Moray businessman holds positive talks with Inverness Caley Thistle to help it avoid administration
A MORAY businessman is said to have had positive talks with Inverness Caledonian Thistle regarding a deal which could prevent the club from going into administration.
David Anderson from Cullen, who specialises in the IT and finance sector, met with board members from the League One outfit on Thursday morning to discuss a deal which could prevent the club from becoming insolvent.
Gordon Ritchie of GRM Marketing, who along with Inverness businessman Don Lawson was assisting Mr Anderson in the negotiations, said they met with Caley Thistle interim chairman Scott Young along with board members Graeme Bennett and Gordon Fyfe on Thursday.
Mr Ritchie said Mr Anderson had productive talks with board members on Thursday morning and will now take away all the information he has received before considering whether to make a final offer.
“We have had a very positive meeting with the board of directors,” said Mr Ritchie.
“We separated into two rooms where we forensically analysed the numbers and the investor is now supplied with all the information that he needs.
“The board members discussed the options for the club. It was a good positive meeting .
“Time is a problem, but my investor wants to make sure he knows what he is going to step into.
“He has made it very clear that he does not want to run a football club forever, he just wants to help out.
“It was a good meeting, now that the information has been given, he has to go away and think about it. He wants to do his due diligence and figure out if it is a good investment.
“It is looking positive. He is not looking to become the next chairman of the club, he is only interested in helping out.”
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have confirmed the deadline for any interested investors to make an offer which could prevent it from going into administration has now passed.
The club have not confirmed if it received or accepted any offers, but says that it will decide what is the best way for it to progress in the next few days.
Board members are scheduled to meet by the end of this week to discuss any offers it has received from potential investors.
However, if no deal is agreed with an investor, it is likely that it will be decided to put the League One outfit into administration.
A statement from the club said: “The board can confirm that the time for any interested parties to offer for the club has come and gone.
“We are currently looking at our position and will make an announcement in the coming days.”
It was claimed on Tuesday that Anderson had made a £1.2 million offer for a controlling stake in the club which would give him a 50.45 per cent shareholding rejected.
Former interim chairman Panos Thomas, who resigned from his position earlier this month, wrote to shareholders that the club was facing a loss of £1.2 million in the current season.
He said in the letter that the amount of money the club required to get to the end of the season was in the region of £1.4 to £1.6 million.
However on Thursday morning, the crowdfunding scheme had just raised under £86,000, leaving £114,000 short of what was they said was required to avoid administration this month.
Despite not reaching the target, all donations made will still go towards running the club and helping with administration costs.
If Caley Thistle does go into administration this week, it will receive an automatic 15 point deduction, which will see the club drop to the bottom of League One.
Inverness will be on -6 points and will be 12 points behind Dumbarton in ninth place with 27 games remaining to play in the regular season.
He said they will then discuss what is the best way for Inverness Caledonian Thistle to move forward.
Speaking earlier this week, he said: “With regard to the deadline of Wednesday - this date was put in place as the absolute deadline day for any offers of investment or offers to buy the club.
“As a board, we will convene at the end of the week and look at any offers we have received and then decide on the best way forward for the club.”
Meanwhile Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust are set to hold an open meeting on Saturday at Bar 94 at the Caledonian Stadium at noon when they will be discussing the financial situation the club is facing and what is next for the club.
Interim chairman Scott Young and interim chief executive officer Charlie Christie are being lined up to speak at the meeting.
