Non-league Maldon & Tiptree FC could be sold to new owners in what is said to be a “multi-million pound” deal.
The Drewitt-Barlow Organisation, based in Chelmsford, is in talks with a view to acquiring the club and the 20-acre stadium site.
Maldon & Tiptree currently play in Isthmian League North Division, the eighth tier of English football, but reached the main draw of the FA Cup in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
“Our aim is to implement a strategy that understands the ‘capacity’ and ‘capabilities’ of the club right now, and look how we can build on those areas, for the club to achieve greater things,” said DBO chairman Barrie Drewitt-Barlow.
“As an investment, we can see the potential in this club and want to help it grow, with the right people in place to make it a success.
“Obviously, on field success is a huge factor to attracting good sponsors for the club but, to make it successful, we need the fans and the fan club association, to work in conjunction with us, to make it as much of a success as possible.”
Maldon & Tiptree have close ties to League Two side Colchester United, whose chairman Robbie Cowling’s company owns Maldon Stadium.
“During my ownership, the stadium has proudly hosted an FA Cup first round round fixture against Morecambe and a second round televised fixture against Newport County,” he said.
“I will always be a supporter of Maldon & Tiptree FC and am committed to ensuring Colchester United continues working with the club to provide a pathway to professional football for academy and grassroots players.”
Under the proposals, Cowling’s son Mitchell, the current general manager, will stay on at Maldon & Tiptree as sporting director and have responsibility for identifying and recruiting new players for the team, who are currently 15th in the table.
The club was founded in 1946 and former managers include ex-England winger Peter Taylor, who left in the summer of 2023.
DBO hope to use the stadium to host other non-football events and managing director Aspen Drewitt-Barlow said they hoped to complete the takeover “real soon” once due diligence had been completed.
He added: “Through our business contacts in Essex, we have already secured a three-year deal worth £350k, for kit sponsorship, stadium re-naming and a club signage deal from a local company, with a further £200k, three-year player sponsorship deal from another local business.”
Download the full DBO statement here.