Rovers takeover group in £20m pledge as clock keeps on ticking

The Irish-based consortium, backed by a tycoon based in the Central American tax haven of Belize, saw their bid to take over the reins of the Championship outfit stall last month, but Sequentia spokesperson Kevin Phelan says the deal remains on the table.

However, he warned that the clock is ticking and that they ‘cannot keep holding out’.

Rovers chairman John Ryan has publicly supported the bid from Sequentia, but the club’s three major shareholders of Ryan, Terry Bramall and Dick Watson remain split on the future direction of the club.

As well as revealing they are willing to pump £20m-plus into squad recruitment, Sequentia have announced ambitious plans to increase the capacity at the Keepmoat Stadium to 21,000 if the club makes it to the Premier League.

The potential building of a hotel and leisure facilities at the site and developing a sporting ‘hub’, creating a number of new jobs in the process, also forms part of their ambitious and wide-ranging plans.

Sequentia – also prepared to invest in the town’s other main sporting clubs, including Doncaster RLFC and Doncaster Belles – are also hoping to broaden the club’s fan-base across Ireland.

They plan to speak to officials at nearby Robin Hood Airport about the possibility of extending the number of flights coming over from the Emerald Isle.

Phelan, who claimed to have been approached by other clubs – ‘some not far away from Doncaster’ – recently after initial talks broke down with Rovers, said: “People might think ‘Doncaster Rovers in the Premier League?’ But why not?

“We were involved at Hull City in the late Eighties and look at them now.

“We’re prepared to invest £20m plus over the next three to five years.

“I cannot keep holding out, though.

“I thought this would have been all done and dusted for the start of the season, but, unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.’

“It was all agreed. I am baffled as to why they have had second thoughts – but we’re still prepared to do the deal.”

Sequentia signed a heads of agreement with Rovers in June ahead of talks stalling, having first been approached for investment by Ryan shortly after the end of last season, with the lifelong fan to remain as chairman if the deal goes through.

But there have been no significant developments since talks hit the buffers and while Rovers’ board have pledged to keep funding the club, Ryan last month told the Yorkshire Post that the club would ‘have to run a tight ship’ financially, with little money at manager Paul Dickov’s disposal for significant investment with his budget one of the smallest in the division.

Phelan revealed that the club have already spoken with Rovers’ boss about their plans for recruitment and claims that the consortium have sounded out a number of big-name players, who were willing to join the club in the summer once the takeover was completed.

He added: “We have a three- to five-year plan to get the club into the Premier League.

“I’ve spoken to Paul Dickov about our plans and I like the guy. He’s an up-and-coming manager and was easy to talk to.

“He had good ideas on how to get this club into the Premier League. We went through the figures with him and he bought into the idea.

“I met Billy Sharp, Shay Given and Richard Dunne and they were all willing to come here.

“Obviously, things have moved on now, but they were willing to come.”

Midfield player Richie Wellens has spoken about his keenness for the proposed investment to go through with club finances dictating that he has only been able to sign a short-term deal after rejoining Rovers from Leicester City in the summer.

A longer contract depends on the takeover being finalised, with Wellens recently penning a deal until January having initially joined the club on a week-to-week basis, which he says ‘wasn’t ideal’.

He told the Yorkshire Post: “I just don’t understand why, if someone is ready to take over and really push the club forward, why not take the opportunity?

“We have seen a number of clubs have investment and new stadiums and backing such as Hull and Swansea and go all the way to the Premier League.

“I don’t see why this club should be any different.

“If this takeover happens and investment comes, we have got a chance of getting to the Premier League. Why wouldn’t you want to do it?

“As a footballer, you want to win games every week and the prize at the end of it in this league is the Premiership.”

Hoping to move in at keepmoat

Sequentia Capital are an Irish-based consortium headed by consultant Kevin Phelan.

A tycoon based in the Central American tax haven of Belize is believed to be behind Sequentia’s bid.

Phelan was previously involved with one-time Rovers owners Westferry, who sold club to John Ryan in 1998.

Westferry were owned by Wellington Trust, headed by billionaire Irish telecoms magnate Denis O’Brien, who denies any interest in takeover.