Roberts emerges as surprise contender

19 August 2009 08:10
Former Tottenham defender Graham Roberts has emerged as a surprise contender to buy Newcastle as he heads a new group called Fans 410 Consortium. Roberts will meet Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias on behalf of the group to discuss a £100 million takeover package. The news comes as Tyneside millionaire Barry Moat's attempts to buy the club hit an impasse following weeks of talks with the club's current owners. Roberts plans to carry out due diligence and his proposal is to hand control of the club to supporters in a model based on European champions Barcelona. Roberts - who revealed the group want to install Alan Shearer as manager - told Sky Sports News: "We are called Fans 410, it is some people I know who want to buy a football club and we have approached Newcastle and we have a meeting tomorrow with the chairman and that is where we are at the moment. "We have to find out what the debt is. The bottom line is no one knows what the debt is and when we talk to the chairman we can take it from there but we are very keen."

Source: Eurosport