Wimbledon chief denies sell-off talk

Wimbledon chairman Charles Koppel today laughed off suggestions that the club?s major shareholder was planning to sell his stake.

Norwegian multi-millionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, who owns 80 per cent of the club, was reported to be poised to ditch his investment because the terrorist outrages in New York had affected his other business interests.

He is the major shareholder in multinational shipping company Kvaerner, whose shares have plummeted since the attack on the World Trade Center last week. But Koppel said today: ?I do not know where this story has come from. It certainly has not come from the club or Kjell Inge, who I spoke to this morning. It is absolute rubbish and the club is not up for sale.

?I think the terrorist attacks will have a detrimental effect on businesses across the board and we have not seen the full impact yet. But that just reinforces the necessity to create a firm foundation for the football club so it can stand on its own two feet.?

Rokke invested in Wimbledon on the advice of his business partner Bjorn Rune Gjelsten, who has a 10 per cent stake in the club. They believed they could turn them into a bigger, more profitable club after doing that with their home-town team Molde.

But getting Wimbledon their own stadium is central to their plans and they are unlikely to reconsider their investment until they have completely ruled out a move to Milton Keynes. An application to the Football League was rejected but Koppel has not given up hope and is pursuing ways of getting the League to reconsider.

Meanwhile, Neil Shipperley is hoping for a recall when Wimbledon travel to West Brom tomorrow after being rested for the midweek victory at Crewe.

Club captain Kenny Cunningham is back in training for the first time this season following a stomach injury.