Fury crisis deepens

With owner Don Matheson set to liquidate the company which ran and managed the club, A-League boss Archie Fraser was on Friday involved in a series of summit meetings with Matheson, the players and local business identities in a concerted effort to drum up the $1.5 million needed to keep the club in the competition for another season.

Leading Townsville car dealers Tony Ireland and Geoff Pickering are being courted as potential white knights to fill the void left by Matheson, who has declared his desire to divest himself of any further ownership of the club which has cost him $2.5 million.

It is understood the FFA is prepared to enter into a co-ownership partnership with Pickering and Ireland, and other interested parties, to keep the expansion club afloat in 2010-2011.

But the immediate fallout of the upheaval is panic throughout the playing ranks with the squad, whose contracts are protected until the end of March, told they can move on.

That includes marquee man Robbie Fowler, who is now almost certain not to return to the club from a break in his native England. Socceroos David Williams and Shane Stefanutto are also in limbo.

Stefanutto, who has two years left on his deal, said: “No A-League club has gone bust yet and I don't expect us to become the first.

"I have not personally met with the club yet, that will come later, but I am not worried and believe I will be here next year and so will the club.

"I'm sure the FFA will make sure things are sorted out, and I am genuinely not worried about it.

"We are all aware of the speculation and while some players might well move on, I certainly don't expect to be one of them. I am convinced the club has a future.

"We finished seventh in the A-League and have a lot to offer. If the club does need restructuring then so be it."

Scotsman Ferguson, a year into his $450,000 three-year deal, is also likely to go, unless he is offered and accepts a low budget amended contract should a new consortium take charge.

Ferguson’s assistant Stewart Petrie has also been told his contract is worthless.

It’s understood the Professional Footballers Association was urgently addressing the collapse of contracts in a bid to project the welfare of the players.

Representatives from Football Federation Australia (FFA) met on Friday with Townsville-based community leaders to discuss the future of the embattled club.

In a statement released by the FFA, CEO Ben Buckley said he applauded the effort from all at the club and he recognised its significant achievements in its first season.

“To be successful long-term there needs to be wider community and corporate support for NQF and it can not be left to one person to drive the club,” Buckley said.

“We are working through the processes with many interested parties and are confident there is strong support for football to remain in Townsville.

“I strongly encourage everyone in Townsville and North Queensland to get behind the team and show how much they want a successful football club in their region.”

In a bizarre twist to the affair, Townsville’s major Les Tyrell was at all three meetings as he seeks to discover whether golf course guru Matheson’s looming exit from the loss-making club is going to result in the council forfeiting the $1 million guarantee it put up to help the Fury get off the ground.