Foreign backer in Latics talks

Reporter: Latics latest by TONY BUGBY
Date online: 20/03/2009

ATHLETIC’S owners have held talks with a mystery foreign investor who is prepared to buy a 50 per cent stake in the Boundary Park club.

Simon Blitz, Simon Corney and Danny Gazal insist, however, they have no intention of selling, or even relinquishing control, of the club they bought five years ago.

But they say that they are interested in new investment if it would allow them to achieve their goals, both on and off the field.

Managing director Mr Corney admitted that a deal to bring in new investment is still “a long way off.”

He added that the fact the new investor wants a half share in the club and the current owners want to keep a 50-per-cent stake is a potential problem as Trust Oldham hold three-per-cent of the shares.

“That could be an issue further down the line and we might have to ask the Trust whether they would relinquish their shares,” he explained.

Mr Corney added that the owners have turned down at least a dozen previous offers from would-be investors.

He said: “We have had lots of people approach us and we could have brought somebody in some time ago, but we have rebuffed them because we don’t want to sell.

“We have always maintained, however, that if the right investment is offered to us, we would look at it if it enables us to improve things.”

Mr Corney added that the owners would welcome John Wardle, a former chairman and major shareholder at Manchester City, on board.

Mr Wardle, who made a fortune as co-founder of the JD Sports retail chain, has already been involved as a shirt sponsor during Athletic’s Premier League days.

Since his departure from City, Mr Wardle has expressed an interest in returning to football but Athletic say it is wide of the mark to suggest a link-up is imminent.

Mr Corney said: “John Wardle is a good friend of both myself and chief executive Alan Hardy.

“It has been suggested that he wants to get involved now because Joe Royle has returned, but we had already spoken to him some time ago and he has been to a game as our guest.

“If John Wardle wanted to get involved we would be interested. It would not simply be about money, but about his expertise and experience of being chairman of one of the biggest Premier League clubs.”