East Fife supporters seeking greater fan involvement in the proposed takeover of the club have called for more clarity from those behind the bid for control.
Existing directors Jim Stevenson, Dave Marshall, John Barclay and John Donaldson have agreed terms in principle with the current owners at Bayview to purchase a majority shareholding, and say they believe their efforts will provide the club with a sound footing moving forward.
They want to create a holding company which will effectively hold the 52% majority stake, which could then be sold off to fans over the next five years.
However, members of the East Fife Supporters Society (EFSS) have expressed deep concerns over the plans and have previously called on the four directors to work with them on a joint bid to take the club on.
With the directors’ bid still in the pipeline, Courier Sport understands members of the EFSS are to meet with Stevenson, Marshall, Barclay and Donaldson on Tuesday to see if any breakthrough can be reached.
A spokesperson for the EFSS said they hoped planned meetings will prove fruitful as they try to negotiate with the directors to ensure greater fan involvement in the proposed new ownership of East Fife.
And he added: “We have made it clear to the board that we cannot ask anyone to support their bid financially unless there is greater clarity about the club finances.”
Concerns have been raised about how future representation of the EFSS on the board would look, and over what the current legal status of the company is.
The EFSS have also asked the board for an update on where the takeover bid is at the moment, in relation to what stage the purchase is at, the time period and payment plan agreed with current owners Lorraine Johnston and Samantha Twigg, and the current or future sale of club assets.
Perhaps more crucially though, the group have demanded answers as to the current state of the club following interim chairman Stevenson’s concession last month that finances are “not good”.
“It is crucial that we have accurate information about the current financial situation along with details of the directors’ future plans to ensure our club remains solvent,” the EFSS added.
The supporters’ group hope to update the wider fan base before Christmas, and have arranged a further open meeting to discuss the issue for Thursday, January 8.