At the moment 10000Hours CIC is currently closing in on a deal to buy the 52 per cent shareholding in Saints that is up for sale while the controversy surrounding director Ken McGeoch's attempts has been well documented. Now, if today's Herald is to believed, Media Pro Sports are interested.
The Lancashire based consortium have just failed in their attempt to buy the shares belonging to Queen of the South chairman Davie Rae - something I've been taking an interest in as I live and work in Dumfries. While he is the majority shareholder at Palmerston the purchase wouldn't have given them overall control of the first division club. Despite that football agent Jonathan Hope, who was representing the consortium, claimed they were willing to injuect a six figure sum into the club, invest in the playing pool and even build a youth academy.
They also planned to replace the management team - former Saints pair Gus MacPherson and Andy Millen - with Gary Bollan and Andy Goram. Needless to say Gus was less than pleased this was made public the day before a game and even claimed he had received a threat for someone - although didn't specify if that was Hope or the agent representing Rae. Whatever, Rae decided on Tuesday he was no longer willing to sell his shares.
But the group are still keen to get into Scottish football and there is now a suggestion they want to take over Saints However, considering the concern Queens fans had about the potential investors I would like to think the board will not entertain the notion. Details of this mystery consortium were sketchy at best but the website of Hope's company, which can be found at http://www.milleniumfootballmanagement.co.uk/, suggests a link up with Vaughan Boxing, a company run by a father and son, both called Stephen Vaughan. Today's Dumfries and Galloway Standard suggests there is a link between at least one of the Vaughan's and Media Pro Sports.
Vaughan senior has previously been involved at both Chester and Barrow, both of them suffering severe financial difficulties. He also holds the rather unique distinction of being the only person ever to fail the FA's fit and proper persons test - not bad going considering the prime minister of Thailand managed to pass it! Add to that the fact he was jailed for assault last year and you realise he's probably not someone we should have at the club.
Of course, there is no evidence (aside from the Dumfries and Galloway Standard article I mentioned earlier) that Vaughan is involved with Media Pro Sports - in the same way there is no proof McGeoch was doing anything dodgy in his dealings with Gary Withey and planned to turn us into Rangers. However, that connection saw the board (rightly or wrongly) get annoyed about McGeoch and it would not be a surprise if they take a similar approach to any interest Media Pro Sports have in buying their shares.