Port Vale owner denies interest in buying Gateshead
Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite has denied any interest in purchasing National League side Gateshead.
It has been an chaotic season for Gateshead which has seen the club placed under a transfer embargo, their manager Steve Watson and his assistant leave for York City, as well as the departure of a number of key players. Extreme cost-cutting from the ownership has left Gateshead with a squad of just fifteen senior players.
A chaotic fortnight culminated in controversial financial adviser Joe Cala announcing through an official statement that owner Ranjan Varghese had placed the club up for sale for just £1.
Port Vale fans have been appealing to Smurthwaite to sell the club – preferably to local business Synectics Solutions, who have made a £3.5m offer. The North East media have now linked Smurthwaite with a possible move for Gateshead.
Smurthwaite told the Sentinel: “There’s no approach. The only interest was with Luke Hannant, the manager , and a player that Neil wanted at the end of the season had he still been with us.”