JJB Sports chairman David Jones is expected to face a public grilling from business rival Mike Ashley over a controversial £1.5m (€1.7m) loan at the group’s annual general meeting today.

UK sports retail chain JJB Sports insisted today its boss David Jones would repay a £1.5m (€1.74m) loan from the billionaire behind rival Sports Direct “as soon as possible” as it attempted to draw a line under the affair.