Dundee United may have firmly ruled out any interest in buying another club in Australia earlier this week but club chairman Stephen Thompson is continuing to personally pursue opportunities Down Under.
Following the departures of Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong to Celtic on Monday, United issued a lengthy statement that ended with: “Finally, the Board of Dundee United Football Club has been made aware of media reports suggesting Dundee United is interested or is involved in talks to buy a football club in Australia. We can categorically state that Dundee United has no intention of purchasing any other football club.”
That was a position reinforced by Thompson last night who said: “Dundee United will not be buying another club.
“Myself and another individual are heading up an investment group and are looking at opportunities in the A-League.”
Thompson also denied claims made earlier by under-pressure Newcastle United Jets owner Nathan Tinkler who had accused the Football Federation Australia of conspiring with Dundee United to have him stripped of his A-League licence.
The FFA have issued Tinkler with a show cause notice which effectively gives him two weeks to settle debts in excess of $500,000.
He said: “It’s pretty clear that the FFA and Dundee United are conspiring to kick me out of the game, so that Stephen Thompson can then be handed the licence for next to nothing.
“It’s a licence I paid a fortune for.
“It’s my understanding that Stephen Thompson met with FFA CEO David Gallop on Tuesday and there is obviously a plan there to place me under as much duress as possible in the expectation I will roll over and go away.
“I have basically been set up to fail and Dundee United have been lined up to take over.”
Thompson though insisted no meeting with the FFA or Gallup had taken place.
The United chairman added: “We continue to monitor the situation at Newcastle United Jets, but we’re also looking at the wider picture and opportunities within the A-League.
“I haven’t met the FFA and David Gallop that’s a fact and there isn’t any conspiracy at all.
“I’ll monitor the situation, but it’s up to the FFA and the club to decide where it goes.
“In the meantime, I’m content to see what’s happening overall in the A-League, which quite excites me.
“Australia won the Asian Cup so they should be building on that now.”