However, he will demand "proof of funds up front" from any would-be buyers and insists they must satisfy the Premier League's 'fit and proper person' requirement.

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The club's administrator added that he had received substantial interest in buyers for the stricken club, but only two had been able to show proof of funds.

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"They met this morning with the board of directors, it was a positive meeting, they're well intentioned, but it was made clear to them that they need proof of funds before we can continue negotiations, and it's a tall order in a short period of time, " he said.

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In business, the burden of proof is properly on the requester of funds to show what the expected results will be, and later, to produce them.

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The proof is in the pudding on this point: every dollar of public-sector funds received by these projects was being matched by nearly four dollars in private-sector investment toward buying and installing the systems that generate on-site electricity and use waste-heat created during generation.

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