Administrator Jeremy Bleazard has revealed that Rotherham may have to 'close immediately' following the withdrawal of offers to buy the club. The cash-strapped League Two side are on the brink of extinction after failure to agree a deal to lease their Millmoor ground from its owners the Booth family.
In a statement published on the club's official website, Bleazard of XL Business Solutions said: 'I have been in negotiations with the five bidders for the club and believed we were very close to striking a deal and announcing the preferred bidder.
'However, at lunchtime today I have received a fax from the landlord's solicitors, DLA Piper, demanding a personal undertaking from the administrator that any sale of the club would include the benefits afforded to Mr Booth.
'These benefits include free tickets, hospitality, advertising and even use of a physio at no costs and would remain in place whether the club stayed at Millmoor or moved to a new ground.'
Bleazard added: 'The fax went on to say that failure to give such an undertaking by 4pm today, could result in an application to court tomorrow morning requesting an order restraining the sale of the club and he would be liable for their costs.
'I am unwilling to give a personal undertaking to this effect. Any purchaser who stayed at Millmoor would have to negotiate the terms of their occupancy with the landlords.
'However, by giving this undertaking I am committing a purchaser to an obligation whether they play at Millmoor or not. If the application were to be made I have no funds to defend the action and may have to close the club immediately.
'Of the five bidders, two have gone cold as a result of information they have unearthed relating to the leases and benefits packages. Of the remaining three bids, I was confident I had found the preferred bidder.'