Rent row edges Livingston closer to administration

Published on Sunday 21 June 2009 22:32

LIVINGSTON are today facing the potential threat of administration for the second time in the club's 14-year history if chairman Angelo Massone fails to pay a £10,000 rent payment to West Lothian council.

Council leader Peter Johnston is thought to have lost all patience with the Italian and is planning to initiate legal proceedings in a bid to recoup outstanding debts, which could ultimately lead to administrators being called in.

Johnston is ready to take a firm stance after seeing Livingston have their electricity supply cut off on Thursday by Scottish Power due to an unpaid bill of 32,000.

West Lothian council are due a total of 280,000 in rent arrears although Massone has until 30 June to settle up. The 10,000 payment is part of a debt-reduction agreement that was set up in January.

Massone, who had been hoping to free up cash with the sale of prized-asset Leigh Griffiths to Dundee, is currently back in his homeland and is not expected to return until Wednesday.

Speaking at the weekend, Massone said: "I won't pay. The agreement that we have is that we pay in full by 30 June.

"The legal action by the council surprises me. This is nonsense. It is a joke. It is strange that they are looking for 10,000 and that they would start legal proceedings for that and not that 280,000 that we owe."

The controversial owner revealed on the club's website on Saturday that he had held talks with former Dumbarton chairman Neil Rankine about a partnership although these discussions are believed to be in their infancy.

Livingston's financial plight has deteriorated to a stage where sources close to the club feel going into administration – as they previously did in February 2004 – may be the best way forward, with supporters united in calling for Massone to step down.