Takeover update: Raj Singh meets National League board as Pools deal nears 100% completion

New Pools owner Raj Singh, with soon-to-be director of football Craig Hignett in the background.

The Mail has learned that Singh and his team of solicitors met with the league on Monday afternoon at their headquarters in Birmingham.

At that meeting he presented a business plan to the governing body, outlining his visions for the club not only for the immediate future, but also long-term.

In those plans it is understood Singh painted a sustainable, but scaled back, future for the club, a far cry from the shambles of recent years.

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Now, having put his case to the league, Singh, along with fellow investor Jeff Stelling and new director of football Craig Hignett, must play the waiting game.

No timeframe has been put on the decision, with the body set to present the detail of the business plan to the other members of league.

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This could, in theory, take some time.

But hopes are high a resolution can be found within the next seven days and Singh’s takeover can finally be rubber-stamped by the fifth tier powers that be.

When all is finally signed and sealed Singh will resume full power of the football club he has purchased for just Â£1.

At this stage Pam Duxbury remains as chief executive and sole director of the organisation.

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Initially, Singh had made noises suggesting he was keen to keep Duxbury on board in the interests of continuity and the perceived hard work she had put in during Pools’ strife.

The Mail has now learned that Duxbury will depart as soon as the keys are handed over and Singh is in total control.

On the footballing side of things, Matthew Bates is now highly likely to remain in charge of the first-team for the final three games of the campaign.

No decision has been made on the managerial position for next season. It is understood a call on Bates’ future will be made this summer.