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FFA SCATHING AS IT STRIPS NATHAN TINKLER OF JETS LICENCE

It’s been a day of high drama for the Newcastle Jets.

The day started with more questions about Nathan Tinkler’s debts and ability to pay the players and staff. By mid afternoon the former mining magnate had put the club into voluntary administration, and by 4.30 the FFA had stripped him of the licence. It ended with a potential suitor in the wings, Scottish Club Dundee United.

The club’s debts had grown to $2.7-million under Tinkler with players and staff owed a month’s wages and superannuation. There had been trouble paying the players in previous months. There was also a debt of $40,000 to the University of Newcastle, for the Jets training base at Ray Watt Oval.

In taking the licence from Tinkler, the FFA has been scathing, with words like incapable and deplorable in describing the former mining magnate’s Hunter Sports Group.

“Newcastle needs a club operating in a stable environment with certainty of resources in order to be successful and competitive in the A-League and to properly represent the community. HSG has proved to be incapable of meeting these requirements,” said FFA boss David Gallop.

“HSG has behaved in a deplorable way towards the players and staff of the club in failing to meet basic obligations to pay wages. Anyone who takes control of a sporting club has an obligation to respect the people and the traditions of that club.

“HSG has failed miserably to in this regard. Today’s action to terminate the licence is the first step to restoring the proud traditions of football in Northern NSW.”

The move has been applauded by the Northern New South Wales Football CEO David Eland.

“Clearly HSG has been unable to meet their obligations, including the payment of staff and players. NNSWF is encouraged by David Gallop’s comments which point to meaningful community engagement and NNSWF looks forward to partnering with FFA in the future as the club prepares to move forward under new ownership,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon Nathan Tinkler said Dundee United had offered $5-million to the club. It’s understood the Scottish Club has held talks with Tinkler’s Hunter Sports Group and the FFA. David Gallop says he’s been in talks with several interested parties.

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