Cardiff to face winding-up order

Last updated : 10 March 2010 By BBC Sport

Cardiff City return to the High Court on Wednesday to face a third winding-up order over £1.75m owed to the taxman.Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had two previous cases adjourned after the Championship club made a £1m payment towards their £2.7m tax debt.

The Bluebirds are to make an estimated £1.8m from the sale of two plots of land around the Cardiff City Stadium.

"I hope everything is okay," said Cardiff boss Dave Jones. "It's old debt and we're trying to sort it out."

Around 2,000 supporters, carrying banners and a coffin, held a march ahead of Cardiff City's home win over Middlesbrough on Saturday protesting about chairman Peter Ridsdale's running of the club.

The Championship play-off hopefuls could face administration and a 10-point deduction should a winding-up order be made.

Cardiff reached a settlement over their long-standing £15m debt with former owner Sam Hammam's Langston Corporation in December.

The Welsh club also raised an estimated £1m in their FA Cup run which was ended by holders and Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the fifth round.

It is difficult times for everybody but if you look back at the past of this football club, it always seems to be difficult times

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones

Ridsdale was forced to apologise to fans after funds - an estimated £3m - raised from advance season tickets sales, which he initially promised would be spent on buying new players in the January transfer window, will now be used to settle debts.

Cardiff are effectively up for sale and former Leeds United chairman Ridsdale had promised "new investment" into the club "soon".

Malaysian businessman Datuk Chan Tien Ghee's arrival onto the club's board on the day they saw off their first winding-up petition at the High Court gave hope of fresh investment.

But the club now face a third order - case number 22182 - at the High Court after 1100 GMT on Wednesday.

"I hope everything is okay," Jones, the Championship's longest-serving manager, told BBC Sport.

"The players are trying to get some good times around the football club rather than the doom and gloom.

"It is difficult times for everybody but if you look back at the past of this football club, it always seems to be difficult times.

"This hasn't just happened, it has been going on for a long, long time. Before I arrived there were demonstrations outside Ninian Park and that seems to be forgotten.

"It is nothing new to this football club, a lot of it is old debt and we're trying to sort it out.

"I've not been told anything about the court case, I've just got my head down and got on with the football.

"I've let the hierarchy deal with that as there has been no crossover. There is nothing I can do.

"I have to keep getting the best out of the players and if we do that and the results keep coming it means hopefully we're more attractive for the people that are looking at coming into the football club."

The sale of land at the Cardiff City Stadium will be used for a House of Sport complex and a hotel.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport