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Auckland consortium pulls out

13 February 2007 | 20:07 - NZPA

An Auckland consortium has pulled out of its bid to field a franchise in the A-League.

 

Following the surprise announcement, there is only one New Zealand candidate in contention to be granted the licence which was revoked from the New Zealand Knights in December.

That is a combined Wellington-Palmerston North based bid.

Auckland spokesman Alan Sefton, a former New Zealand America's Cup yachting team executive director, informed Football Federation Australia (FFA) about his consortium's decision.

"I am sorry to have to advise that the group I am working with has decided to withdraw from seeking the New Zealand licence for the A-League," Sefton wrote to the FFA.

"... we are not confident of being able to meet your terms or your deadlines (those relating to financial backing/investment are already upon us).

"We do not want to impede the prospects of any other New Zealand interests being able to do so and, to give them every chance, we feel it is better that we withdraw now."

His group hoped that another New Zealand group would be able to ensure New Zealand's future in the A-League.

The deadline for final correspondence from both bidders was on Monday and A-League bosses were due to meet on Thursday to discuss the issue. It is unclear if a final decision would be made that day.

New Zealand Soccer chief executive Graham Seatter said he was surprised and disappointed to learn the Auckland bid had folded.

"Now we're dependent upon Wellington measuring up. It's critical that a club lives on in New Zealand and this is a bit of a blow toward that happening," Seatter told NZPA.

Wellington bid chief, John Dow, said the group had written to FFA head of operations Matt Carroll, covering some final discussion points.

"We've outlined quite clearly that we can deliver on this," Dow told The Dominion Post newspaper.

"The deadline was (Monday) and we're meeting that.

"I think that if we get to the preferred bidder status, I'm 90 per cent confident we can get this done in the next two weeks and be up and running, ready to go."

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