FORMER AFC Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell has been linked with interest in Salisbury City.

New backers are urgently needed to secure the future of the Skrill Conference Premier club and the Whites have narrowed their search to two interested parties.

Entrepreneur Mitchell is believed to be one of them, as well as an un-named consortium.

Mitchell, who attended City’s FA Cup tie against Dartford back in November, told The Daily Echo’s sister paper The Salisbury Journal he is interested in the club but no deal has been made.

“I visited the club last week and met (chairman) William Harrison-Allan,” he confirmed.

“It’s a lovely little club which needs to be carefully looked at.

“I’ve had discussions, but I will not be investing at this point and won’t be buying it by the end of the week.”

Mitchell is heavily involved in plans to revamp Poole Stadium as a home for Poole Town FC and Poole Pirates speedway team, but said: “I am always interested in exploring different avenues.”

Harrison-Allan, who formed a consortium board with Chris Bramall and Jeff Hooper to bail Salisbury out of administration in 2010, has made it clear he is looking for new investment.

He told The Journal he couldn’t secure the club’s finances single-handedly and his businesses – The Dove Inn, CGA and Ask Eric – were his main priorities.

Lower than expected gates have had an impact on City’s finances over the past season, coming on top of the loss of vital training facilities the previous year when the club’s nearby training pitches were sold by the MoD to Persimmon Homes for development.

Meanwhile, manager Mikey Harris has agreed a new one-year deal with Salisbury, wiping out speculation that he would be joining his predecessor Darrell Clarke at Bristol Rovers.

Ex-Saints striker Jamie White – one of two players contracted to Salisbury until 2015 – has also been linked with Rovers.