Queens chairman Billy Hewitson has confirmed the receipt of an email to general addresses at the Scottish Championship division club on Wednesday morning, and is cautiously inviting more information on the unsolicited approach.
The email sent to Queens on Wednesday was signed by John Warrick, deputy director of mergers and acquisitions firm Minister Hill, acting on behalf of a client.
Addressed to Queens’ chairman, it said: “We have been instructed by our client to make formal contact with you and your company over the potential acquisition of Queen of the South Football Club.
“Our client has recently come into a significant windfall, but at this time, and for the foreseeable future, wishes to remain out of the public spotlight.
“All that we have been permitted to inform you with is that our client has recently won the lottery and has decided to use some of the funds to purchase and run a football team.”
It added: “He is an accountant to trade and he wants to give you all the assurances possible that any sale of the club to him would see the club in very safe hands.
“He wishes to invest some funds into the club and take them back into the Scottish Premier League.”
Mr Warrick states that the client wishes to buy all shares in the company or alternatively that the club is transferred into a new limited company.
Seeking a price for the club, he says consideration can be given to the director remaining in some capacity should he desire.
The email concludes by saying the client, ‘Would like you to keep in mind that he wishes to invest in the club and squad and bring it ‘back to the big time’.”
Minister Hill’s sole online presence is a website.
An approach to the company by email has resulted in confirmation that the company has existed for many years.
Queens director Craig Paterson says, ‘it would be wrong of me to say it’s not genuine’, but feels the approach ‘doesn’t sit right’ — revealing dubious approaches have been made in the past.
Having made contact with Billy Hewitson, who was away from Dumfries when the email arrived, he added: “I’ve spoken again with the chairman who has sent a reply saying, ‘If you’re serious, contact us again by telephone’.
“We’ll open lines of communication if they’re serious.”
