Rollercoaster ride for Iron fans as deal drama continues

The deal to sell troubled Scunthorpe United dramatically collapsed and then was revived on Tuesday evening (October 3).

It was hoped that controversial owner David Hilton would sell the club to a fans’ consortium – with news throughout Monday from sources close to the club confident a deal would be announced on Tuesday.

However, the journalist and Iron fan Aiden McCartney – who was banned from attending home games by Hilton for a short period – posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday evening that a “very late change in terms” meant the deal was off.

However, he said that the deal to sell the club remains on table, adding: “It just needs everyone to play ball.”

Just an hour later, however, it emerged that the deal was back on and could be announced by Wednesday lunchtime.

Last week, the club issued a statement saying that this Saturday’s game against Brackley would be its last before moving out to play at Gainsborough Trinity’s ground, some 15 miles away.

At the end of last week, an online fundraising drive by fans raised over £65,000 to pay the staff’s wages for September after Hilton refused to fund The Iron any longer. After appearing on social media arguing with fans throughout his tenure as chairman, he appears to have gone to ground.

Scunthorpe United lost 3-0 at home to Buxton at the weekend. The club slipped to fourth in the National League North following the defeat, two points behind leaders Tamworth.