Carlisle United's supporters' trust have claimed that the way the Blues spend recent transfer income will depend on the outcome of ownership "succession" talks.

CUOSC have told members that meetings over the top-level future of the Blues are about to resume and will continue into October.

The trust have said that lawyers are involved in the discussions.

And CUOSC's representative on United's Holdings board, Billy Atkinson, said the current "impasse" needs to be resolved before there can be clarity on how the Blues spend the proceeds from player sales.

Carlisle have long had links with Edinburgh Woollen Mill and owe a seven-figure sum to a company with EWM connections, Purepay Retail Limited. Blues owners said this summer that the prospect of succession involving EWM remained on the table despite the impact of Covid on Philip Day's retail empire. 

In minutes from a recent members' meeting, which have been published by the trust, Atkinson "said that all the current discussions needed to be 'brought together' and a conclusion sought.

"He [Atkinson] said use of transfer funds was still to be fully decided and required the process to be concluded before firm decisions could be made - including the option to use them to reduce debt.

"He reminded the meeting that the current loan was secured by personal guarantees [from United's owners] backed up by a debenture on the ground.

"He paid tribute to EWM and Philip Day for securing the club's finances and also wanted to ensure the major shareholders with the controlling stake got a fair deal in any settlement reached."

In a recent update on the club website, Blues chief executive Nigel Clibbens said there were no plans to repay any of the £2m+ Purepay debt in the 2021/22 season.

Atkinson told the members' meeting that succession was "the only issue fans cared abut right now".

The comments come after the trust said in July that meetings "in the next few weeks" were likely to bring the matter to a head.

Seven weeks on, CUOSC have gone into further detail on the history of talks and why things have yet to be resolved.

"The current process had begun in 2019 when CUOSC had agreed to a succession plan along with the other shareholders," the minuted state.

"This plan became so advanced that Malcolm Nugent, our [CUOSC] press officer had been liaising with a PR man working for EWM.

"However the plans changed and we had made it clear that we did not agree with the changed version.

"In the meantime a form of agreement was reached between EWM and the EFL but this was not revealed to the other shareholders, including CUOSC.

"The pandemic then intervened.

"Earlier this year, there was a series of meetings where we stated our new position. Ensuing discussions had brought about the current plan to try and find a way through the impasse.

"This had been delayed a little by holidays, some taken by Billy and some by other people involved, including lawyers.

"The process was about to recommence and would continue into October."

Atkinson said CUOSC would only share details when there was a "firm plan" on the table "or otherwise".

"CUOSC would only back a succession plan that was good for CUFC," he added.

CUOSC's other United board member, Jim Mitchell who sits on the 1921 operational board, said the trust share fans' concerns about the length of time talks have "dragged on for" and the lack of openness about the situation.

United's owners have been invited to respond to CUOSC's latest comments.