ANOTHER CLUB IN TROUBLE

Victoria on brink of extinction after eviction notice is served
By Sportsmail Reporter



Northwich Victoria fear they may be forced out of business after being ordered to leave their stadium by 5pm on Thursday.

The Evo-Stik Premier League side were served with an eviction notice by receivers Deloitte on Monday, which gave them only three days to vacate the Victoria Stadium.

The club, one of the most famous names in non-league football, have lurched from one financial drama to another since moving to their new ground in 2005.
Uncertain future: Victoria Stadium, home of Northwich Victoria
Deloitte are working on behalf of Clydesdale Bank, who took over ownership of the ground in 2008 as part of debts owed by former chairman and owner Mike Connett's company Beaconet Limited.

The current board have been working to raise funds to buy back the stadium under the name Northwich Victoria Developments Limited (NVD) but have been unable to secure a deal and the bank have now accepted an offer from a unnamed bidder.
Under threat: Victoria Stadium
Secretary Dave Thomas, who has been involved with the club for 28 years, said: 'It came totally out of the blue. Security have moved in and we have to be off the premises at 5pm tomorrow (Thursday).

'We can't find out who has bought the ground. The (lack of) time we have been given is unbelievable. We really want our plight to be known. This puts 135 years of history in jeopardy.'
The news came moments after manager Andy Preece, who had guided Vics to second in the table, left the club to take over at Welsh Premier League side Airbus UK.

Long history: Northwich Victoria with the Cheshire Senior Cup in 1893
Northwich are away this weekend at Frickley Athletic but are due to meet Marine at home on January 28.
Dan Butters, partner in Deloitte's restructuring services team, conceded the situation was unfortunate but claimed the club had simply run out of time.

He said in a statement: 'It is with some regret that we have come to this stage and it is clearly a time of great concern for the supporters of a club with a long history.

'However, after providing NVD with several years to find the required funding to acquire the stadium, this has not been forthcoming and so the principal chargeholder and their agents have been left with no option but to consider alternative offers for the site.'
Contracts for the sale have been exchanged and Deloitte expect the deal to be completed either at the end of this month or early in February.

Deloitte will doubtless make money out of the situation.