden Knights that if there’s a mistake, it’s on me. I’ll take responsibility and plan to do the same with the AFCB.

Foley went on to explain that he plans to ensure there are “adequate funds” for a new training facility, building a new stadium or upgrading Vitality Stadium and player transfers.

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He is also pursuing a ‘multi-club concept’, saying: ‘We are in negotiations with a Ligue 1 team on an exclusive basis and with a first division team in Belgium who would give us this little triangle that we could move the players from before. backward.

“We have raised sufficient funds to finance all these transactions. I am delighted with the progress we are making. Everyone in Bournemouth is going to be excited about it.

He added: “It will take us a few years to get there.

“The big problem is that we need more seats because 11,300 is not enough for what we need to achieve at Bournemouth.”

He is also looking to change the fan line-up at Vitality Stadium.

“When I went to the game, I looked around the stadium and everyone looked like me – older white men,” he said.

“I want to broaden our base. We need to get younger, I want a lot more women to come to our matches. I want diversity – so we really have something to do.

Bournemouth will play their first game under their new owners against Newcastle in the League Cup on Tuesday December 20.