Consortium to buy Melchester Rovers?

Well okay, Rovers are probably the ONLY club that hadn't (until now) been linked to a takeover bid by the consortium headed by Imraan Ladak and Paul Gascoigne if you were to believe all the current plethora of articles written by every sports hack up and down the country that is trying to help sell their own newspapers.

Granted, all the speculation is probably not helped by the amount of time the legal departments of both parties find it necessary to spend making sure every minute detail is thoroughly analyzed and researched. However, to be fair this isn't exactly a car or a house that we're talking about, and although the supporters understandably see it first and foremost as 'our' football club, in reality it's also a business.

Due credit to Mr Ladak for attempting to address the supporters' concerns as and when they are raised as to the future of the club in terms of full-time status, new ground, restructured management and coaching positions, etc. Although I suspect he wasn't quite prepared for the possibility of having to devote so much of his time to squash all the rumours of his supposed impending purchase of more clubs than even Tommy Docherty has managed.

Gascoigne and Davis to become the new dynamic duo

Mr Imraan Ladak, the head of the consortium getting ready to takeover at Rockingham Road, outlined the restructuring that would take place at the club once the deal has been completed (expected to be sometime next week).

Paul Gascoigne will take over as first team manager, ex-Arsenal favourite Paul Davis will become the club's new head coach and present manager Kevin Wilson will be offered a role as 'Director of Football' which will include a seat on the club's board of directors.

The move to appoint Gascoigne straight into the role of manager will perhaps surprise many of the club's supporters, most were probably expecting the former England International to ease into managership over the course of the remainder of the season.

Mr Ladak addressed the supporters concerns with the following statement; "Paul has not proven himself as a manager. He has worked under some of the biggest names in football management like Terry Venables and Bobby Robson. But this is something Paul has got to do for himself. Along with Paul Davis I believe it can be a great thing."

While Gascoigne's current managership qualities are arguably an unknown quantity, the coaching experience of Paul Davis is well documented. Although of course, his illustrious playing career at Arsenal is widely acknowledged, Davis has been busy over recent years building up his coaching resume.

Davis was both coach and manager of the Arsenal Youth Academy between 1996 and 2003 and has also been involved with training coaches for the PFA. Mr Ladak further underlined his new coach's credentials; "Paul has worked under Don Howe, George Graham and Arsene Wenger and he has helped develop some great players through the Academy at Arsenal. I have no doubt that he will be a tremendous asset for this club."

Will Gascoigne be left in tears again or will it be Kettering this time?

Check out the article that recently appeared in the Times Online newspaper:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,27-1813206,00.html

'Gazzamania' comes to Kettering ?

With the official announcement that current owner Peter Mallinger is about to sell Kettering Town Football Club to a consortium headed by businessman Imraan Ladak and Paul Gascoigne, another chapter in the long and colourful history of the Poppies looks about to unfold.

The national media is already starting to devote column inches to the impending takeover and if Gascoigne does decide to return to a playing role for the Poppies (as well as coaching) the media attention will surely go into overdrive.

Gascoigne is only 38 and according to Peterborough Utd's Barry Fry could still compete at this level. "He was a genius and will probably want to go somewhere where he can get a few games. I know he has knocked his body about but he could play for Kettering standing on his head.'' (er .. thanks Barry!)

Born in Gateshead, Gascoigne has unarguably had a distinguished footballing career, with 57 England caps, having played midfield for Newcastle Utd, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Glasgow Rangers, Middlesborough and Everton, with three games for Burnley and two as player-coach at Boston Utd being his most recent outings last season.

The combined transfer fees between those clubs total over £152m and if Gascoigne turns out for Kettering in a playing capacity he will join a distinguished list of famous Poppies, including (but certainly not limited to) Tommy Lawton, Ron Atkinson and Derek Dougan.

What the immediate future holds for the club once the takeover is comfirmed is yet to be seen, but with the statement by Imraan Ladak that the club "will become full-time" it certainly looks likely to be an exciting period for the club's long-suffering supporters.