THE Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust believe they have taken another step forward in their campaign to take Wirral’s Football League club into community ownership.
The Trust raised £200,000 in cash and pledges from fans in a campaign backed by former players such as Pat Nevin, Steve Mungall, Dave Higgins, Ian Muir and John Aldridge.
That sum was enough to enable them to move to the next stage of takeover talks with Tranmere’s chairman and controlling shareholder Peter Johnson.
Trust chairman Ben Harrison said: “Negotiations with Peter Johnson are ongoing. We are delighted with the money we got in.
“We realise that raising money for a buyout when there is no crisis or emergency at the club is difficult, particularly in the current financial climate.
“We set ourselves a target of £300,000 which was very ambitious but £200,000 is above where we needed to be and we are able to continue the process of negotiations with Peter Johnson.”
The Trust are seeking to purchase Johnson 60% slaveholding. The Wirral businessmen and founder of the Park group of companies has made no secret of his desire to sell his stake at Prenton Park and relinquish the responsibility of keeping the club afloat.
However, Trust officials acknowledge a successful community buyout is dependent upon Tranmere repaying a significant proportion of the £5 million debt they owe to the Birkenhead-born businessman, who bought the club out of administration in 1987.
