Football Federation Australia are poised to take the first steps towards removing the Newcastle Jets’ A-League licence by issuing a show cause notice to owner Nathan Tinkler this weekend.
The FFA have imposed a January 31 deadline for Tinkler to settle debts incurred by the crisis-torn club but the mining magnate indicated this week he would only pay creditors on his terms.
There’s been speculation the FFA would step in and withdraw the licence if Saturday’s deadline was missed.
However, AAP understands before that can happen the governing body would first have to give Tinkler 14 days to show why he should keep the licence.
Since Tinkler announced he wanted to sell the Jets in August, he’s refused to put a single cent into the club with more than $500,000 owed to a host of creditors.
Over $140,000 is outstanding to the Northern NSW Football Association and a six-figure fee to the University of Newcastle for the use of their training facilities is yet to be settled.
Money owed for staff wages has been found thanks to revenue gained from sponsorship and membership, but superannuation payments are six months behind.
Tinkler, who sacked five senior players and three members of the coaching staff this week, has maintained he’ll pay the debts, but only once he’s received $5 million he claims is owed to him by the FFA from when he took over the club in 2010.
“FFA is at me for about $500,000, and I am at them for $5 million,” Tinkler told SBS’ World Game show this week.
“If they want to set a deadline to resolve those two issues, then I will be more than happy to resolve it by Saturday.”
There are at least two overseas parties interested in purchasing the club with Stephen Thompson, whose family own Scottish club Dundee United, believed to be ready to step in immediately – but he won’t pay the $5 million Tinkler’s demanding.
Tinkler is currently running the club after chief executive Robbie Middleby and chairman Ray Baartz quit this month following a mid-season review and youth team coach Michael Bridges resigned on Friday morning, capping off a traumatic week.
“We thank Michael for his contribution to the club as both a player and a coach and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future,” Tinkler said in a statement.
“We have the utmost respect for Michael and respect his decision but it is unfortunate he will not be involved in taking the club forward.”
The Jets return to action next Friday against Brisbane, with under-fire coach Phil Stubbins set to field a team made up a youth team players following the recent exodus of seven senior players.
Skipper Kew Jaliens, David Carney, Adrian Madaschi, Joel Griffiths and Billy Celeski were the five players axed this week after Marcos Flores and Sam Gallaway left to join North American Soccer League side Jacksonville Armada and Western Sydney respectively.
Melbourne City coach John van `t Schip said the situation at the Jets was a bad look for the A-League.
“Of course it’s not good for the game,” van `t Schip said.
“We want to avoid those kind of things, this is a bit outrageous.”
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