CHESTER City’s largest supporters group City Fans United (CFU) have reacted angrily to the proposed takeover of the Deva Stadium outfit by a Danish consortium.

A statement issued last night said: “CFU had an undertaking from the group that they would not proceed without CFU backing. We were shocked to learn on Sunday that a deal had been done to purchase the club, without reference to CFU and Chester supporters.

“CFU has always clearly stated that it would talk to any interested party with a genuine interest in saving the club, and private talks have been conducted with more than one such party. It is the duty of CFU to examine any proposed takeover thoroughly before giving its blessing. CFU is the custodian of the interests of the supporters, the recent history of Chester City is a litany of broken promises and unrealised ambition.”

Chester’s current owners face a race against time to pay off approximately £200,000 of outstanding debts prior to a meeting of Football Conference clubs on Friday. The main item on the agenda at Nene Park will be asking the member clubs to ratify a management proposal to expel City from the league, after Chester pleaded guilty to breaking five separate Conference rules.

The CFU statement continued: “The Danish investors claim that Stephen Vaughan Snr will be paying the outstanding debts owed on the creditors list on Friday February 26. We remain highly sceptical. We would ask why these debts were not cleared previously, thereby allowing the club to fulfil its fixtures and avoiding the indignity of suspension from the league and inconvenience to our fellow Conference clubs.”

Nobody from the Danish consortium was available to talk last night, but they did state last weekend that they hoped to complete a takeover of the club, subject to certain assurances from the current owners, in seven to 21 days.