Courtney, who runs the Umbro sportswear franchise in Ireland, has to jet off to the Far East in February and wants to conclude a sale before he leaves. Courtney was present at Brunton Park on Saturday as second-bottom Carlisle stunned Leyton Orient and one suspects, their own fans, with a 6-1 victory. Courtney met Knighton the previous day in Leeds for five hours of talks and came out of them confident that a deal could be done. He only heard about the club's position from manager Roddy Collins in Dublin last Monday and has quickly come to the conclusion that he wants to take over from disgraced former chairman Knighton, who is currently serving a five-and-a-half-year ban as a company director. However he struck a note of caution in recognition of the long saga that has seen many others go into talks with Knighton without getting an agreement. "I know I'm the latest in a long line of Mohicans chasing this one," he said. "I met Roddy Collins last Monday in Dublin by sheer chance. He said I might be interested and since then I have contacted a lot of people in the UK. The situation is we have an agreement to put my people in to do due diligence. That should take less than a week. We have got a ballpark agreement on the financial levels involved and I'm buying. "The issue is so many people have been here before, so we will have to wait and see. That is not in my control, but Mr Knighton assured me he wants to offload his interest in the club. I am 100 per cent for it, but there are two people in a deal. I have to wait for Michael Knighton to be happy with it. I am going to be too busy once you get into February." Mr Courtney also met Alan Steel and Mike Corry of the Carlisle and Cumbria United Independent Supporters' Trust (CCUIST) to discuss the issue of putting a fans' representative on the board should he succeed in buying the club. "I would not want to step into a football club where instead of having fun you are going to have arguments and disagreements. I don't want a war. I know the press and supporters and Michael have had their differences. Personally, I don't care. Let's put it behind us and start afresh. If I get an agreement with Michael Knighton but can't get an agreement with the supporters, I don't want the club." CCUIST march makes point Several hundred fans made another strong point through the streets of Carlisle on Saturday as the supporters' trust (CCUIST) held their second march in protest at the continuing ownership of the club by Michael Knighton. The marchers followed a route under Hardwick Circus and down Lowther Street before stomping down Warwick Road to Brunton Park. A large group of them stood outside the main entrance to make a vocal protest and later members of the trust's committee met with potential new owner John Courtney. CCUIST secretary Alan Steel said: "It was a positive discussion. He wants the club to be part of the community and knows that with no supporters, there is no club." |
