BILL LOTHIAN ([email protected])
MURRAYFIELD bosses have offered to buy back Edinburgh Rugby, it was claimed today.

But Bob Carruthers, owner of the club, insists that the SRU are refusing to come up with the original purchase price for which he hinted he would be prepared to sell.

The conflict between the two parties, which has already seen Bob's younger brother, Alex, resign as chairman along with managing director Graeme Stirling, reached a new crisis point as Carruthers also admitted investors would no longer be putting in cash that would allow the club to expand.

He said: "SRU Chief Executive Gordon McKie would like to get Edinburgh back and have us walk away.

"That is the last thing we want to do but McKie has continually asked us what our price would be.

"We've said 'okay' give us our money back - and they know exactly how much we paid - but they won't do that. The last thing in the world we want to do, anyway, is walk away."

The dispute centres mainly on competition revenues from the Magners League and Heineken European Cup and has escalated after Edinburgh withdrew players from World Cup training citing an agreement which states these stars do not have to be under the tutelage of national coach Frank Hadden until July 13. Carruthers hit out saying: "We are not sabotaging any World Cup bid because the weight training the players are doing with Edinburgh is exactly the same as they would be doing with Scotland."

Edinburgh insiders are feeling uneasy about the constant warring and threats of court action.

Carruthers said: "Edinburgh's investors say they will honour their commitment 100 per cent but not a penny more. We have the ability to run Edinburgh as a Connacht-style (developmental) team without SRU input but would rather have great aspirations, obviously."

Another twist emerged today with a letter, obtained by the Evening News from SRU secretary Graham Ireland, threatened Edinburgh with disciplinary action under International Board regulations governing player release.

Carruthers said: "What really needs to be cleared up are the threats to close us down. It is time to bring in the Players Association because, having closed the Borders, are the SRU really prepared to make another 40 players redundant? These players need assurances."

Meanwhile, Dean Lewis, managing director of Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers' concert and events company, was today due to start work as interim managing director with one of his first duties expected to be to attend a hastily-convened media conference.

This article was posted on 5-Jul-2007, 11:38 by Hugh Barrow.