RIVAL bidders for the Saints are this morning still trying to hijack the Swiss deal for the club.
The worldwide financial group behind the bid have been frantically trying to contact administrator Mark Fry as the Markus Liebherr bid looks close to completion.
Having splashed out vast amounts in legal fees, the group are desperate to complete a deal themselves - and even asked the Daily Echo's sports team if they had any other contacts for Mark Fry.
Last week the worldwide financial services group enlisted the help of former Football League chairman Keith Harris to aid them seal the deal.
Harris is chairman of Saints’ financial advisors Seymour Pierce and is well known in the game for his work in takeovers at clubs, including introducing Roman Abramovich to Chelsea six years ago.
He also advised Michael Wilde on his takeover of Saints in 2006.
Harris has been talking to Fry and Saints’ creditors for the best part of a week, including a breakfast appointment on Monday morning and another meeting lasting several hours yesterday afternoon.
Lawyers and representatives of the worldwide financial group have been left incredulous at the events of the past few days.
On several occasions they have believed they were in a good position to complete the deal, only to be left frustrated as another deadline has passed.
Sources close to the group insist they have put forward a solid business plan to help take Saints forward in the next few years, and have got an experienced structure in place – on and off the field – to hit the ground running with if they were to complete a deal.
As revealed in the Echo on Monday, they also believe they have put in a higher bid.
The Echo understands that Fry is expecting the final transfer of money regarding Liebherr’s bid to take place within hours and a deal to be completed.
But the worldwide financial group are annoyed that they have already put their cash in an account ready to be accessed on completion of a deal.
And as of this lunchtime they were still attempting to liase with Fry, with a view to potentially hijacking the Swiss bid.
The Echo also understands that the group could even be prepared to write to the Football League to complain if Liebherr’s takeover goes through.
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