EXILED chairman Michael Knighton accepted the blame for Carlisle United's relegation as he learnt of their fate at his tax haven in the Isle of Man.
Mr Knighton said changes in the government's offshore rules had forced him to quit Britain before last month's Budget when the Cumbrians' fate was still in the balance.
But in an extraordinary interview moments after York City's victory at Brunton Park, he promised to lead Carlisle back to Division Two next season even though he admitted the team needed strengthening.
Mr Knighton dismissed speculation of a takeover at the club as "garbage" and said he would be staying in charge unless someone could come up with £2 million to buy control.
The flambouyant chairman was stunned when he was confronted on Saturday at his remote hilltop house, which is under renovation, outside Douglas, as he listened on his Range Rover radio to live coverage of the action back at Brunton Park.
When relegation was confirmed, he said:
"I'm mortified. It has been an extremely disappointing, frustrating and fractious season. I take full responsibility. There are no excuses. I am not looking for scapegoats. We have simply not been good enough. I take it right on the chin. Please don't blame David Wilkes, John Halpin or the players. I have made the decisions. And I will make a pledge now. This club and this team will bounce back and will get promotion next year."
Mr Knighton, who is writing his memoirs to be published later this year, added: "I know there is a groundswell of opinion that I should go but my fighting spirit tells me there is a job to do.
"Whatever people say and whatever critics I have, I love that club as much as anyone who has even been involved in it. Although I'm in the Isle of Man, my heart is with Carlisle United."
He also hit back over criticism of the timing of the sale of star youngsters Matt Jansen and Rory Delap to Crystal Palace and Derby respectively saying there was no way either could be persuaded to stay when they had been offered lucrative contracts to play in the Premiership.
When questioned about the club's Finances, he said he had pumped £3 million of his own money into Carlisle United. In return, his company Knighton Holdings Id was receiving interest payments from the club on a loan taken out towards the cost of building the new East Stand. Mr Knighton had also been paid an executive salary of £60,000 a year but he said this had stopped since he left to live in the Isle of Man. He threatened to sue anyone who suggested he had pocketed any transfer money.
And of the future, he said:
"We'll dust ourselves down and think about how best we can plan the campaign for next season. We need to recruit one or two players. We have tried to get the quality in. We tried with Peter Beardsley and a couple of centre backs. It wasn't that they didn't want to come. It was all about being held to ransom with wages. I certainly see John Halpin and David Wilkes as joint coaches but we will may be bringing someone else in as well. Everyone knows the man I want is Peter Beardsley."
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