ROMSEY based businessman Peter Beale says he has not withdrawn his bid for Newport IoW Football Club.

Beale, owner of a chain of barber shops in the Southampton area, is the fans' choice to buy out current owner Bill Manuel, who put the club into receivership last month.

But hopes dimmed last Friday when whispers got back to the Island that Southampton-based receivers BDO Stoy Hayward business Recovery Services had accepted an alternative bid - believed to be in the region of £520,000 - and that Beale, who offered £100,000 less, was out of the running.

For the moment the identity of the potential new owner(s) remains a mystery with the receivers confirming only that they are "hopeful" a deal has been done.

An announcement is due later this week once contacts have been exchanged.

In an e-mail sent to the 'Up The Port' fans' website on Monday, the Beale family clarified: "On Friday mid-morning Bill Manuel called Pete and wanted to confirm our interest in the club and to inform us that the bid was £520,000 - excluding the football team!

"Obviously this puts us in a really unfortunate situation. We are still waiting upon confirmation that our offer of £420,000 is not acceptable - we have not received this in verbal or written form. We have not retracted our initial offer!"

Having travelled to the Island to attend two meetings of the Save Newport Action Group (SNAG), Beale would be the popular choice of the club and fans.

Caretaker team boss Bunny Warwick said: "He's very keen on football and a sharp businessman. We need someone to turn the club around and get the running of it right."

Saturday's home game against Banbury United has been given the go-ahead by the receivers.