Scottish giants Dundee United are in the frame to own the Newcastle Jets after Nathan Tinkler’s messy break-up with the A-League club.
Tinkler’s Hunter Sports Group (HSG) licence to own the club has been revoked by Football Federation Australia, who will own and control the Jets’ new licence.
“HSG has behaved in a deplorable way towards the players and staff of the club in failing to meet basic obligations to pay wages,” FFA chief David Gallop said in a statement.
Dundee are understood to have been involved in talks with both Tinkler and the FFA about buying the Jets.
Gallop said the FFA would continue talks with several interested parties.
The FFA moved on Newcastle after Tinkler earlier Wednesday placed the club into voluntary administration with debts of $2.7 million.
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.
Gallop and Tinkler have been at odds throughout a turbulent season at Newcastle, who 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.
“Anyone who takes control of a sporting club has an obligation to respect the people and the traditions of that club,” Gallop said.
“HSG has failed miserably to in this regard.”
The FFA gave Tinkler’s group every opportunity to continue as the owner and operator of the licence, he said.
“But it was unable to meet the conditions required to do so,” Gallop said.
“Newcastle needs a club operating in a stable environment with certainty of resources in order to be successful and competitive … HSG has proved to be incapable of meeting these requirements.”
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 Newcastle Knights from Tinkler after he failed to get a multi-million dollar bank guarantee.
Griffo
Roar Guru
The gold was a hard colour to get right, imo - metalic gold was nice but so easy to sub in a pale brown - but was sad it wasn't retained since we had a championship with that colour. Nothing wrong with the red and blue. Other football clubs in Newcastle had these colours as well, including the current Newcastle United 'Jets' in their NSL days, and Breakers before them). Unfortunate that it is already being associate solely with Tinkler era but it had history way before him. But that green strip is something (except for the white/brown slash/strip, get rid of that). 73% of us or so got that vote so right. The BLK strip for Season 10 was crap and too blue, needed more red. Got to have balance... Fine line this kit business ;-)
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
It's not a peculiarly British thing either, as Independiente and Racing Club in Buenos Aires can attest to: http://static.goal.com/250500/250571.jpg
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
I don't think there are any rules forbidding ground shares in Scotland, East Stirlingshire and Stenhousemuir share Ochilview Park. It's just that, unlike other European countries, there's a tradition in the UK of clubs having to have their own grounds. There has been talk of the two Dundee clubs building and sharing a single stadium for some years, but (if memory serves) there's usually been some disagreement between the two to prevent it happening. Dundee isn't the only British city to have two stadia on each other's doorstep. There's also Nottingham: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Nottingham.jpg/220px-Nottingham.jpg and, of course, Liverpool: http://images.amcnetworks.com/bbcamerica.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/55/files/2014/08/liverpool-stadia.jpg
Batou
Guest
That gold shirt was nice. They've been rubbish ever since they changed it too!
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I think Dundee United have a connection with black and white so that may well feature (their historical strip or their away strip - something).
Batou
Guest
Yep, deadly serious. Due to league rules that teams cannot share a home ground if I recall correctly. I think that there was some talk of changing that rule in this specific case to allow Dundee and Dundee United to share a new stadium to be built at this site. Not sure what happened there though, if anything. Crazy hey!
JF
Guest
I'd be happy to see them utilize the current Green/Brown/White of their away strip, which echoes the KB United days and is the city's official colours. Then use the previous Black and White stripes away jersey as the alternate.
Realfootball
Guest
Yes, I think it likely. The club will want to move as far away from Tinkler as possible. Maybe a return to the gold lame?
langou
Roar Guru
Is that serious Batou? The two grounds are that close together?
Batou
Guest
Makes me laugh every time: https://mbalbert0513.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/stadiums-dundee.jpg As for either of them being "giants," I think I'll be kind and call that 'a bit of a stretch'
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Another shirt change for the Jets?
LordBrucie
Guest
A rather confusing and lazy piece. The 'article' uses Dundee and Dundee United interchangeably when in fact there is another club in Scottish asso. Football simply called Dundee. Furthermore to describe any club in Scotland except the old firm clubs as 'Giants' would be pushing it. Dundee United's stadium for example is a modest 15,000 capacity.
whiskeymac
Guest
Which one equates to being scottish "giants"
Franko
Guest
There's a big difference between Dundee and Dundee Utd. Any chance they'll change their name to the crocodile's?