Stay Behind After School

Leyton Orient have been handed a ten week stay of execution to clear debts after owner Francesco Becchetti paid off the HMRC debt but left a string of other debts unsettled.

£35,000 to the local Council, £18,000 to the club's stewarding contractor, and £6,000 to the club's own photographer are among the debts now added to the winding up petition heard on Monday, with the club now given until June 12th to satisfy the petition.

Bechetti's representatives handed a letter to the Court saying the Italian would put £1million into the club but the Supporters Trust has already doubted the claim, still describing the club as being in 'mortal danger'.

Among the club's bills is the rent due on the Matchroom Stadium. The ground, now in the hands of one of the Matchroom pension funds having been separated during the sale to Becchetti, costs the club £180,000 a year.

Matchroom chief Barry Hearn is understood to be willing to waive the £3,500 a week bill if the Supporters Trust takes over, for the first year at least.

Meanwhile, Bolton Wanderers' ownership battle has been resolved with Ken Anderson taking over Dean Holdsworth's stake in the club on undisclosed terms.

Holdsworth will remain an ambassador for the club, leaving Anderson to push on with investing into, and overhauling, what appears to be a sprawling mess at present. One of the first things to go is a free school housed at their Macron Stadium home.

The school owes the best part of £500,000 in Government loans, lent during its set-up against the projected number of pupils for the school that opened in September 2014. That money is likely to be written off after the early intake of pupils was less than a quarter of its capacity, and less than half the projected number.

The school was rated 'inadequate' in all areas in the latest Ofsted report, with its head telling the Government it was in no position to pay back the loans, and will close when the school year ends.