EXCLUSIVE By Mark Currie, Daily Post
22 December 2004
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| Alex Hamilton has accused Mark Guterman of standing between a deal to sell the club |
WREXHAM owner Alex Hamilton last night accused
ex-Dragons chairman Mark Guterman of standing between him and a
deal to sell the club.
With Surrey businessman Andy Smith waiting in the wings to buy the beleaguered
club,
Hamilton's claims drew an immediate rebuttal from Guterman's lawyer, but a
long-running dispute between the two former business partners has almost
certainly scuppered any prospect of a takeover deal being agreed before the end
of this week.
The two men fell out earlier this year when Guterman was replaced by Hamilton as
chairman of the League One club. But following a disagreement about their
respective financial interests in the business a High Court injunction was
obtained by Guterman that froze all Hamilton's assets in relation to Wrexham.
Last night Hamilton, left, said: "Guterman is holding up the deal. His
injunction means I don't have the freedom I need to conduct the negotiations.
Although both parties have agreed to put a sum of money into court to satisfy
the future resolution of our dispute, he is still trying to drive a coach and
horses through my proposed deal with Mr Smith.
"He wants to know the ins-and-outs of my negotiations and I cannot finalise
terms with him in my hair.
"He won't give us unfettered consent to conclude a deal, which if agreed this
week, would probably be signed and sealed by the end of March once all the
necessary legal details have been ironed out."
Guterman declined to comment but his lawyer, Paul Thomas, responded: "We are
aware Mr Hamilton is in negotiations and we are talking to his lawyers about the
circumstances in which we would be prepared to release the injunction. There is
no question at all of us preventing Mr Hamilton from conducting those
negotiations."
Notwithstanding his legal dispute with Hamilton, Guterman has himself put
together a consortium in a bid to buy the club and the Racecourse Ground, but
his approaches have consistently been rejected.
And Hamilton said: "Guterman is still saying I have to give consideration to his
bid, which is materially lower than the bid from Mr Smith.
"Without his consent I will have to go back to court to seek permission to lift
the injunction and, while I would like to do that tomorrow and ask a judge to
hear it as an emergency, I've been advised that is not likely to be viewed
favourably.
"Therefore I will have to go to court in the new year and I feel sorry for Mr
Smith, who wants to conclude the deal this week. If he decides not to wait
around, Guterman will have some serious questions to answer."
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Hamilton is going on
holiday at the end of this week and will not be home until mid-January.
In the past his Cheshire home has been picketed by Wrexham fans who on one
occasion dumped cardboard boxes at the entrance to his drive.
"While I am away, a family relative is moving in to keep an eye on the place and
there will be security patrols at night," he said