Thaksin’s lawyer Noppadon Pattama holds up a Man-chester City jersey as he announces the deal in Bangkok yesterday.

The "Thaksinisation" of England - his unique brand of power marketing, popularism and bitter divisiveness - has descended on England. Yesterday, the board of the Manchester City Football Club accepted a £81.6-million (Bt5.6 billion) bid from Thailand's deposed prime minister.

And now British football looks set to experience the unprecedented - pre-game concerts, the introduction of Thai food into the Eastlands stadium, and the heavy political baggage of a foreign club owner.

Last but not least, the great divide that has left Thailand in chaos and international diplomacy smouldering may soon spill over onto the English soccer pitches and conference rooms of governing bodies. Only hours separated the formal bid in England and the announcement of the first corruption charges in Thailand, prompting the Premiere League to admit that an investigation into his background would be needed.

Thaksin may face a "fit and proper person" test before completing the takeover. Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson told BBC Radio Five Live: "We have a fit and proper person test which is based on objective criteria, there is a schedule of offences which also reflect any offences that someone has been prosecuted for overseas as well. It is a tricky one because he hasn't been prosecuted of anything yet, and also we are a football competition. We sit in a hierarchy of regulation and if the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry], the government, say this guy is okay to come in and purchase UK companies then that is really where we've got to be starting."

Thailand's Constitution Court in 2001, and the post-coup Constitution Tribunal this year shared similar headaches, not to mention social groups, diplomats and countless family members and friends who have become estranged because of disagreements over Thaksin's perceived flaws and merits and what he gave and took from his motherland. Debate has already began among Manchester City fans, and The Guardian website yesterday sarcastically called him "Champion of human rights".

Manchester City is deeply indebted. Some desperate fans welcome any big investment before the new season begins in August, but some are wary of Thaksin's real motives and doubt if he has true passion for the club. Eurosport.yahoo.com's "Idiot Guide" for Thaksin Shinawatra virtually described him as enigmatic and clueless about British soccer. "We can say for certain that Thaksin has never heard of Colin Bell, Uwe Rosler or Garry Flitcroft. ... Some angry people say he only wants to buy an English football club to keep his name in the public eye back in Thailand, where there are many Premier League fans, in case he changes his mind and wants to dirty his hands in politics again in the future. Thaksin himself recently told a Bangkok radio station that buying Manchester City 'would be very beneficial to the image of the country and also beneficial to Thai youth'. He didn't specify why or how this would be the case."

The questions of "Why" or "How" may grow louder after Thaksin's lawyer revealed some mouth-watering ideas to Thai reporters yesterday. According to Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin is pondering bringing popular Thai singers to perform at the stadium before the team's friendly game with Real Madrid on July 29. Thai food could be served to fans and a live-broadcast to Thailand would be sought.

"The takeover is now 60 per cent in progress, and the next club chairman will be Thaksin Shinawatra for sure," said the lawyer. "For all the contempt and post-coup consequences, he has done it. He has put Thailand on the world stage and opened the way for Thai youth to step into the Premiere League and world arenas."

As with everything else financial about Thaksin, the money source for the takeover remains a big mystery. The ousted prime minister has somehow managed to convince the club's board that despite the freezing of much of his money in Thailand and the on-going hunt for a large part of the remainder, he still has enough left overseas to finance the takeover. "It's family money which is not locked up by the freezing," said Noppadon. "I can't give more details since this is a delicate matter. All I can say is the process is transparent and goes through the stock market properly."

While Thai authorities may have squirmed hearing the word "stock market", cash-starved Manchester City executives are now convinced of Thaksin's financial and management capabilities and were urging remaining shareholders to accept the bid yesterday.

John Wardle, who will be replaced as chairman of the club if Thaksin's offer is successful, described the prospective new era as "an exciting opportunity to take Manchester City to the next stage of our development and deliver the on-field success we have all been striving for".

Along with chief executive Alistair Mackintosh, Wardle will remain on the board to oversee the future developments under a new manager after former boss Stuart Pearce left the club at the end of last season. "I am equally as pleased that the management team, who have worked relentlessly during my time as chairman to bring about success off the field, will also remain," Wardle added.

The bid came formally after several weeks of negotiations between the club and UK Sports Investments - the holding company indirectly controlled by Thaksin and his son and daughter, who is now the club's first ever female director. Now, the former Thai politician who abandoned a political party in the late 1990s and triggered political turbulence in his country last year after controversially selling his business empire, which thrived on state concessions, has tried to convince English football fans that he will be there to stay.

"I am delighted that the board of Manchester City has recommended my bid for the club and I look forward to continuing the excellent work of [City chairman] John Wardle and his team," Thaksin said. "We share a determination to take the club back to its rightful place at the highest level of competition in both the FA Premier League and European football. I am in no doubt of the responsibility associated with leading Manchester City and pledge to the fans, players and staff my utmost commitment to the future success of this great club."

Aside from the takeover cash, supporters and shareholders have been told there will be a substantial war chest for transfer funds in an attempt to transform the club's recent mediocre fortunes on the pitch. About £50 million (Bt3.2 billion) is likely to be available in the transfer kitty - with former England coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson one of the favourites to take over as manager.