Why has Nick Train bought a 6% stake in Celtic football club?

On the pitch Celtic Football Club has an illustrious history but off the field it has had its fair share of problems.

The Glasgow-based club has 42 league championship titles to its name, alongside 35 Scottish Cup victories and has also lifted the European Cup.

However, off the field, the fortunes of Celtic Plc couldn't be more different.

Over the 12 months to the end of June the popular Glasgow side posted a £9.2 million slide in revenue. 

Although the financial fortunes of football clubs often swing in time with their squad's performance, during the season Neil Lennon's team added to its haul of silverware with both league and cup wins.

However Nick Train, the respected founder of Lindsell Train and manager of the Finsbury Growth Trust, believes that the club can considerably add to its value if it is eventually sold, making it worth of a 6% position spread across his client and trust holdings.

'The stock market value of Celtic is about £35 million.  If you look at any football club that has changed hands over the last two years, all have changed hands at a value way more than £30 million,' Train explained.  'We think that one day, given the history, the passionate support, Celtic will be worth more than £30 million to £40 million.'

Moreover, the football club's franchise is one that is known around the globe, thanks largely to the strong ancestral ties between Scotland and America and expats staying in touch with their sporting roots via club channel, Celtic TV.

Train told Wealth Manager that sports rights are particularly lucrative. ' When you look at the media industry what's most valuable is the thing that brings a large number of people together at the same time, therefore sports is extremely valuable to broadcasters.' Train said.