The bitter wrangle over Coventry City Football Club took a dramatic twist as the club's landlords entered the race to buy the troubled League One outfit.
Arena Coventry Ltd, (ACL) joint-owners of the Ricoh Arena, lodged a bid to buy Coventry City Ltd, the company it helped put into administration.
The council-backed firm, in which the local authority holds a 50 per cent share along with the Alan Higgs charity, is one of six bids to have been received by administrator Paul Appleton ahead of Thursday's deadline.
And in what appears to be a public relations exercise the company has also waived its right to any rent, allowing the Sky Blues to use the Ricoh Arena free-of-charge next season while the club remains in administration.
Coventry's current owners, hedge fund SISU, had threatened to leave the city and were in negotiations with Walsall to stage their home matches. The long-term plan involved SISU building another stadium in the city.
However, the removal of the rent issues has broken down any barriers to the Sky Blues remaining in Coventry, for the time being at least.
An ACL spokesman confirmed that a bid had been made, saying: 'Making a bid for CCFC Ltd has always been an option available to ACL
'Such a move would have the beneficial impact of uniting the ownership of the stadium with the ownership of the football club, ensuring the Sky Blues could continue to play in Coventry for many years to come.'
If ACL's bid were successful, it would then have the opportunity to sell on both entities to another buyer.
However, the offer is just one of six on the table that will be considered by Appleton before the deadline of noon on Thursday, although it appears that if current owners SISU are not successful that yet more protracted legal arguments will take place.
The row centres upon which company is in possession of the 'Golden Share,' the club's membership of the Football League.
The Sky Blues cannot take part in the competition without this. The administrator and Football League believe it forms part of the assets of the company up for sale, Coventry City Ltd.
However, the club's current owners, hedge fund SISU, believe the membership is contained within another company - Coventry City Holdings Ltd.
SISU believe they hold 'beneficial ownership' of the golden share and are likely to take further legal action, if they are not successful in retaining control of the club.
The council has come under fire for using £14m to help ACL when the firm encountered difficulties after the football club refused to pay its' rent.
But the stance taken by the local authority towards the issue has softened recently after Ann Lucas, a Sky Blues' supporter, became council leader.
'I'm delighted that ACL's offer gives us the opportunity to see our team play in its home at the Ricoh Arena next season,' she said, 'this is the news that thousands of Coventry City supporters have been hoping to hear.'
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