A WEALTHY businessman today revealed that Peter Shackleton wanted cash help with his bid to buy Burnley Football Club.

The prominent Burnley businessman did not want to be revealed.

But he claims to have met with Shackleton two weeks ago following an initial meeting six months ago.

The businessman said: "It never came to the point when he said he was struggling.

"He asked whether the people I'm involved with would join his board and said that, collectively, his money and my money would do the trick.

"Good luck to him if he pulls the rabbit out of the hat.

"But you either have the money or you haven't."

The businessman has since decided not to become in any way. But Shackleton has strongly denied such reports to the Burnley board. And the depth of his backers' wealth - which Shackleton revealed ran into billions of pounds - has been verified by the club's bankers, TSB.

The board maintain that some of the £12 million package is already in an English bank account and that lawyers are still trying to agree on the final pieces of a complicated jigsaw.

Shackleton was today maintaining the silence requested by Burnley chairman Frank Teasdale.

And it is not clear whether Shackleton was asking for more money to supplement his proposed £12 million package - or whether he needed help to meet initial promises.

Teasdale accepts that the takeover saga has dragged on for too long.

He said: "Things are still carrying on behind the scenes with money transfers, although it can't go on for ever - Peter Shackleton knows that. We have not given him a deadline as we don't want to cut off our nose to spite our face." All the time, New York tycoon Ray Ingleby, who has bought nearly 30 per cent of issued shares, is poised to pounce on any signs of weakness.

Ingleby's right hand man, David Parry, said: "Whilst it has been frustrating for us waiting in the wings, I accept that the board had to carry on the running of the football club.

"Both Ray and I were happy to see that the board acted swiftly in making an appointment which will hopefully result in a vast improvement on the field. We await to see developments on the takeover situation."

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