Owner John Courtenay had hoped to lift the administration order giving him full control but a change in the financial restructing of the club means a decision to end the administrators four-month stay has had to be put off for a few more days. Mr Courtenay has plans to overhaul the club and will bring in new staff but has decided not to bring any new employees in until the administrators from BKR Haines Watts are out of Brunton Park. The administrators, led by David Elliott of BKR Haines Watts came up with a financial package that had at its heart a £2million loan from the Sterling Consortium, a firm owned by partners in BKR Haines Watts themselves. It is understood that this loan will not now be provided and Mr Courtenay has come up with the money himself. This has necessitated some changes which means administration may drag on for another week or so. Roddy Collins has been able to bring in 19 new players since the administration period began but he let Stuart Whitehead go on a free transfer to Darlington last week to ease some of the pressure on the wage bill. He has said Mick Galloway can leave the club too and he may be forced to sell young defender Lee Andrews or striker Richie Foran to help balance the books before the end of the season. Dessie is the man for me says Roddy Manager Roddy Collins has said he would be a "madman" if he let defender Des Byrne slip through his fingers. Bad boy Byrne, who was recently acquitted of causing affray in a London nightclub with the Chelsea pair of John Terry and Jody Morris, is currently on trial at Brunton Park from Wimbledon. The London club seem prepared to off-load him, although any deal done this week is likely to be a loan. Collins believes the talented defender would be better off away from the bright lights of London. "I would be a madman to let him leave this club. You don't let quality players go. I will be bending over backwards to try and keep him," he said. Byrne would be in competition with Lee Maddison and Peter Murphy for the left-back spot. Shrews clash is all-ticket The home match with Shrewsbury will be made all-ticket, the club has announced. Tickets will go on sale from the Brunton Park ticket office on Thursday morning. They will be available right up until kick-off on Saturday but club officials want supporters to get them as early as possible to avoid delays on the day. It is the second match to be made all-ticket following an experiment for the Rochdale game last month. All home fixtures are now expected to be all-ticket as new owner John Courtenay attempts to overhaul the club from top to bottom. He was known to be unhappy with existing arrangements. Picture from News & Star |
