Judge adjourns tax officials’ bid to wind up Southend United

A judge has adjourned a bid to wind up Southend United after being told that bosses at the struggling League One football club hope to be able to clear tax debts.

HM Revenue & Customs officials say tax is owed and on Wednesday asked a judge to wind up the 94-year-old club.

But a barrister representing Southend told Judge Cheryl Jones that chairman Ron Martin expected money to be available in the near future.

Hilary Stonefrost told the judge that the club was putting together a new stadium.

She said the stadium was an important community development and was supported by the local council.

Judge Jones considered the winding up application at a hearing in the specialist Insolvency and Companies Court in London.

She said it would be reconsidered on April 29.

Detail of how much Southend, who are in the League One relegation zone and managed by former England defender Sol Campbell, had owed did not emerge at the hearing.

In January, a different judge dismissed a separate bid by tax officials to wind up Southend.

A lawyer representing tax officials had told Judge Sebastian Prentis that a debt had been paid.