Kickoff
(Cape Town)
8 October 2008
The future ownership of Newcastle United remains in doubt despite reports of a bidding deadline.
The future of the South African consortium of potential buyers is also shrouded with reports that their frontman is heading to South Africa in search of new investors.
The Toons' interim manager Joe Kinnear told the Evening Chronicle that yesterday's deadline never existed and half a dozen firm offers are being looked at.
"Mike Ashley has told me that all bids have to be in by October 17," Kinnear said. "He said six consortiums have been in touch and are interested."
Jonathan Cleland, of the South African consortium, is confident new money men can be found and has jetted out to South Africa to find fresh support.
The 46-year-old said: "The vision, the plan and the strategy for the club all remain unchanged. The challenge now is coming up with the money after some of our preferred backers indicated they were no longer interested.
"But I think finding the money is the easiest part and I'm still confident we'll be able to get some great people on board and make the deal happen.
"Nobody has told me about any deadline. What I understand is that Mike Ashley is a serious player and will listen to all approaches whenever they come in, provided the club hasn't already been sold of course.
"I am not an athlete running towards the finishing tape, we have a serious plan and vision and three of the core individuals still remain in the consortium," Cleland said.
However, former Toon boss Freddie Shepherd believes half the battle could be sifting through the bids for genuine offers.
The man who took over from Sir John Hall as chairman, in 1997, added that he fears the global credit crunch could affect potential buyers.
Shepherd said: "The last I heard from someone in the city, the club has had 100 applications, but 99 of them have been barking mad.
"Getting the right person in at the moment is going to be difficult. There's a credit crunch which will be impacting on potential buyers as much as anyone. It doesn't matter who they are. The global markets are in turmoil.
"No-one's going to give Mike Ashley a huge profit for the club now; you don't have to be a rocket scientist to work that one out. Whoever's going to buy it will know they are going to have to buy players in January.
"If Ashley doesn't sell the club by January he's going to have to strengthen the team. That's why he will be aiming to sell the club before the transfer window opens."
Among the South African businessmen linked to Cleland have been Johan Rupert and Vivian Imerman, however KickOff.com received an e-mail today from a spokesman for Imerman that denied his involvement.
"Vivian Imerman can re-confirm that he has no involvement whatsoever with any proposed purchase of Newcastle United, nor any other football club. Neither Vivian Imerman nor Vasari, the investment company Vivian heads, has any interest in investing in football clubs," the statement reads.
Billionaire Johann Rupert is on record as saying he had "absolutely no interest and no knowledge" of any takeover and had never met any of those involved.
"I have never met Mr Cleland, never spoken to him on the phone and my secretary does not have a record of him calling," Rupert said.
Bidvest chief Brian Joffe has also denied being part of the consortium.
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