Kingstonian fans' bid to buy the football club appears to be faltering amid fears owner Rajesh Khosla is stalling on the deal.

A consortium of supporters the Ks Trust had hoped to sign a contract at the beginning of the month in order to begin the difficult task of sorting out the club's debts.

The trust believed it had reached an agreement with Mr Khosla, the club chairman, in February over the sale, but wrangling over the contract has seen the matter drag on for weeks.

And the trust's dream of reversing the fortunes of the struggling club is increasingly turning into a nightmare as doubt over Mr Khosla's intentions surface.

Suspicions are growing that he may be looking for a better deal than the £1 the Ks Trust has offered to take over the club and its sizeable debts.

Ks Trust spokesman Gary Ekins told the Comet he had expected to receive an amended contract from Mr Khosla at the weekend but by Monday it had not arrived. Meanwhile, players and staff are not being paid and Ks Trust members are carrying out much of the club's administrative work voluntarily.

Mr Ekins said the longer the matter drags on the less chance there is of the sale going through.

"There's only a week left to go of the season and the players are not going to stay if the situation doesn't change. I don't blame them. I don't know how many people at the club will carry on in the close season," he said.

"I don't really want anything to do with it if we are going to be in the same situation as last year, with no stability or idea what's happening.

"Maybe he Khosla thinks he can get a higher price. Though why anyone else would want to buy a club with no assets and huge debts I don't know."

And, as the deal hangs in the balance, the club is in ever greater turmoil, with players threatening to strike over unpaid wages.

Some have not been paid since January, while other players' pay is several weeks in arrears.

If the deal goes through, the trust estimates it must raise £75,000 to pay players' wages and settle tax bills just to keep afloat until the end of the season.

The trust said it is ready to go ahead with the deal and has the support of Government-funded football charity Supporters Direct.

The charity will lend its expertise in helping the trust run the club and has already helped other supporter-run clubs such as York City and Brentford.

If the trust fails to purchase the club and no other buyer steps in, its future will remain uncertain and there are fears its 109-year presence in Kingston could come to an end.

Mr Khosla was unavailable for comment.

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djudge@london.newsquest.co.uk