Nathan Tinkler's reign as owner of the Newcastle Jets "appears set to come to an end after Football Federation Australia issued the club with a show-cause notice over its unpaid debts," according to the AAP. The mining magnate "met with the FFA on Monday after the club failed to meet a Saturday deadline to fulfill financial obligations." The strife-torn club "is facing the possibility of having its A-League licence withdrawn over its dire financial state." To take over the club, the FFA "would first have to give Tinkler 14 days to show why he should keep the licence" (AAP, 2/3). In Sydney, James Gardiner wrote adding "further intrigue to the Jets' ownership wrangle," Dundee United Chair Stephen Thompson is in Australia, suggesting the Scottish Premier League club is still in the frame. Central to Tinkler's discussions with Gallop were debts well in excess of A$500,000 ($391,000), including A$140,00 to Northern NSW and unpaid superannuation to players and staff. After saying in an interview last week that "creditors are getting paid as we speak" and "it will all be resolved," Tinkler again told the FFA that outstanding liabilities would be met and key staffing levels upgraded to A-League standard. After putting the Jets up for sale in August, Tinkler "took the club off the market last month despite an approach from Dundee United," which balked at the A$5M price tag. But notwithstanding Tinkler's regular denials, the Tangerines "are keeping close tabs on developments at FFA headquarters and majority stakeholder Thompson is in Australia visiting his daughter." Thompson said, "The interest is still there" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 2/2).
