King Henry VIII old boy Mr Millerchip, who is now based in New York, originally got involved with the club in an attempt to protect its long-term future, which has twice looked in serious jeopardy since the sport went professional in 1995.
With his name on the Spon End lease, Mr Millerchip could delay or even scupper any deal, meaning all involved will be keen to hear his views.
“Clearly the Higgs, Butts and Ricoh litigation are not directly related,” he said, “but ideally they should all be part of a wider agreement that settles all disputes.
“The most important thing for me is that past enmities are put aside and all involved in the top level of sport in the city move forward together.
“The current atmosphere wastes so much negative energy for all involved. We could achieve so much more if we can re-establish trust and start working together constructively for the good of the sports and the community.
Millerchip also stresses that since the need to protect his former club’s long-term future was the driver behind his reappearance on the local sporting scene, this must remain the paramount consideration in any future arrangement.
“I have owned the Butts lease since early 2014 to help protect the club against adverse development,” he says.
“Jon Sharp’s proposals are very interesting. To be fair, and I think he has said this, it is early days and there are clearly many issues to address.
“Jon and the football club will need to work constructively with the council, which may be challenging while there is ongoing litigation between the council and the football club’s owners, although this could be an opportunity to resolve that dispute.
“Jon is also fully aware that the long term protection of the rugby club is of paramount importance in any joint venture arrangement.
“The Butts is an under-used asset with a great history, and I look forward to talking more to Jon and the board of the rugby club as their plans evolve.”
