THE Scarborough "businessman" behind a now withdrawn £6.5 million bid for York City FC pulled the rescue package following rumours about his private life, he said today.

Jason Van Der Sarr said he had not wanted to withdraw the bid but the rumours, which he refused to elaborate on, had forced his decision.

He said: "I would like to withdraw my bid for York City and would like to tell all interested parties thank-you and goodbye."

But he claimed that after taking advice another bid could be made "for what the club is worth."

He declined to give an exact value.

He said: "The bid is nowhere at the moment. I didn't really want to pull it but I had no choice. It will stay that way until I get some assurances from whoever is throwing this spanner in the works."

Mr Van Der Sarr said his bid had not been a hoax and he denied the rumours made him feel "angry and upset."

He said: "All I would say to people who are saying this is a hoax is watch this space. They could be getting a surprise in the near future."

Mr Van Der Sarr declined to comment on a court case heard by Scarborough magistrates in November last year, in which Kaine Vanbaston, of Albemarle Crescent, Scarborough, a man of similar appearance to Mr Van Der Sarr, was convicted of four counts of attempting to obtain property by deception.

According to local newspaper reports, while appearing before Scarborough magistrates, Vanbaston walked into court on crutches despite being seen walking unaided near to the courtroom.

The court was told one of the deception charges came from an incident where Vanbaston claimed a Sony PlayStation he bought from the Scarborough Argos branch had blown up in his son's face, leaving him with serious injuries.

It heard Vanbaston later phoned the Scarborough Index store to attempt the same con, and then visited the shop, saying the exploding PlayStation had killed his son.

He also told staff at Woolworths a mobile phone he bought there exploded in his daughter's face, leaving her disfigured.

Vanbaston was sentenced to a two-year community rehabilitation order for the offences.

Mr Van Der Sarr declined to comment on the court case when contacted by the Evening Press.

Asked if he was Vanbaston, he said: "Not that I know of."

A spokesman for York City Supporters' Trust said the trust had spoken briefly to Mr Van Der Sarr and his legal representative to ask for clarification of his intentions towards the club.

The spokesman said: "There has been no reply. The way Batchelor and Craig have dealt with the club and its supporters means that naturally there is concern about the motives of any purported interested parties."

Updated: 11:09 Saturday, January 25, 2003