Collins told Derek Lacey of Radio Cumbria in a post-match interview at Gay Meadow that both he and John Courtenay would walk away from Brunton Park next week if owner Michael Knighton did not conclude a deal to sell the club. Courtenay has been in talks with Knighton for over 11 weeks but they have been constantly hit by rumours of delays and stalling tactics by Knighton. Collins said: "If the club is not John's by then we will both walk away. There is a Second Division club we will talk to about the possibility of buying that." That club is believed to be either Bury or Swindon Town. But Collins's statement did not go down well with United's directors Mark Knighton or Andrea Whittaker. They posted the following statement on the club's official websites a few hours later: The remarks made by Manager Roddy Collins today following the match with Shrewsbury Town have astonished the Board of Directors and following several recent outbursts made by the Manager which have upset both John Courtenay and Michael Knighton, it is the considered view of the Board of Directors that it is in the best interest of Carlisle United Football Club that Roddy Collins be relieved of his duties forthwith. A statement regarding the sale of CUFC to John Courtenay will be made by solicitors on Monday. Now fans are planning to march on Brunton Park before Saturday's home game with Plymouth Argyle in protest at Collins's sacking and the continued failure of Knighton to sell. When talks started successfully in January, Mr Knighton even said his farewells to the people of Carlisle, saying it had been "a great roller-coaster ride" over the previous ten years. Mark Knighton was to have left his job as director and only Andrea Whittaker would have remained in her role as financial director. Now hopes of a Courtenay takeover appear to be fading fast. Rumours of a new bid by Brooks Mileson have been going round Carlisle this week. Mileson, a millionaire insurance tycoon, has already made three failed attempts to buy United and a fourth bid is considered extremely unlikely in the light of recent events. Picture from News & Star www.newsandstar.co.uk |
