Chairman Maurice Cadman announced that win bonuses would be dropped for the 1984–85 season with an insurance-backed promotion bonus on offer and the club was available for sale at £150,000. United also lost their shirt sponsors but Jonathan Crisp paid £150,000 for overall control of United, promising Second Division football within five years. In the light of the horrific Bradford City stadium fire, the timber-constructed Layer Road stands and terracing meant that it was of utmost importance to accelerate United's move to a new stadium. With Heysel Stadium disaster following on the heels of Bradford, Layer Road faced £500,000 worth of safety improvements. With no money, the club closed areas of Layer Road reducing capacity to 4,900. United were just not quite good enough for promotion finishing seventh and ten points adrift of fourth place.