Iron’s ground hearing set for court

By Andy Mitchell

SCUNTHORPE United’s immediate future at Glanford Park will be decided this week when ex-chairman Peter Swann’s eviction application is heard in court.

The National League North title favourites remain embattled with former owner Swann whose company Coolsilk Property & Investment Limited has filed to regain possession of the stadium. The initial hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at the High Court, Leeds.

Current Iron chair David Hilton took over from Swann in January but an exclusivity period over the sale of Glanford Park and the land it sits on expired in May.

It has been a bitter and public wrangle with Hilton citing a lack of progress on legal issues, including an unregistered strip of land on the site that could see the club held to ransom over access to its training pitches.

COURT: Peter Swann

Coolsilk controversially took ownership of Glanford Park in 2021 in exchange for Swann, formerly the chairman of Gainsborough Trinity, writing off £11 million worth of loans made during his tenure.

The stadium was rented during the exclusivity period and with time ticking away and relations becoming frostier between the two parties, Hilton sublet the ground to the club on a rolling deal to delay any potential eviction.

This initial hearing will either see Swann’s application granted on the spot, allowing him to kick out Hilton and the club, or it will be put on hold, potentially for months, for the complexities of the case to be heard in full.

Hilton said in July he anticipated that the decision would be delayed, arguing that the situation was “ridiculously complicated”.

The NLP contacted Swann in July and again this week but has yet to receive a response.