Bates wants Wise

Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis said today: "I am sure he would like Dennis but he is not getting him. Dennis is very happy where he is and he is staying with us." At a press conference in Sheffield, Bates laid out his plans if he was to seize control of Wednesday, who, he claims, are £26.5m in debt.

He revealed he had been approached by 14 other clubs, including Leeds, over the last few months but was particularly drawn to the Yorkshire outfit.

"I was approached by Leeds but was not interested for reasons I don't want to go into. I don't think Chelsea fans would have forgiven me for getting involved with them."

He added: "Sheffield Wednesday is a club I've always had an affinity with. Twenty years ago Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday were head-to-head. Chelsea are now in the Champions League, and look where Wednesday are.

"I'm 72 and I feel I've got one more challenge left in me, and I'd like to take on that here."

Bates said he first had contact with the Hillsborough board in January but made it clear he would not invest unless he gets a full picture of the club's financial health.

He challenged the board to make the accounts available for inspection. "The important thing is the position at the bank," he said. "No one's going to put money into a football club without knowing the facts.

"The board should allow me to meet the company's bankers face-to-face to be reassured that everything is satisfactory. When they allow that to happen, the deal will be done very quickly."

During the press conference, Bates, who walked away from Stamford Bridge with a £17m fortune earlier this month, inadvertently referred to Chelsea as "us" and slipped: "Quite a few people would be willing to help me help Chelsea."

Bates believes Wednesday have the potential to be a top-flight force again.

"Sheffield is the fourth city in the country - after London, Birmingham and Manchester," he said.

"Wednesday should be in the Premiership fighting Newcastle and Liverpool and not Hartlepool and Brighton."

Bates reiterated his passion for football after 22 years as Chelsea chairman.

He said: "What else is there in life? Cricket is like watching paint dry, I'm too old to play tennis, golf is a pain in the arse. The only game in town is soccer."

Jim Harrison of the Owl's Trust, a shareholders' pressure group who own 9.8 per cent of the club, endorsed Bates's interest.

He said: "The club is struggling financially so it would be really nice if Mr Bates were able to get involved in the club.

"He appears to want to get involved for the right reason - he's a football man and he wants to get involved for football reasons. Wednesday need him."