SALISBURY City Football Club are officially under new ownership after investors William Harrison-Allan, Chris Bramall and Jeff Hooper agreed a deal to begin the process of moving the club out of administration.

The deal represents a major breakthrough for the consortium, which has been keeping the club afloat this season, and means City can now look forward after months of uncertainty.

However, there is still a 28-day period before the club can officially be declared to be out of administration and negotiations with the Blue Square Conference over player transfers are still ongoing, but the deal is undoubtedly a major step forward for the club.

Harrison-Allan, the club’s new chairman, said: “This is a great moment for the club and a great moment for all those concerned with Salisbury City Football Club.

“A lot of people have been working very hard behind the scenes to get us to this point and it is good to know that we are almost there. There are obviously a few hoops to jump through, but that is always the case in instances such as this.

“I would like to thank the fans for their patience so far this season – I know as well as anyone how frustrating this process has been – and I can now reassure them that we can all move forward together, both on and off the field.”

Salisbury were put up for sale in April 2009 for just £1 by former chairman Neville Beale and, after no immediate investment, the club went into administration in September 2009 with debts estimated to be over £200,000.

As a result of this action, the club were docked 10 points by the Blue Square Conference and given a transfer embargo, with both causing the Whites to slip alarmingly down the table.

But Harrison-Allan believes that boardroom stability will lead to improved performances on the field.

“Stability is the key word, for sure,” he said.

“First and foremost, we need to take stock of what we have and make sure we stay up this season. The management team of Nick Holmes and Tommy Widdrington will stay as it is and we are in negotiations with the Blue Square Conference about lifting the transfer embargo to give Nick and Tommy the help they need to strengthen the squad.

“If we can get the league on side, and I fully believe that we will, then we can look at bolstering the squad and moving up the table.”