Caley Thistle could yet be saved from administration in extra-time – with a Highland businessman meeting club chiefs on Thursday to push his takeover bid.
Financially-embattled Inverness had set a deadline of Wednesday night to raise the £200,000 needed to get through the month.
However, The Press and Journal can reveal a last-minute Thursday summit has been arranged between Caley Jags interim chairman Scott Young and the rest of the board, and the mystery north investor and his associates.
When the interest of the anonymous businessman was first reported on Tuesday night, it was believed his identity was also unknown to the Caledonian Stadium hierarchy.
But it is understood, while the last-gasp potential investor is not yet ready to go public, Caley Thistle’s three directors, including Young, do know who he is.
He will meet them – alongside fellow businessmen Don Lawson and Gordon Ritchie, who runs firm GRM Marketing – to thrash out how much cash it will take to get his deal for the League One outfit done.
An initial offer of £1.2m for a majority 50.45% of Caley Jags shares had been floated, which was conditional on Inverness not entering administration and guarantees being provided over the club’s current debt figure – stated to be around £3m.
Ritchie, speaking on behalf of the potential mystery investor, said: “We’re not hiding who the investor is. He is a local businessman from the Highlands. He’s not really a football man and I’ve been dealing with him for more than a year.
“He came to me 20 days ago, saying it was terrible what was happening with the club, and he wanted to help out. I told him they need money.
“The directors, Scott Young, Graeme Bennett and Gordon Fyfe, all know who he is – they have carried out due diligence on him.
“I signed a third non-disclosure agreement (NDA) last Thursday night.
“We were given a figure that £1.2m would keep the club going. But I have seen four different figures printed since that point.
“That is part of the discussion on Thursday.
“It (the £1.2m bid) was an informal offer.
‘The offer went in at £1.2m as we heard Alan Savage had given that figure’
“I have requested financial figures as far back as July, and I received them on Saturday at 8.30pm and they are not really answering questions that any serious investor would ask.
“The offer went in at £1.2m as we heard (club consultant) Alan (Savage) had given that figure.
“Alan has carried out due diligence on the club finances and so we think these are more than likely realistic, but since Monday we have seen numerous different figures.
“We’re in regular contact with Scott (Young).
“We have someone at the table now. Scott has given me a time where we will meet on Thursday.
“I am driving up (from Glasgow) for this meeting with the board – the investor and Don Lawson are coming to the meeting.
“We want to help the club and try and stop it going into administration.
“I have been in touch regularly with the SFA to keep them fully informed of the position.”
Earlier this month, Caley Jags launched a Save ICT fund, which kicked off with a £200,000 target to stave off entering administration this month.
But the pot stands at only £85,000 – which interim chairman Young has said will be used to pay current and ongoing club costs, whether they they enter administration or not.
Inverness, who would be punished with a 15-point SPFL penalty to plunge to the bottom of League One should they, as had been expected, go into administration, and will require up to £1.6m before the end of the current season to survive.
Caley Thistle held talks £7 billion ASOS magnate Anders Holch Povlsen
Meanwhile, The Press and Journal can also reveal struggling Caley Thistle previously held investment talks with ASOS billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen – Scotland’s richest man.
Dane Povlsen has a personal fortune of around £7 billion, and his business empire also includes clothing retailers Vero Moda and Jack Jones.
The 51-year-old, who was born in the Faroe Islands, owns vast swathes of land across the Highlands and is Scotland’s largest private land owner.
Caley Jags chiefs held discussions with one of Povlsen’s representatives over their cash plight.
It is understood former interim chairman Panos Thomas – who was interim chairman from August 3 to October 3 before stepping down for personal reasons – was introduced to Povlsen via a mutual acquaintance in the Inverness area.
But initial talks over his potential investment in Caley Thistle stalled over the billionaire’s ownership of Danish top-flight champions FC Midjtylland and concerns over a future conflict of interest if Inverness, now in the lower reaches of Scottish third-tier, ever return to the European stage – where Midjtylland are regulars.
It is understood the level of ICT’s debts also dissuaded business magnate Povlsen from getting involved.
There were hopes a deal with North Coast 500 tourist route majority shareholder Povlsen were not entirely dead and could have perhaps been resurrected – with a plan to make Caley Stadium the official start of the popular driving journey.
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