PAUL Baker insists AFC Bournemouth's new owners are doing everything in their power to secure the club's Football League future.
The crisis-hit Dean Court outfit was last night dealt another body blow when Football League officials failed to approve the club's membership application.
Cherries were hoping their plans to exit administration would be given the green light, with the club's Football League share subsequently transferred to the new owners.
However, although the league's board of directors reached agreement in principle on Rotherham, they were not prepared to make a decision on Cherries.
In a statement, the Football League said it was "not yet satisfied with the viability of the new company's proposals and, consequently, it has been asked to reflect further on its position".
The statement, published last night, added that the Football League board would meet today to "consider the matter again".
Cherries chairman Jeff Mostyn has been in dialogue with Football League officials for a number of weeks and was understood to have been dealing with the club's case.
Mostyn, who recently joined forces with Baker and his Sport-6 partner Alastair Saverimutto, was last night unavailable for comment. He is believed to be on holiday in Spain.
Baker issued the following statement to the Daily Echo late last night: "At the beginning of our involvement in the football club, we carried out due diligence on the business and were aware there were several major hurdles to overcome, the transfer of the Football League share being the most important.
"Since taking over the football club, we've been working tirelessly on providing the Football League with the relevant information and were hoping for a decision today.
"Although we are disappointed they haven't been able to reach to a decision, we are also very encouraged that the board will reconvene tomorrow.
"I had a very positive meeting with Gerald Krasner on Tuesday and several issues were discussed. We were quietly confident, but never over confident, that a judgement would be made.
"I would like to assure all our supporters that we are doing everything we possibly can to ensure the share is back with the football club at the earliest opportunity."
Cherries are likely to need to provide assurances to the Football League that they can fulfil their fixtures for the forthcoming season before the share is transferred.
Meanwhile, Rotherham have been deducted 17 points for the start of the new season after failing to exit administration via the necessary Company Voluntary Agreement.
League officials have also given the South Yorkshire club permission to carry on playing their home matches at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield, provided a £750,000 bond is paid and they guarantee their return to Rotherham within four years.
Failure to do so would result in the bond being lost and Rotherham being thrown out of the Football League.
