THE web of intrigue surrounding Peter Shackleton's attempts to buy Burnley Football Club widened today.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal that his backers' account is held at the Zurich-based Union Bank of Switzerland.

One of the UBS directors, Mario Cueni, is the vice-president of Swiss Division One outfit Basel Football Club.

Shackleton's men deny approaching Basel with a view to gaining control of that club.

They claim the Swiss club contacted their group with a view to a £5 million investment.

And his backers insist that any such deal with Basel would have been for the mutual benefit of Burnley.

But Cueni claims that a mystery group, promising an exchange set-up with Barcelona FC and huge cash investment, approached Basel. Basel was eventually last week sold to ENIC, a soccer investment group owned by Bahamas-based billionaire Joe Lewis - one of the richest men in Britain.

Shackleton's group - fronted by three Swiss businessmen - admit dealings with Lewis but deny a direct connection.

And they also claim to have connections at Spanish giants Barcelona.

But the backers deny knowledge of the two men who first approached Basel, Pierre Andre De La Croix and Pierre Alain Gras.

The Burnley board have had no contact with Shackleton for a number of weeks.

Their attitude is that his promises have been forgotten, unless he produces the cash.

Shackleton angrily denied rumours sweeping Turf Moor yesterday that the collapse of his deal was due to be announced.

Efforts are still being made from his end to push through three big money deals, allowing money to be released into Burnley's coffers.

That has now been promised for a number of months and confidence in that outcome is at rock-bottom.

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