Ex-QPR Chairman Bill Power: Update re Swindon "I have had four other football clubs approach me, one of which is my beloved QPR"

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SWINDON TOWN: Power's £1.2m warning - By Andy Cryer

BILL Power has warned the County Ground regime they have just "days, hours and minutes" to admit they owe him £1.2m or face a legal battle, which he insists he will win.

The Town investor has reassured fans he has not given up on a potential takeover but admits as time goes on he is increasingly running out of patience.

Power, pictured, reveals the Town board are refusing to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement, to allow takeover talks to begin, until he agrees his million pound loan' was actually shares' - something the fan's consortium's backer is categorically denying.

He has urged the club's owners to just tell him if they are not interested in dealing with him, admit they owe him money, and he will walk away.

But he warns a failure to recognise their debts will leave him little alternative but to take the club to court, admitting the last resort is almost nigh.

He said: "They keep telling me I have shares in the club but I know I don't. They are trying to force me into a position and I am not having it.

"If they don't have the decency to admit I loaned them the money, to pay Andy King, to pay Bryan Adams, to pay the tax man, then I am left with no other choice.

"Going to court is the last thing I want to do, I still hold Swindon close to my heart, but I will win if that happens.

"I have never attacked the owners during all this but they are treating me with disdain now. I just want them to be man enough to admit the truth."

As the consortium takeover saga rumbles on the potential of a new mystery investor on the horizon has complicated thing further but, for Power, he just wants the truth.

He said: "If they don't want my money no problems. If they tell me that and say yes we do owe that million pounds' then maybe we can start working things out.

"I am not going to ask for it back instantly, and certainly am not out to ruin the club, but I just want the truth. I don't deserve the way I am being treated.

"At the moment they are coming up with derisory, ridiculous amounts of money they are willing to pay back. If I was going to just give away a million pounds I could think of nice people to give it to."

The failure to sign an NDA has left any fans takeover still a way off but Power insists he is still interested in talking business.

He said: "I would be delighted to talk to them and if they admit I was right then all this will be water under the bridge.

"This issue is all that is stopping us sign an NDA. I am not going to sign something that will not look after my own interests.

"At the moment they have taken total carte blance and keep blaming us for stalling things.

"If they are going to refuse to be decent lets have it out in court.

"That will put more debts on the club. At the moment I can't even approach them because you never know which of their solicitors is dealing with you.

"I have had four other football clubs approach me, one of which is my beloved QPR, and I am stuck in limbo."

Club spokesmen were unavailable for comment last night. Swindon Advertizer


From Yesterday: Bill Power Quoted yesterday in This is Wiltshire
Town's Power struggle - This is Wiltshire -Exclusive By Nick Mashiter

THE FANS consortium takeover of Swindon Town could be on the verge of collapse over the £1.2 million "loan" Bill Power invested last year.
The group and the League One club are at a crucial stage in the negotiations but neither will back down in their views over the cash.
Town insist Power's money was for shares in the club, but he says it was a loan to pay off some existing debts.
The Robins have now been given a deadline by the consortium and 53-year-old is prepared to go to court to claim his money back.
Power said: "They have got one option, either agree it is a loan, or the club will go bankrupt.
"They know what the deadline is and if they don't meet it or come up with a reasonable answer then we will quickly take other action.
"If we go to court it is over and I will be wanting the money back as well as interest. The club would be having to pay for lawyers, which would take more money from them."
Power invested the cash last May but denies they are shares, and believes it would be in the best interests of the club to agree to his terms.
He said: "The money will be going back into buying the club anyway. I have never signed anything.
"All I want them to say is that it was a loan and then we can carry on.
"It is the 11th hour, they have got to make a decision. Once they say it is A then it will be plan B for me."
Power says he is prepared to walk away unless the club give him assurances they are receptive to the takeover bid.
He said: "I get calls from QPR (where he was chairman) every day asking me to help and if they don't want me I will go somewhere else.
"We have got to come to an agreement and once we do, we can move forward."
The club were contacted but claimed they were unable to comment on the issue. This is Wiltshire