The Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust take another step in bid to take club into community ownership

Jan 2 2012 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust have made another step forward in their bid to take the Wirral club into community ownership.

Chairman Ben Harrison confirmed the Trust submitted a formal offer to purchase Peter Johnson’s controlling stake at Prenton Park.

However, further progress in negotiations is unlikely until Wirral Council makes a decision on Rovers’ planning application to develop a housing estate on the Ingleborough Road training ground and build a new training facility on the site of the current Woodchurch Leisure Centre.

Harrison told a meeting of Trust members that the offer was in respect of Johnson’s shareholding and the club’s bank overdraft, which they understand to be in the region of £1.8million.

The offer did not take account of the £5.2m the club owes to the Birkenhead businessman in loans and loan guarantees.

“We have asked Peter Johnson to release some of the assets at Tranmere Rovers to pay off the debt,” Harrison said. “Ingleborough is the major factor in what happens next we’re going to have to be patient. We have made a formal offer in a way that shows we are serious about our intentions.”

Wirral Council has postponed a decision on the Ingleborough/Woodchurch proposals on several occasions since the application was first made last summer. Council officials say they are taking legal advice over a covenant covering the use of land at Ingleborough, which was formerly the school playing fields for Birkenhead Institute.

Local historical groups say the six acre field at Ingleborough is a war memorial that should be preserved as open space. They want to see the application thrown out.