Major takeover talks have been given the go-ahead by Wycombe Wanderers Trust members – with two consortia eyeing potential bids for the Chairboys, the Bucks Free Press can reveal.

Earlier this week, a Trust meeting was held where members agreed to continue discussions with two potential private investors keen to purchase a stake in the club.

The shift from being a club owned by a supporters’ trust to one in the hands of a majority shareholder is viewed as a ‘positive’ step by some members.

Four years ago, Wanderers looked doomed and on the brink of going out of business after Steve Hayes, who sold the club to the Trust in 2012, left it saddled with millions of pounds worth of debt.

Wanderers’ victory at Torquay in May 2014 to preserve their league status was a pivotal moment, with many suggesting the club would have gone bust had they fallen through the trap door into non-league.

Since then fans have witnessed a revival on and off the pitch, with Wanderers gaining promotion to League One last season as part of a five-year plan.

This year is the final 12 months of that plan and the aim is to avoid relegation and maintain their League One status.

Ex-chairman and now sporting director Andrew Howard, current chairman Trevor Stroud and manager Gareth Ainsworth have been key figures in guiding the club through choppy waters.

The 500 Club has also pumped money into the coffers to keep the club afloat and capable of competing in League Two and League One.

A club statement said: “Wycombe Wanderers Trust held a meeting of its members on Wednesday evening to provide an update on the finances of the football club and outline the different opportunities for potential investment.

"The club has been trust-owned since 2012, attempting to attain a break-even financial model without the support of a private owner or benefactor, and confirmed to its members that tentative approaches have been made to take either a minority or majority share in the club.

“Members indicated their approval for the Trust Board to continue these discussions with the various interested parties, with a view to potentially being able to present formal proposals at a future meeting.

“Any majority shareholding by an external investor would need to be approved by 75 per cent of the Trust’s Legacy Members, which are supporters who are members of the Trust and have held a season ticket for over three consecutive full seasons.”

A member of the Trust, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the Bucks Free Press on Thursday morning that a millionaire consortium, already involved in sport, was looking to purchase a 75 per cent stake in Wanderers, and that this was a very ‘positive’ move for the club.

It is thought that after years of financial turmoil, the takeover could put Wanderers on an equal footing with many of the bigger clubs in League One.

The Chairboys currently sit 19th in the division, with one win from seven league games this season as they bid to host Oxford this Saturday.