Andy Appleby issues update on Derby County takeover bid

The takeover saga at Derby County continues to rumble on, and one contender to take ownership of the Rams in Andy Appleby has issued a positive update regarding his current stance.

The League One club were plunged into further turmoil earlier this month following delays in Chris Kirchner’s finalisation of his takeover – that ended up collapsing when funding was not transferred and he dropped out of the running once again.

It means that administrators Quantuma have gone back to the negotiating table to try and find the next custodian of Pride Park, with Mike Ashley and former Wolves chief Steve Morgan both expressing their interest.

Also in the frame is American businessman Appleby, who was chairman of County for seven years between 2008 and 2015, but the rumour of a combined bid between him and Morgan has been shut down.

Instead, Appleby is launching his own bid for control, and in a brief update on where things stand with his approach, he told Crain’s Detroit Business: “It’s down to the final strokes.”

The report also states that Appleby is optimistic that he will be given the chance to take the Rams out of administration and expects to find out from Quantuma this week on what his chances are of a takeover.

The Verdict

Derby fans just want this saga to be over, but the fact that Quantuma are searching for extra funding to continue the running of the club suggests it’s not going to be an easy feat.

In Appleby though, there is a man who knows what Derby County is all about, having spent seven years as the chairman.

It’s unclear if he will have enough funding by himself to conclude a deal, and he faces strong competition with individuals with a lot of money in the form of Ashley and Morgan.

However, Appleby’s confidence