THE consortium led by Alan Pither has pulled out of its attempt to buy AFC Bournemouth.

In a statement exclusively released to the Daily Echo this afternoon, Pither's group, which also includes Gerard Day and Melvyn Newman, said it had withdrawn its bid "after careful consideration and with the interests of AFC Bournemouth in mind".

The statement said: "Our decision to withdraw has been hard to make, as we would have loved to have taken the club forward".

However, Bournemouth Holdings Ltd, the company originally set up with the sole purpose of purchasing the club, is still hoping to secure Dean Court land deals with Parkcrest Construction.

  • See tomorrow's Daily Echo for the full story.