Livingston pay £10,000 bill but doubts remain

Published on Tuesday 23 June 2009 00:21

TROUBLED Livingston yesterday staved off the immediate threat of administration when they made a £10,000 payment to West Lothian Council.

The instalment, which was due on Sunday, may prove to be no more than a stay of execution as the cash-strapped outfit struggle to meet a bill in excess of 250,000 which is due to the local authority by the end of the month.

The Lions lease their Almondvale home from the council but have fallen way behind in rental payments in recent seasons and face eviction and legal action leading to administration for the second time in five years if they fail to pay up next Tuesday.

That date was also set for controversial Italian chairman Angelo Massone to provide the financial means to go ahead with his ambitious plans to buy the stadium but those moves now look to have been abandoned.

Supporters' groups banded together at the weekend to protest for Massone to quit the club following a season of embarrassments off the pitch since the lawyer took control of the club from Irishman Pearse Flynn. Officials were last week forced to bring in generators after power to the stadium was cut due to an unpaid bill of 32,000, while staff and players are still chasing wages and manager Paul Hegarty remains suspended from his post.

Council officials were yesterday reluctant to speak publicly about the stricken club's plight and, as they await the 10,000 cheque to clear satisfactorily, remain deeply concerned over Livingston's debts.

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: "Discussions with Livingston FC have resulted in the club making payments to the council to address their outstanding debt. At present we are satisfied that the club are taking steps to honour the agreement and we can confirm that they have made regular payments.

"It is hoped that by the end of June the future of the club will be clear. We would like to assure supporters that a secure future for senior football at Livingston remains our priority, and we will continue to work towards this."

Massone, who is understood to be back in Italy, bizarrely claimed he had allowed the club's electricity to be cut off last week to prove to the local community that his financial input was vital to the club's survival.