WORLD famous boxing promoter Frank Warren could be about to invest in Chester City Football Club.
Former Blues owner Stephen Vaughan exclusively revealed the shock news today and admitted he was confident that the struggling club would resolve their off-field problems and clear their footballing creditors.
Warren, who is a keen Arsenal fan, is a leading figure in British boxing and has managed some of Britain's best boxers in the last 25 years, including 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan.
Warren's major vehicles for promotion are Sports Network Ltd and Sports Network Europe, and he currently has a television deal with Sky Sports.
Warren has major share holdings in various hotel developments in Portugal, and a share in one of New York's top restaurants, the Michelin-starred 81, off Central Park.
Warren guided Hamed in becoming Britain's youngest ever world champion when he beat Steve Robinson to win the WBO Super Featherweight title at the Cardiff Arms Park, in 1995.
He oversaw the ascent of Ricky Hatton to the IBF Light Welterweight Championship of the World after beating Kostya Tszyu in 2005; and Warren has been with former IBF and current WBO/WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe throughout the majority of his 44 fight unbeaten career.
Warren signed the 2004 Olympic Lightweight silver medallist, Amir Khan and, after guiding him to be a world champion in 2009, the two split this year.
Warren was elected for induction in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and was inducted in June 2008.
Vaughan said: “I have been speaking to possible investors in the football club and one potential investor in talks has been boxing promoter Frank Warren.
“Our director of football, Morell Maison, has exercised his option to purchase the Vaughan family’s shareholding of the football club.
“He has agreed a price for the shares and he has now got two years to bring in prospective investors and bring investment into the football club.
“The football club is owed £138,000 which includes a £26,000 tax demand, plus rent and rates, wage shortfalls, and trading creditors.
“The football club has £125,000 outstanding from the Football League’s parachute payment, and £10,000 from central funding is also available, plus the remains of sponsorship and gate receipts from now until the end of the season.
“The football club is now doing all it can to tidy up it’s problems off the field, but the football club now needs the backing and support from it’s fans.”
Meanwhile, Bob Gray today revealed the club's problems would be discussed later this week by the Football Conference.
The Chester City managing director confirmed that the Blues' troubling off-field problems would be the subject of specially convened Conference Extraordinary General Meeting tomorrow.
Gray said: "Chester City's position will be discussed on Thursday night at a Conference EGM and every club will be represented.
"I think everybody is concerned about the current situation at Chester, but the people behind the scenes at the club are working extremely hard to make sure that the football club continues to play football.
"There are a number of concerns for the Conference as well as for the football club including unpaid wages and an unpaid tax bill which has led to a winding up petition.
"We've got between now and the 27th January to pay the amount that is owed and that is what will endeavour to do.
"The issue concerning investments in the club should be addressed to our director of football, Morell Maison, and his consortium. People are working tirelessly behind the scenes in the board room.
"The consortium are are interested in taking over the club have done the due diligence and they know probably to the penny how much the football club owes to footballing creditors. We need to sort out our problems before we can move forward.
"The club have got to try and convince those people wanting to take over the club that the future is through development and through what is on offer on the table.
"Hopefully the interested consortium will believe the football club is a viable investment and be prepared to put the money in that is needed to keep the club afloat."