Full Roy Parker statement

Below is the unedited statement from Roy Parker which follows a turbulent period at Meadow Lane.

Taken from the club's official website:

Notts County vice-chairman Roy Parker has called for an end to the "mud-slinging" that he believes has done untold damage to the club's good name.

Parker, a former Leicester City director who is also County's second-largest shareholder, believes the campaign waged over the past month against John Armstrong-Holmes and Eric Kerry is totally unjustified and said: "It has to stop or it could become the death knell for Notts County."

He added: "John and I have tried to act with dignity while all the leaks of information were taking place and statements were being made. We've tried not to get involved in a public slanging match and drag the good name of Notts County through the mud.

"But I believe it has now reached the stage where someone has to stand up and explain to a section of people that unless they start behaving more responsibly, the consequences will be on their heads."

Parker has been working with Armstrong-Holmes since last September on encouraging a group of possible investors to put forward an offer to get involved with County.

Like the chairman, he entered into a confidentiality agreement and he said: "Anyone involved in business at a reasonable level will tell you that is normal practice, and it's very naïve of those who don't understand that.

"The suggestion has been that we are trying to railroad a secret deal, behind the backs of others, but as the chairman has repeatedly said, that cannot happen. At the end of the day any proposal about people investing in Notts County will have to be sanctioned by the club directors and shareholders, including the Trust members.

"I just don't understand the motives of the people making all the noise. All we have done is talk to a group who have the means - and the will - to inject a considerable amount of capital into Notts County, which I would have thought is a good thing."

Parker also hit out at suggestions that County are in danger of sliding back into Administration, saying: "It's absolute rubbish. I won't let that happen on our watch."

He added: "John and I seem to spend half our time these days saying that the club is not going out of business because that's what people around Nottingham have been led to believe. Those who have spread these rumours have a lot to answer for.

"The fact of the matter is that we are feeling the pinch in this difficult climate, as is virtually every other business - and football club - in this country. But our main concern is that people won't want to do business with us because they've been led to believe we are in trouble."

Added Parker: "I don't know whether a deal will eventually be completed with the potential investors. What I can say is that we have worked hard in extremely difficult circumstances to convince them it would be a good thing to do.

"But whatever happens on that score, unless there's an end to the in-fighting and people start pulling together again for the good of Notts County, we have no future."

Statement ends