Swindon Town owner Clem Morfuni said that buying back shares in the club was not his main priority at this point.

It was revealed in August 2023 that Holly Kiely of Swinton Reds 20 Ltd. was transferred a 17.1 per cent voting right shareholding in the club in September 2022 to help finance the payment of a debenture of £2.9 million, but this was not disclosed until its publication at Companies House, in addition to 5 per cent being owned by Bethany Parladorio.

Swindon and Morfuni were charged and fined £10,000 by the EFL over this for a failure to disclose the transference of a “significant interest” in the club, which had happened with the shares transferred to Kiely as it exceeded the EFL’s 10 per cent threshold.

The Australian businessman said in January: “We are going through that process now, obviously we have to speak to the lawyers and stuff like that, so that is a process we are still going through.” Adding that it would likely not happen in the coming months.

Now Morfuni said that he still did not feel that buying back those shares was a priority as Kiely and Parladorio had no control over the running of the club.

He said: “As I said to the supporter groups, I would rather put the money into the playing budget rather than going and buying the shares off of the others.

“I still own 78 per cent of the club, but we are still looking at buying more shares back off them, but at this present moment, I am putting that money back into the squad.

“I own the majority of the club anyway, so I am looking at what the club needs and putting that money back into the squad is more important for me.

“They [Holly Kiely and Bethany Parladorio] have no involvement in the club, Anthony [Hall] and I are just running the club.

“[They have no influence whatsoever?] No, none at all.”

The Adver also asked about the influence of Zavier Austin, who Morfuni previously applied to the EFL to make him Vice Chairman, before withdrawing that application and is also a regular matchday guest.

Morfuni said: “Zav is a friend of mine and he got me the club. He has had a past and he has done what had to be done.

“He is a friend of mine and comes on matchdays, but he has no involvement in the club.”