The Leicester Mercury is backing a consortium, headed by Gary Lineker, that's planning to rescue Leicester City Football Club from financial ruin.

The club have been revealed to be as much as £74m in debt.

There will shortly be a vote by creditors to decide whether or not the consortium will be allowed to buy the club.

The group has raised more than £4m, which it believes will be enough to get the club out of danger. The consortium would then take on the debts.

The newspaper has every faith in locally-born Gary Lineker and his associates.

Editor Nick Carter said: "There is good reason to be optimistic.

"The Lineker consortium is putting together a rescue package to put Leicester City on a sound financial footing and the team is putting together performances to take the club back to the Premiership.

"Let's hope these two teams give us a double reason for celebration in 2003."

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