By Malcolm Nugent - CUOSC

With the Blues takeover edging ever closer Saturday’s home clash with Bristol Rovers could represent the end of an era.

All indications are that American businessman Tom Piatak and his family will have taken over United before the following home league fixture with Charlton on November 25.

That means this weekend’s match at Brunton Park is likely to be a bitter-sweet day for chairman Andrew Jenkins – a director for over 60 years – and fellow owners John Nixon and Steve Pattison.

They have come in for some criticism from fans during their 15 years tenure but there is no doubt they are Blues fans at heart and have always acted in, what they believed, was the best interests of the club.

We can be certain they would not be handing over control unless they thought the club was going into safe hands.

The current owners realised some time ago that the Blues needed new investment to move forward and along with CUOSC have been working to bring this about.

While the deal is not yet signed and sealed the Piatak family are expected to be at the Charlton game and have told fans: ‘You don’t want to miss that one.’

CUOSC have another meeting planned with our solicitors this week when we will be going over the paperwork for, what we hope will be, one final time. We don’t anticipate any problems.

We have met the club to discuss some ‘quick win’ ideas that would help improve the match-day experience at Brunton Park after the takeover. A list has been compiled that includes entertainment, food and drink, car parking, kids activities, lighting, audio and CCTV.

Trades people have been contacted but we are also looking to organise a group of people willing to help out with some general tidying up at Brunton Park. If you are interested email CUOSC at info@cuosc.org.uk

Meanwhile, we are pleased to see new members continuing to join, from home and abroad, on a regular basis. Our current total is 1,144.

Fans can sign up via our website at www.cuosc.org.uk. It costs £10 for a year for adults and £5 for seniors and under-18s.

Plans for our Annual General Meeting on Sunday, December 3 are being finalised.

Four places are available on our ten-strong board. This includes two vacancies while two directors are due to stand for re-election. The names of the candidates will be released shortly.

On the pitch the Blues need to regroup after some significant injury blows and some disappointing recent results. As fans we have to get behind the team as much as we can – starting with Saturday’s clash against Rovers.