The takeover of Grimsby is once again in doubt after businessman Tom Shutes withdrew from the consortium trying to buy the club.

But the struggling League Two outfit say they remain "in dialogue" with the other two members of the consortium, Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit, over the drawn-out purchase of the majority shareholding of John Fenty.

Fenty has issued a statement in which he claims he has had telephone death threats over the saga.

He said: "I'm sorry to report that once again Mr Shutes has fallen short of honouring his part of an agreement and has withdrawn from the consortium.

"Notwithstanding that and all of the disruption his divisive public approach in demanding a takeover of our great football club, I am working with club and the remaining consortium members positively to try to find a way forward.

"I would please ask for patience at this important time and a truce from the abuse and misinformation, largely on social media, aimed towards me, including telephone death threats and the like which I believe are both unwarranted and undeserved.

"Someone's untruths become the next person's truths and further whip up the nasty frenzy. Legitimate criticism is always acceptable but vile abuse and the threats mentioned above are never acceptable."

The takeover bid originally began in 2019 and looked close to finally being completed until this latest setback.