Newcastle United have lost a High Court case against the Premier League over the members of their arbitration panel in another significant blow to takeover hopes.
The North East clubs had petitioned for the removal of the chairman of the arbitration panel on grounds of apparent bias.
The top flight's panel is set to adjudicate on the reasons behind the failed takeover of Amanda Staveley's Saudi-backed consortium last year.
However, Newcastle argue that, as the chairman advised the Premier League on introducing the rule on which the prospective owners are falling foul in the director's test, they should be removed from the process.