Wednesday and Bates in takeover talks

Sheffield Wednesday vice-chairman Mick Wright has confirmed the club’s board have been in talks with Ken Bates over a possible takeover.

Chelsea chairman Bates’ power is on the wane at Stamford Bridge after selling the London club to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich who has since installed Peter Kenyon as chief executive.

Bates today refused to comment on the possibility of buying into the Yorkshire club, who are currently 13th in Division Two and last week announced total debts of £23.6m (€34.9m) for the year ending May 31 2003.

But Wright has revealed a “business-like” meeting has taken place and that Wednesday’s directors have provided Bates with all the information he asked for.

Bates has yet to provide the Wednesday board with written confirmation of his plans, however, leaving the club’s directors with unanswered questions of their own.

“Does he intend to replace the directors?” asked Wright.

“Does he intend to replace the bank?

“We do need more finance putting in and we have to listen to anybody who purports to be able to do that,” he told the Sheffield Star.

“We have gone through this process four or five times, and they have disappeared like snowmen in August.

“We would have expected to have heard a proposal from Ken Bates by now.”