League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon have been left in financial limbo after a proposed deal to buy a 34% stake in the club was withdrawn.

An investment group fronted by former Chelsea defender Ryan Bertrand, and backed by Sloane Street Capital (SSC) had offered up to £87m of investment across ten years, but a SGM was abruptly cancelled as rumours sparked that key backer Omar Mir had withdrawn from the project. 

Representatives from the Dons Trust Board, the fan group that holds a 50.01% share in the club, claimed in the initial proposal meeting that cash reserves may only be enough to cover the next six months of operation, emphasising the immediate need for outside investment. The club has been majority fan owned since its fan-led reformation in 2002, and to many supporters this new investment has been reminiscent of their infamous relocation and reformation. 

Mir, an international advisor on AI for the King's Trust, was claimed to have a philanthropic interest in investing, and spent a decade with World Wide Technology that saw him garner a reputation for scaling international technology-based businesses. However, fans scepticism turned to frustration as Mir was not present at the investment proposal, instead represented by others from SSC and front Ryan Bertrand. Now, following the cancellation of a second meeting and Mir's apparent withdrawal from the entire operation, a skeptical fanbase is left with more questions than it began. 

An email to fans added, however, that SSC would seek a new buyer and return as Sloane Street Football, aiming for the same terms as previously proposed.

On the pitch, Johnnie Jackson's side have been on a winless run since the 12th of September that has seen them slide down to 18th in League One. Several key players, such as striker Matty Stevens, remain out injured, and Jackson recognised "three big league games" coming up in November following their exit from the FA Cup away at League Two side Crewe Alexandra.