The issue has been bubbling along for months and came to a head when Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer launched a scathing attack last weekend on Football Federation Australia’s administration of the league.

Moves are afoot to form an owners’ association at a meeting next week and Hunter Sports Group chief executive Troy Palmer will be front and centre.

To read Melbourne Age journalist Archie Fraser's opinion piece, click here.

The Jets are aggrieved on a number of fronts. They have threatened legal action against the governing body over claims Tinkler was overcharged millions for his A-League licence.

Palmer, whose club joined the A-League in 2009-10, told SBS TV on Monday night: ‘‘We paid $500,000 for our licence. Poor old Nathan Tinkler had to fork out $7million for his licence.’’

The real figure is closer to $4million.

The Jets insist they were told the fee was standard. But it has since become apparent that, at the time he bought the club, Tinkler was the only owner to have been charged a multimillion-dollar amount.

FFA responded by saying the money was an acquisition fee and not a licence fee. They pointed to the fact that, unlike Gold Coast, the Jets were an established club with a history.

A history of losing money.

Former owner Con Constantine had dropped at least $15million before running out of money to finance the club beyond August 2010.

FFA, which was already financing Adelaide, North Queensland and Central Coast and could not afford to fund the Jets over the long haul, approached Tinkler.

The Jets were insolvent, FFA had paid players’ wages for six weeks and the club had next to no sponsorship, 800 members and average crowds of 6000.

Given the dire situation, the takeover was done in days. There was limited time to conduct due diligence. In any case, Constantine’s financial records were not forthcoming.