A VIABLE alternative proposal to the three-man consortium's bid to buy control of AFC Bournemouth has emerged - and has been under discussion for three months, it has been claimed.

A Dorset-based businessman has insisted he has been in negotiations with chairman Abdul Jaffer over re-purchasing the Fitness First Stadium and if that bid is successful, he will then seek to gain control of the stricken club.

The Daily Echo has spoken to the businessman about the proposals but has agreed to honour his request for anonymity at the present time.

Spokesperson Brian O'Donnell - a former Cherries player - is attempting to broker the deal on the potential buyer's behalf.

In an exclusive interview, O'Donnell - who played first-team football for Cherries between 1981 and 1982 - outlined some of the proposals to the Daily Echo.

O'Donnell said: "It has been reported that the consortium is the only deal on the table. It's not and it never has been.

"We have put in an offer to Structadene, the owners, to buy the stadium and we are in talks with Abdul Jaffer about buying the club thereafter.

"We didn't really want to go public at this time, but felt we had to let the fans know that there is another offer on the table.

"We are working hard to try and make it happen within a matter of weeks. It is either done in a matter of weeks, or the deal is off.

"The aim is to buy back all the assets which have been leased or sold on to other parties and put it all under one owner.

"We feel that would strengthen the club and would give us the opportunity to finally take the club forward.

"We will be making offers for the rest of the assets in due course, but first and foremost, we must acquire the stadium and go from there.

"The stadium is paramount. It is very difficult to run the club if you don't own the assets and that would be a handicap to any club."

O'Donnell added: "The deal has not been as easy as we'd like it to have been.

"We have walked away from the table a couple of times because we felt we couldn't put the deal together with the club. Perhaps Abdul felt that we were no longer interested, but we have had lots of co-operation from the club.

"We've had this deal simmering for three months. There have been setbacks and disagreements, but the offer is now on the table and is in the hands of Structadene."

Although O'Donnell was keen not to divulge too much information over the details of any potential future deal, he did categorically state that the stadium would remain a football stadium.

He said: "Obviously, we have several ideas of the developments and uses we can add to the football at the stadium. It has to work as a business because it is only fully functional every other Saturday.

"We need to increase the off-the-field activities and put the ground to better use. But it will be used for AFC Bournemouth to play their home matches - there is no question about that. That's what it's there for.

"I'm an ex-player, I'm still involved with the club and I would not be party to anything sinister.

"There is not a chance it would be used for anything other than a football stadium."

The 49-year-old business consultant from Charminster has known the un-named potential investor for several years and is confident in the viability of the proposal.

O'Donnell said: "We want to build this club up, balance the books and get it stable.

"At the moment, the club stands on the brink of receivership - it is staring them in the face and hopefully we can come in and stabilise it.

"To buy the club without the stadium would be folly. You are effectively throwing good money after bad because there are no assets to pin it to.

"At the moment, the club has not got any assets and without securing the assets, I don't think there is a chance of the club going forward - the same things would be done over and over again. Things have to change.

"Getting all the assets back under one roof and one owner is the way forward.

"I don't know enough about the consortium to know if it is doomed to failure, but we think ours is a viable plan, which is more attractive to the supporters and would secure the future of the club.

"It will be hard work and tough going - there will be some pain involved at some stage because we have to balance the books.

"We're here to make the club financially viable in the long term. I want to see the club in the upper echelons of football.

"So we're looking to put together something the fans will be happy with - they are the lifeblood.

"With my football background, I know that this is a genuine offer to keep the club as opposed to dismantling it piece by piece."

Chairman Abdul Jaffer, who is part of the rival three-man consortium, said: "We have spoken to an interested party three months ago, but received no formal offer in writing.

"But I spoke with the same people on Thursday morning and things are now under discussion."