Clydebank future in doubt again

Clydebank thought their future had been secured

Clydebank have become the second Scottish club to go into administration within the space of a week.

But BBC Scotland understands that it could simply be a way of easing the purchase of the club by new owners.

The latest move came as a surprise as it seemed certain that the Second Division club would be sold to a consortium of businessmen at the beginning of December.

All had gone quiet after finalising of the deal had been delayed.

Having talks

Then players' union secretary Tony Higgins was called in for talks with the club's officials on Friday.

Higgins' assistant at the players' union, Fraser Wishart, is also a coach and player at Clydebank.

Wishart has now met the administrator and they were to have talks with the players before Saturday's game against Arbroath.

Fraser Wishart has a double role

He says there are hopes of a firm buyer being found soon.

The group headed by financial consultant David McGhie had been unhappy with the details of the original transfer of ownership from Bermuda-based John Hall.

But going into administration could ease the sale to McGhie's group or any other interested buyer.

Gordon Robertson, of the United Clydebank Supporters, said: "The last thing we expected was the club would be in the hands of the administrators.

"We all have the club's welfare at heart, but you can see from the crowds, we are down to a couple of hundred, people can only stomach so much."

Serious worries

Clydebank no longer have a ground of their own and this season have been tenants of Morton at Cappielow in Greenock.

Morton have serious financial worries themselves and their administrators have warned that a buyer must be found for the club by January.

A public meeting has now been arranged for Thursday 28 December in Greenock Town Hall as part of the campaign to save the First Division club.

Organisers will obviously be hoping that they will have good news about a prospective new owner by then.