A COLLEGE principal has threatened to sue the deputy leader of SouthendCouncil in a row about the town’s football team.

Neil Bates, who is in charge of Prospects College, has threatened legal action against Lib Dem Graham Longley, after the politician said, “if he isn’t careful, he’ll be remembered as the man who killed Southend United” in last week’s Echo.

Mr Longley, who is a senior politician on Southend Council’s cabinet, hit out after it emerged that Mr Bates had sold off a former college site eyed by Sainsbury’s to another supermarket, believed to be Lidl.

This has cast doubt on plans for the Blues to move to Fossetts Farm, as Sainsbury’s, which was helping bankroll the move, needed Prospects’ site for a new superstore built on Roots Hall.

In response to the politician, Mr Bates has demanded an apology and said: “It is fortunate the majority of fans, who I assume you were seeking to win favour with, see only too clearly where the blame rests if there is any, for the failure of this scheme.

“As for us, we are simply trying to run a successful charity where every penny goes back to our charitable purpose. I suggest you find a different target in future.”

He has instructed his legal team to look into taking action because of Mr Longley’s remarks.

Mr Bates said he had no choice but to sell up to Lidl, after Sainsbury’s backed out of a contract to buy the land six times in seven years.

He claims he sold the site for £1.2million less than agreed with the supermarket giant in 2008, but despite high hopes the new 22,000 seater stadium would be built by 2010, Fossetts Farm still remains an untouched wasteland.

He added: “I wonder, Mr Longley, if you were selling your home and the same buyer had failed to complete the purchase on six occasions over seven years what you might conclude?

“Furthermore if two new buyers came along and wanted to buy your house and could complete within 4 weeks what would you do?”

Mr Bates has handed a letter to Southend Council chief executive Rob Tinlin asking Mr Longler to apologise. He has not had a response.

When the Echo contacted Mr Longley, he was in Poland and said he did not want to comment at this time.

Mr Bates said he could not confirmwhether the buyer for his site was Lidl, but admitted the German discount store had been interested in the land, along with Aldi.

Last week, Aldi told the Echo Lidl had bought up the college site.