Leighton Samuel has ambitions plans for the Celtic Warriors

The club, who went into voluntary administration last week with debts of �670,000, has been forced to sell it's 50% stake in the Warriors.

Bridgend owner Leighton Samuel emerged as the top bidder, and he will take full control over the Pontypridd share over the weekend.

As revealed by BBC Sport last week, Samuel will then gift the stake to the Welsh Rugby Union so that the Warriors will be owned on a 50-50 basis by Bridgend and Welsh rugby's governing body.

The Warriors board will include three Bridgend directors and three appointed by the WRU.

Samuel offers Ponty 'gift'

But one of Samuel's conditions for handing the stake over to the WRU is that none of the current Pontypridd directors can return to the set-up.

Samuel says he is still totally committed to the regional ethos, and wants Pontypridd to continue as a strong contributor to the Warriors.

We've wasted four months, our marketing campaign has been on hold Bridgend spokesman John Samuel

His long-term aim is to build a new stadium for the side - either at Ponty's home of Sardis Road or on a site close to the town.

And as well as wanting a smoother running of the Warriors, part of Samuel's aim when buying Pontypridd's stake was to help the club preserve their Premiership club status.

Bridgend spokesman John Samuel insisted that the playing side of the Warriors operation has not been affected by the problems, but admitted Pontypridd's financial worries had hampered the regional side's efforts to build a fan base.

"We've wasted four months, our marketing campaign has been on hold," he said.