LIONEL Newton has laid to rest rumours of his return to the Aggborough board this summer by declaring: "I'm not coming back."

The former chairman agreed to attend the fans' forum on the request of successor Colin Youngjohns to end gossip sweeping the club.

"There's lots of rumours and counter rumours and I get told that I'm doing this and I'm doing that," said Newton.

"I've even heard that the board have approached me on several occasions and there's been a takeover and I've got people coming in.

"Well that I'm afraid is all rumours. No, I'm not coming back on the board or in any capacity.

"That's why I said to Colin I'd come and explain it because it's better you hear it from me. I'm not coming back on the board as a director or as chairman."

Newton said the terms of his three-year agreement not to interfere in club matters, which expires in August, would continue for the foreseeable future.

He said: "When I resigned as chairman the board of the day asked me if I would give them three years where I wouldn't interfere with the running of the club on a day to day, week to week, year to year basis.

"This was so they could do their own business plan and their own forward thinking.

"In fairness to them, the reason that I agreed to that is because with my major shareholding, they knew that I knew, that I could call an EGM and mess them about every week if I wanted to.

"So I thought in fairness to the board, I'd let them run the club as they see fit, and hopefully in the right manner, by giving them that three years to get the club going in the right way."

Newton re-iterated his pledge of 2002 to sell his majority shareholding for £1 to anybody with £400,000 to invest for the good of Kidderminster Harriers.

He said he would be willing to discuss a deal with supporters' consortiums, but admitted he did not expect fans to be able to come up with the necessary investment.

"I can change my mind and it's not set in stone, but I have said in the press yes, I would sell my majority shares for £1 but there has to be a substantial investment put into the football club, not Lionel Newton's bank account.

"The investment would be put into a trust and I as a trustee and my wife and the board would decide where that money would be spent in the football club.

"Until now I've had nobody that wants to buy my shares on those terms. I've had numerous offers where people want to take on my shares and a controlling interest in the club for £1 with no benefit to Kidderminster Harriers.

"If it's £10,000 or £20,000, with respect I can put that in myself on an annual basis by sponsoring the club.

"This club needs more, with respect, than I think the fans can raise."