HOW SPORTSMAIL KEPT YOU AHEAD OF THE GAME...

APRIL 26, 2018

SportSmail breaks the story that Shahid Khan has made a sensational bid to buy Wembley Stadium (above). The Fulham owner has plans for his NFL team, Jacksonville Jaguars, to take up permanent residency at Wembley.

APRIL 28

TWO days later this paper exclusively reveals that the FA are facing a vote of no confidence over the proposed deal. Dave Richards, former Premier League chief and FA member, brands the plan as ‘scandalous’. Writing in Sportsmail, former England stars Peter Shilton and Peter Reid slam the deal. Shilton believes the move would see English football ‘selling its soul’ and Reid says it would be like ‘flogging the crown jewels’.

MAY 2

IN another Sportsmail exclusive (below), it is revealed that Khan’s offer of £600m is way below the true value of Wembley Stadium.

JULY 18

SPORTS minister Tracey Crouch backs the sale so the FA can use the money to transform grassroots football facilities.

SEPTEMBER 27

FA board back the sale.

OCTOBER 9

A VOTE by the FA Council on the sale is set for October 24.

OCTOBER 11

Sportsmail reports that, in a last-ditch attempt to get the deal over the line, the FA’s chief finance officer Mark Burrows has told county FA chiefs that they will face an enormous bill if they fail to sell Wembley.

OCTOBER 12

DESPITE the vote being just two weeks away and the FA board having backed the deal,

Sportsmail’s Laura Lambert reports (above) that, after a heated FA Council meeting, the sale could fall through.

YESTERDAY

KHAN withdraws his offer to buy Wembley.