CHESHIRE Jets are on the brink of salvation.
The Chronicle – which has spearheaded the Save The Jets campaign since Chester’s professional basketball club was put up for sale by director Pete Hawkins last month – understands that legal moves to transfer ownership from Hawkins to an as-yet-unnamed Chester entrepreneur are close to completion.
While the deal had not been finalised as we went to press, it could be completed any time in the next 48 hours, although hopes were high last night that the business may be completed today.
Hawkins, who was part of the original group that took over the club five years ago when the Jets were last facing a crisis, was understandably cautious last night as nothing had yet been finalised.
He did, however, admit that a deal was close.
“Talks between myself and another party are at an advanced stage,” he said. “I am hopeful if everything is agreed they can take the club forward into 2012-13 and beyond.”
According to sources close to the potential new owner of the club, plans are already being put in place to ensure that the Jets can play the first game of the BBL Championship season at the Northgate Arena, when they are scheduled to face returning foes the Manchester Giants after the Lancashire club’s 11-year absence from the BBL.
At an emergency fans’ meeting at Ye Olde Custom House pub, organised by the Save The Jets campaign, it was suggested that the Jets may need to apply for a delay to the start of the season to get a team on the floor.
It was even mooted that the Jets could take a whole season out to regroup after the club was put up for sale last month with only six weeks to go until the opening weekend.
But as long as this deal is completed, the Jets plan to put out a team to tip-off the BBL campaign against the Giants on September 23.
