Scottish Premier League club Dundee United have confirmed club chairman Stephen Thompson has been in talks with the Newcastle Jets after the A-League club had its licence revoked.
The club said Thompson was acting in his capacity as part of a consortium.
“Dundee United is not involved in talks with the Newcastle Jets, this is a personal venture for the chairman as part of a consortium. Any involvement of Mr Thompson in this or any other venture is entirely his prerogative and the board, which he remains fully committed to, is focused purely on Dundee United FC delivering a positive end to the season and building for next season.”
The talks followed Nathan Tinkler’s messy break-up with the A-League club. Tinkler’s Hunter Sports Group licence to own the club has been revoked by Football Federation Australia, who will own and control the Jets’ new licence.
Thompson is understood to have been involved in talks with both Tinkler and the FFA about buying the Jets. Tinkler said Dundee were offering $5m for the club and a deal was imminent.
But the FFA’s decision to strip Tinkler of the ownership licence sidelines him from any sale.
FFA CEO David Gallop said talks with several interested parties would continue.
The FFA moved on Newcastle after Tinkler placed the club into voluntary administration with debts of $2.7 million.
Gallop and Tinkler have been at odds throughout a turbulent season at Newcastle, which finished last on the ladder with just three wins. The on-field woes were compounded when Tinkler sacked seven players in January, further riling the FFA, who were already upset at club finances.
Tinkler purchased the Jets’ licence in 2010, and a year later assumed ownership of the Newcastle Knights rugby league club. In June last year, the NRL took back control of the Knights.
The 15 players currently contracted to the Jets have all been offered new contracts.
The FFA has guaranteed those staff who were not paid, will be.