Yeung Camp Defiant Over Birmingham Takeover Delay

One of Carson Yeung's top advisers has defended the delayed takeover of Birmingham City, insisting "it is not like we are buying a television set".

Yeung has until December 20 to acquire a controlling stake in the club, but the Birmingham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold now say there is only a minimal chance of the deal being completed. Gold also admitted that he has had no contact from Yeung since his "very brief" visit to Birmingham's league clash with Wigan on October 27.

"There has been no information coming from their camp," said Gold. "There has been no communication. Everyone is saying the deal is dead. Only six weeks ago I was saying it was a 90% done deal. Now I'm saying it's more 90% about the deal not going ahead. With every passing hour, you've got to say those odds shorten and shorten. We have taken the view now that we must take back complete control of Birmingham City in the best interests of the club and the fans. It is just not fair on the fans. We have been through a tough three weeks - and so have they."

But Sammy Yu, the chief operating officer of Grandtop International, the company through which Yeung intends to buy the club, is bemused by the board's stance. "We don't know why they [Gold and Sullivan] are being so negative," he said. "This kind of news does not help the cause. We hope that all parties will stay cool and work together.

"We want to complete the takeover in a manner that will be best for everyone involved. After all, it is not like we are buying a television set. We have already taken a 29.9% stake in the club [in July] with real cash, it was not for a joke," Yu told the South China Morning Post.

The delay in completing the takeover has been cited as the main reason for Steve Bruce's departure to Wigan after Yeung and his associates refused to discuss a new contract for the club's manager despite his six years' service there. However, Yu refuted accusations that the proposed takeover had destabilized the club. "The stake we have already bought shows our intent. It is not small money. The club should be more stable, not less," he said.

But Gold has admitted he would be "thrilled and delighted" if Yeung's bid collapses despite Sullivan's intention to sell the club. "I've not really been a willing seller," he said. "It is just a promise I made to David Sullivan some time ago. David Sullivan has honored his agreement to Carson Yeung and I am honoring my agreement to David Sullivan.

"It has always been difficult for me because David has been keen to move on. He has made no secret of that. But if the deal collapses with the Chinese people, and I am still part of things at Birmingham City, I would be absolutely thrilled and delighted. Once the December 20 deadline comes, all bets are off. What it really then leaves is for David and myself to work something out for the future."