SITTING on the bank of the River Thames enjoying a cup of coffee in the late afternoon sun, it would have been easy to mistake Jim Little & co as men without a care in the world.

But anxious glances at their phones every other minute told a different story as BEST Holdings continue to wait for the green light to put their dreams for Swindon Town into action.

With sporting director Rufus Brevett and another member of BEST accompanying Town's chairman designate at the riverside restaurant, frustration was the order of the day as they, along with everyone else, wait for a successful conclusion to the County Ground takeover saga.

But, while frustrated, Little was quick to praise the efforts of Town's current board, insisting it is only their hard work that is keeping the club running on a day-to-day basis.

The amicable American said: "They (the board) are doing absolutely everything they can to make sure the club continues and they have been doing that for years.

"They should be commended for their efforts so that the club will be in a good state and healthy re gardess of the speculation.

"There is not a lot of selfishness at Swindon Town.

"It is a great football club and we want to keep it like that and help improve it where we can.

"If it means us completing the deal or otherwise, they will still make sure their club is functioning well, everyone has been working together to try and do that."

Protests against the current regime in Wiltshire surfaced after Tuesday night's defeat to rivals Cheltenham in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, as the club continue to plunge into a worsening financial state.

The threat of a winding up order from a never-patient Inland Revenue continues to hang ominously over the club's head, but Little is convinced they are in safe hands.

He said: "In the meantime when people say the board are doing terrible things or both sides are accusing each other of being underhanded it is not the case.

"It undermines the negotiations and breeds mistrust between us so that instead of letting the lawyers sort out this matter it is making us think maybe there are things we have not considered or one of the sides are not doing the right things.

"We talked about it with the Wills family and MIke Diamandis and that is not the case. We just need to stick together and hope the fans let us get on with it.

"There are two sides to every negotiation and we have to find a middle ground that we have been working towards collectively and amicably to reach for the next couple of months.

"I know the fans care about the club and that is why they want answers but it is having the opposite effect of harming negotiations."

Yesterday's new rumour suggested another interested buyer was closing in on a deal to save Town, with Little insisting he would be happy as long as the club was safe.

He said: "When we first started talking we made sure there was not an exclusivity clause.

"This is because at the end of the day whether we come to an agreement or not they are going to have to make sure the club is on a better financial footing.

"If that means they have to find other resources, I care about the club and would love to be a part of it, but if the club can be in a healthy position regardless of my situation I would be over the moon."

As for BEST's future in Wiltshire, he insists he still has hope of concluding a deal.

"It is between the attornies now," he said. "Any talks we have had over figures, I know the press have picked up on what we are talking about as well, are sorted.

"We just need to make sure the transactions are enforceable so that both sides know they are selling and buying a business that after the transaction follows the letter of agreement that was made and that is always complicated."

Whether Little & co turn out to be Town's knights in shining armour or drop their interest in the club altogether, fans will be hoping for an end to a saga which has dragged on for far too long.