Soccer: Sam Hammam to sell remainder of Wimbledon shares
Friday, 25 February 2000 13:03Wimbledon have announced that Sam Hammam is selling the remainder of his shares to Bjorn Rune Gjelsten. Norwegian owners Gjelsten and Kjell-Inge Rokke are the Dons' two major shareholders, Hammam having sold 80% of his shares to Rokke in 1997. Hammam now feels the time is right to distil his hold on the club's financial reigns and that Bjorn needs more control to improve the club's position. Last December a defiant Hammam vowed to fight plans to sell several of the club's top class players to meet a short-term deficit of around £3million.
Meanwhile, John Hartson's expected comeback in the reserves this week was delayed by a cold and manager Egil Olsen is reluctant to throw him straight in to action against Manchester United tomorrow. Ben Thatcher is also still injured. However, Dean Blackwell and Andy Roberts have returned to full training after lengthy lay-offs and Marcus Gayle is back from international duty with Jamaica after missing the game at Chelsea.
