Accrington face winding-up order
Accrington Stanley have been issued with a winding-up order by HM Revenue and Customs over unpaid debts, but remain hopeful they will survive.
The League Two club will have a hearing in the High Court on 10 June.
They owe around £300,000 in unpaid tax and national insurance and claim this is a result of dropped income levels because of dwindling crowds.
A club statement read: "We're confident we will find a solution to clear the outstanding balance in full."
It added: "While we have been back in the Football League, our average attendance has dropped from 2,260 in our first season three years ago to 1,415 for the season just gone.
"Despite the falling attendances and general economic downturn our request for dispensation from the Football League to postpone having to install an additional thousand seats was turned down requiring us to carry out over £60,000 of work on the ground.
"We also took a significant hit with the collapse of our main sponsor Fraser Eagle midway through last season, with well over £100,000 owing to the club.
"All this said, the club fully accepts the liability. We believe that it is morally right that the money should be paid and are not seeking to avoid paying any part of the debt.
"With the end of the current season we now have the opportunity to restructure the finances of the club, particularly in terms of revising our playing budget."
The club resigned from the Football League in 1962 after suffering financial difficulties but returned to the League in 2006 after a 44-year absence.
Stanley finished 16th in League Two this season.
0
Comments
A whole football team,club,supporters,staff out of work.
OR Frank Lampard (& many others) 2 weeks "wages".
At times when we see MP's getting £100,000 for floating duck ponds, and getting away with it, maybe 30+ people could lose their jobs because of £300,000.
A whole football team,club,supporters,staff out of work.
OR Frank Lampard (& many others) 2 weeks "wages".[/quote]
How right you are. Is it time that a wages levy and transfer levy were
applied to Premiersip clubs that could distribute monies in such cases.
When will people/powers that are see this. Without 2 equal teams there is no contest.
You put it like I wanted to......
NOT blaming Lampard,Owen,Gerrard,etc.......who wouldn't take that money if it was offered ?
But theres something wrong somewhere, and all the time we (football supporters) are paying these prices to see these "superstars" things aren't going to change. I wish I could say "No More", but...................
Departing Blues manager Guus Hiddink and his partner Liza were each given a £50,000 Rolex Daytona watch by Chelsea players as a thank you. (The Sun)
Agree with knobs on.
How much money did we give to the lower teams when we were in the Premier for 7 years......
Not a lot BUT the great Peter Varney regularly argued for a more equitable distribution of the Premiership largesse but was regularly out numbered and out voted.
When Bury were in trouble we paid all the outstanding fees to them Kiely's transfer upfront.
We played Gillingham in a friendly to help them out only for the Gills to not hand over our share of the gate.
But yes, we weren't dishing out cash.
As a business why should Manchester United vote to give away income to competitors? In the long term one could argue that a healthy competitive league is better for football and so for United but they could argue that the system works very well for them as it stands and it's up to the other clubs to put their own houses in order.
As a business you do what is best for you I agree so I don't blame Man Utd for feathering their own nest.
However Sky money is theoretically a fee paid to show football matches when and where Sky dictates. Therefore the FA should determine the distribution not clubs like Man U who have a vested interest in preserving the status quo.
I am not normally in favour of advocating strike action by trade unions but the PFA are failing the majority of players (and fans) by not pressing for a more equitable distribution of Sky money.
Listening on the radio last night and their cup win over the Pikeys earned them 67k plus a home tie with Fulham which wipes out their debt. As others said above, it's ridiculous that a club was in severe danger of going under with debts less than what some prem players earn in a fortnight.