Soccer Fans Reject Porn Mogul's Proposal

INNVERNESS – A Scottish businessman with connections to the adult entertainment industry has offered to invest millions of pounds as part of a takeover effort aimed at acquiring the Inverness Caledonian Thistle football club.

Neil MacGregor recently tendered a formal takeover proposal to Caley Thistle's chief executive officer Mike Smith, offering in part to build a £10 million training facility along with a covered stadium for the team.

MacGregor is a senior partner of MacGregor Protection Services, which lists celebrities, royalty and President George Bush among the claimed clientele of its Glasgow, Scotland and California-based security services company.

MacGregor also owns MacGregor's Adult Entertainment Services, which reportedly provides customers with exotic dancers, and male and female escorts; as well as a web design company.

Both David Sutherland, the club's major shareholder, and Alan Savage, the club's chairman, are resistant to any attempt to takeover the Scottish Premier League team.

"These people are grippy," MacGregor said. "They do not want to lose control but they have no money to do anything with it. Either do something with the club or step aside and let someone else do something."

A group of London investors are also reportedly interested in the club's potential to serve as a feeder for the English league.

Last summer, MacGregor attempted to purchase Elgin City's club for £600,000, offering to invest £5 million more into the club, and to build a £10 million training facility along with renovating the club's stadium.

The Elgin bid reportedly failed over fan reaction to MacGregor's porn ties.

MacGregor then acquired shares in the New York Red Bulls and developed his plan to offer Caley Thistle a similar deal to that proposed to Elgin, in the belief that with the right backing, Caley Thistle could be one of Scotland's top teams.

While Savage has stated that supporters expect the board to take these offers seriously and do what is best for the club, ICT Supporters Trust Chairman Les Kidger doesn't think a takeover is in the best interests of the team.

"At the end of the day, the supporters trust are keen for the club to carry on along the same plan it has been working to and that is a stable, financially viable football club," Kidger said. "To have it in the ownership of one person would not be good for the club or the community."

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