Roughyeds deal close

BILL Quinn met Oldham chief executive Chris Hamilton yesterday in a bid to end the impasse.

High hopes for club’s future

OLDHAM Roughyeds appear to be in touching distance of survival after a deal was agreed in principle for Bill Quinn to sell his shares in the club to Chris Hamilton.

The two men met yesterday in a bid to finally put an end to the long-running saga which threatened to bring down the curtain on professional rugby league in the town.

Hamilton, who has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount, is now set to take the entirety of Quinn’s 75-per-cent stake to wrest back control of the club he helped found back in 1997.

However, with a winding-up petition for £47,000 in unpaid tax due to be heard next Wednesday, the Roughyeds chief executive stressed that the clock is still ticking.

“We have reached the basis of an agreement whereby I take over Bill’s shares,” confirmed Hamilton, who will pay Quinn at an agreed point in the future.

“It is now a race against time to get the paperwork sorted from the solicitors in order to reflect the clauses and changes we have made to the proposal that had been on the table.”
If all goes according to plan, Hamilton — who would inherit a club laden with debt — will stand the £47,000 tax bill in time to halt winding-up proceedings and enable the club to start planning for next season.

A signed deal between the two men would bring down the curtain on a colourful two-and-a-half-year association with the club for Quinn.

During that eventful time Oldham have reached three consecutive play-off finals without success, despite the Manchester businessman bankrolling a number of high-profile captures such as Robert Roberts, Mick Nanyn and Paul Highton.

Quinn hit the headlines earlier this season after an on-field row with Oldham players following a Challenge Cup defeat to Gateshead and resigned from the club’s board of directors in June, announcing his intention to sell up a month later.