Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Piper calls off the bailiffs - for now...
JOHN Piper last night handed Cherries a vital reprieve by calling off his threat to send in the bailiffs.[LNB] The long-time Cherries benefactor is pursuing the club over a loan of £30,000 he made to the previous owners to help pay players' wages in April 2009.[LNB] Piper, once a majority shareholder, is owed around £24,000, including costs, after the debt was inherited by the Murry Group following their takeover last year.[LNB] But businessman Piper, who has so far only been paid back £10,000, has now reached a repayment agreement with Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell, with one half of the cash due in the second week of February and the other a fortnight later.[LNB] Should Cherries meet those terms, Piper confirmed he would have no need to instruct bailiffs.[LNB] Mitchell told the Echo: It's very helpful, but we've still got to get the money for those things. We're going to do our best.[LNB] To make it two instalments instead of one will help us.[LNB] We appreciate it and it's nice of him to agree that, but it doesn't say that it's instantly surmountable.[LNB] We're working hard to try to raise money I've been on it all day today. That's what we're working to do.[LNB] Discussing the proposed repayment schedule, Piper told the Echo last night: I've accepted that on the basis that we are not serving the High Court bailiff today. We are holding it over on the basis that the club keeps to its promise, then the matter is concluded.[LNB] If they don't keep to the promise and, for instance the first payment is not received, we would immediately serve the High Court bailiff.[LNB] Hopefully common sense has prevailed and I hope we haven't got any more legal fights to get involved in. They have decided to make arrangements to make two payments to finalise the debt in February and I'm prepared to accept. Then we can move on.[LNB] The County Court in Bournemouth this week dismissed an application by the club to pay Piper back in instalments.[LNB] But after his decision yesterday to give Cherries the chance to pay in two chunks, the matter could be resolved next month without the need for bailiffs.[LNB] Meanwhile, Mitchell revealed that the club had not received any realistic approaches for any of its players with the end of the transfer window on the horizon.[LNB] Asked whether the club had received any bids or approaches for players, Mitchell replied: There has been but they have been unrealistic.[LNB] Put it this way, we've had people say we'd give you X amount and would you sell him' and we've said no'.[LNB] If we'd had an offer anywhere near what a player was worth we'd report the offer to you and discuss what's best for the player and club, but we haven't.[LNB] Top scorer Brett Pitman has been linked with a host of clubs throughout January, with the likes of Blackpool and Bristol Rovers reportedly interested in the forward.[LNB]
