A CONSORTIUM of businessmen are lining up an amazing bid to take control of Preston North End, it was claimed today.

Speculation is rife within Lancashire's business community that a group - said to include clothing giant Matalan, millionaire tycoon Trevor Hemmings and PNE deputy chairman Derek Shaw - plan to buy majority shareholder Baxi's stake in the club.

Mr Shaw has rubbished the claims, saying they are 'utter junk, while club chairman Bryan Gray - who also runs Baxi - laughed off the speculation.

However, the club remains buzzing with rumours about who could be in control next. According to North End's annual report for the year ending June 1998, Baxi - the Bamber Bridge boiler makers - currently hold a 39.27 per cent stake in the club, with chairman Bryan Gray holding around 2,000 shares. Baxi has recently bought the boiler arm of East Lancashire cement firm Blue Circle.

One businessman said: "It wouldn't make sense to admit it now because it would send shares in the club rocketing. But there is no doubt about it, North End are going to have someone new at the helm soon.

"At the end of the day, Mr Gray is a businessman and he won't make as much money at Deepdale as he will with his new company."

Millionaire Trevor Hemmings - who has control of Blackpool's three piers and the Tower - already has a financial interest in PNE, and is believed to be keen to take a more pro-active role in the running of the club. He was unavailable for comment as the Citizen went to press.

PNE chief exeuctive Tony scholes was also unavialble for comment.

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