Officials at Broadfield stadium say they won't break a confidentiality agreement with the consortium.

But the Observer understands the buyers are the same unnamed group who were linked with the Reds at Christmas.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, manager Steve Evans again insisted he had 'never worked with' the potential owners but said the consortium were 'demanding' he stayed in charge.

Yet despite Evans' protestations, website pundits are naming Boston money-men Jon Sotnick and Michael Chinn as the most likely investors in the club.

The Reds' manager worked with Staffordshire businessman Sotnick at The Pilgrims. And Evans was also employed by Sotnick's recruitment company while he served a 20-month football ban in 2003.

Reds manager Evans was later brought back to Boston by Sotnick in 2004 after the businessman took the club over via a holding company – Lavaflow Ltd.

Sotnick himself left Boston in 2006 and became chief executive at Darlington.

He left the Quakers over Christmas – the same time as Crawley town bosses first announced the club was to be sold.

But fan's Crawley and Boston football forums have pointed to Evans' new three-year contract as a clue to the involvement of another Boston backer, Michael Chinn.

Chinn, a marketing director at Staffsmart Ltd, was personally praised by Evans, after the company paid a five-figure sum for Town's pre-season training camp in August 2007.

Chairman Vic Marley refused to comment on the possibility that Staffordshire businessmen were involved with the consortium.

He said: "I can't make any comment. When the consortium decide the time is right we will name names. You don't want to make any announcement that will bring you bad luck."

But the football chairman did suggest that there is a local element to the consortium.

Other names that have been touted as possible new owners on fans forums include:
Phil Jarman – the owner of Jarman's Hairdressers in The Ridings, Worth
Mr Webber – owner of a Crawley-based mechanics firm.
Gary Croydon – chief executive of Burgess Hill Football Club.

Do you have any information about the new owners? Call anonymously on 01293 845055 or click here

CLUB STATEMENT:

The club are delighted to announce that sale particulars have been agreed and heads of terms have been signed.

The incoming consortium has completed the majority of their due-diligence and it is expected the formalities will be completed prior to the end of the football season.

It is expected the new owners will be presented to the Crawley Town fans as soon as the contracts for the sale have been exchanged.

Chairman Victor Marley commented: "The new owners have obviously identified the massive potential our Football Club has.

"I look forward to working with and for them and it hopefully will now give us the platform to make a challenge for promotion to the Football League. We have made huge progress in the last ten months and we must ensure that continues."

As covered in local press on Wednesday morning, a winding up petition has been served by HMRC on the club, which is due to be heard in court on May 14th. Marley was keen to re-assure Crawley Town fans the matter was in hand.

He added: "I can confirm that we have received the documentation involved. The due sum was not paid because of a discrepancy in the numbers but we have now been satisfied they are indeed correct.

"Monies have now been allocated to pay the outstanding amount and those due sums will be with HMRC in due course.

"This season more than any other we have ensured we have operated a tight ship, and when our accounts team believe there is a discrepancy in the numbers, they are right to raise this as an issue, but as far as we are concerned this matter is now resolved."



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