Jets officials fly English buyers on their radar
By JAMES GARDINER
Sept. 8, 2014, 10 p.m.
JETS management have flown to England for a series of secret meetings with potential buyers of the A-League club.
Out-going Hunter Sports chief executive Troy Palmer, Jets boss Robbie Middleby and former captain Michael Bridges left yesterday.
Owner Nathan Tinkler announced a fortnight ago that the club was for sale and he ‘‘can’t wait to get them out the door’’. English Premier League champions Manchester City recently bought A-League club Melbourne Heart, and Tinkler is hoping to garner a similar deal. The embattled coal baron is understood to be asking about $5million for the license, which is the final component of the mining tycoon’s former sports empire.
The Newcastle Herald understands that the next fortnight will be critical in determining the ownership of the club.
After initially targeting clubs in continental Europe the focus has switched to England, where Bridges has a number of contacts from his playing days in the English Premier League.
The former striker, who is now an assistant coach at the Jets, played at Leeds United, Sunderland and Newcastle United, and has close ties in football and media circles.
The Jets are believed to have also engaged their former marquee player, England international Emile Heskey, to assist with negotiations.
Heskey played for Liverpool and newly promoted Leicester.
The Jets have previously held talks with Newcastle United, who are owned by sports retailing billionaire Mike Ashley.
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In announcing the club was on the market Tinkler said: ‘‘We are talking to a number of Premier League clubs and European soccer clubs about getting involved there, and have been for a little while. These negotiations have been going on in the background, but I’d like to get those concluded. Anybody who owns an A-League club or supports an A-League club, that’s the future.’’
Football Federation Australia has been monitoring the Jets situation and are understood to be aware of the latest development.
Middleby could not be contacted yesterday.
He declined to comment on the sale last week, saying the focus was on the season ahead.
‘‘We need a big season,’’ he said. ‘‘We owe it to our fans to bring them some success and do not want any distractions.’’
Tinkler took control of the Jets in October 2010 after Con Constantine encountered financial difficulties.
Tinkler attempted to hand the franchise back to the governing body in April 2012 over a controversial acquisition fee before reaching a compromise with FFA chairman Frank Lowy.
Under Tinkler’s ownership, the Jets have increased membership to more than 10,000 and brought out Heskey as a marquee player but have not made the finals in four seasons.
The Jets are confident of surpassing last season’s membership tally of 10,200.
Their website said yesterday that they had 7254 members, with 32 days remaining before they kick off their season against Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on October 11.
Tinkler relinquished control of the Newcastle Knights three months ago.
His Patinack Farm horse racing operation, which includes 560 thoroughbreds and racing properties, will go under the hammer next month without reserve prices to settle a multimillion-dollar debt to benefactor, retail king Gerry Harvey.
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