Carlisle United are still no nearer to resolving their debt situation, the club’s supporters’ trust have said.

There has been no recent communication between club directors and lenders Purepay Retail Limited.

That is according to CUOSC’s Billy Atkinson, who represents the trust on United’s Holdings board.

Several months have now passed since United’s owners said they had tabled repayment proposals to Purepay, to whom the Blues owe about £2.4m.

But there remains no sign of progress.

Atkinson, speaking at a CUOSC members’ meeting on Thursday night, said; “There’s been no changes with the loan – there’s been no communication between the club and Purepay as far as I’m aware.

“So nothing has changed.”

The debt is a legacy of United’s loans from Edinburgh Woollen Mill, and was ‘novated’ – switched – to Purepay after EWM went into administration during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At a fans’ forum in the summer, United directors described resolving the loan as a crucial step in their hope of attracting new investment/takeover.

John Jackson, who is a director of both CUFC Holdings and Purepay, has never commented publicly on the situation.

Atkinson, responding to a supporter’s question at the meeting, confirmed some of the details of the loan agreement.

READ MORE: Read the latest column from supporters' trust CUOSC

He said: “It [the agreement] is not with the Holdings board, it’s with Carlisle United (1921) Limited.

“It’s guaranteed by personal guarantees by members of the holdings board but the document is between Purepay and Carlisle United 1921.

“I know what’ in the agreement but the Holdings board don’t hold the agreement, the club do.

“To be clear, the situation hasn’t changed. The loans are subject to increases in interest rates, the same as most loans are. As interest rates go up in country, the interest rate Carlisle United have to pay to Purepay also goes up.

“The loans are on demand, should Purepay deem that way want to deal with it. But it’s also fair to say that at no point have they asked for any repayment, either capital or interest, on those loans.

“Everybody knows the circumstances, and the loans guaranteed with a debenture on the ground which hasn’t changed, and personal guarantees by three of the directors [Andrew Jenkins, John Nixon and Steven Pattison].

Atkinson added that directors were meeting today to agree last year’s accounts.

The News & Star attended the CUOSC meeting on Zoom with the trust’s permission. More coverage will follow.