To the rescue .... (From Barry And District News)

To the rescue ....

Barry Town Football Club has been pulled back from the brink of closure by an outstanding offer from a local businessman.

Surprise benefactor Stuart Lovering arrived from nowhere with a takeover bid for the club offering the much-needed sum of £100,000.

The creditors are expected to make a decision regarding the offer on December 10.

Dragon fans have been rallying around their club for months after it emerged the top Welsh Premier side were in financial difficulty. They needed to raise £100,000 by December to pay creditors or would have to call in the administrators.

With £70,000 already collected or pledged, the supporters were desperate to clear the last hurdle.

Stuart Lovering, 38, who lives in the Pencoedtre Village, spoke to supporters at a special meeting on Sunday night.

He told the meeting: "I want to see Barry Town back where they belong, challenging at the top of the Welsh Premier and in the race for Europe."

But he sounded a note of caution, adding: "The club will be run as a business and we will not spend money we do not have. This is a long-term process which we must ensure is carried out properly."

The supporters, who have suffered blow after blow since the start of the year, put Stuart Lovering through a rigorous question and answer session.

Former chairman of the supporters' club Colin Churchill said: "I must admit we were all a little sceptical when he first came into the meeting. But he introduced himself and was so gently-spoken and seemed so genuine we warmed to him. He answered our questions as best he could, and when he didn't know the answer, he said so instead of trying to fob us off with hollow promises."

At the meeting, Dr Liz Davies, who has been one of a team of people fighting for the future of the club, also quizzed Stuart. But at the end of the meeting, when there was a unanimous vote of confidence in the proposed buy-out and Stuart Lovering, she was up-beat.

She said: "It's fantastic to have someone local coming forward like this and being prepared to drive the club forward.

"The whole club has been buoyed by this news and after the hard work of the past few months, it's great to know we're nearly there."

The club and Stuart Lovering are preparing the bid to put in front of the creditors and administrator on December 10. There will be a second meeting held with the shareholders following the first presentation. But the decision on Barry Town's future will hopefully be made on that day.