Cardiff Devils were one of the UK's biggest clubs

Mr Phillips became unpopular with ice hockey fans when he withdrew his backing for the Devils - one of the UK's most successful clubs - in the top flight of professional hockey last season.

They are now languishing in a part-timers league.

But Mr Phillips said he had been made a "scapegoat" by Cardiff Council.

He claims it had promised him a much bigger ice arena for the Devils in an unbuilt �240m "sports village" in Cardiff Bay.

He has accused the council of reneging on that promise - and using its financial and legal muscle to make life difficult for him.

Mr Phillips added that the ice rink has been raided by large numbers of council officers conducting health and safety checks - although no shortcomings were found.

Critical

The council, he went on , is now planning to open a temporary open air rink over Christmas - in competition to the indoor arena the least of is owned by Mr Phillips.

He also complained that a senior council officer is webmaster of a Devils supporters' site which has been consistently critical of him.

The council responded by stating that what the official did in his spare time was his own business.

Earlier this month, ex-London Knights coach Chris McSorley and his brother, NHL player Marty McSorley, were linked in a takeover of the club.

NHL player Marty McSorley - linked to club buyout

Since news of the club's demise in the spring, Cardiff Devils fans have staged protest against the club's threatened closure.

In the 1990s, Cardiff Devils became one of the UK's most successful clubs, winning several championships and cups.

The club also boasts some of the most loyal ice hockey fans in Britain many of whom have mobilised to voice their discontent at the club's decline.

The team went into voluntary liquidation in May after an emergency meeting of creditors was called.

�2.5m shortfall

Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey Limited plus parent company Celtic Leisure Holdings PLC issued a public notice earlier this month for a meeting of creditors under the Insolvency Act 1986.

The club is understood to have lost �250,000 this season on top of a �2.5m shortfall over the previous four seasons, with senior officials warning the losses were unsustainable.

The move to a bigger arena was to generate more gate receipts, with the national ice rink's 2,700 seats making it the smallest capacity arena in the Superleague.

The club's management had looked at moves to Nantgarw, north of Cardiff, and even a new franchise in Dublin.