D-Day for Notts County as they face High Court judge for a third time

Today could be one of the most important days in the history of Notts County Football Club as they face a High Court judge for the third time over an unpaid tax bill – and the possibility of liquidation.

Unless a deal to buy the club is announced before the Magpies case is heard later today, owner Alan Hardy will be left to plead with the High Court for more time to get the deal over the line.

The alternatives could be that the club will be placed into administration – or, in a Doomsday scenario, be liquidated. However, TheBusinessDesk.com understands Hardy is confident that a deal can be done for the club with the Danish group.

Notts owe HMRC £250,000 in unpaid taxes. The Revenue has brought forward a winding-up petition on the debt, but the case has already been adjourned twice after promises of a deal to sell the club and recoup the debt were put forward in evidence by the Notts’ legal team.

This week, a Danish consortium has been revealed as the only contender to buy Notts. Reports suggest that the Danish consortium are set to bid for the Magpies after the previous front-runner, a group from South Africa, pulled out.

Two of the group are believed to be from a company called Football Radar, which provides football statistics to bookies.

A filing on Companies House suggests that Football Radar took a secured loan out with NatWest on 4 July – although this could be unrelated to any takeover of Notts. Football Radar’s directors are named as Alexander Reedtz and Christoffer Reedtz.

Meanwhile, Hardy has said that he hopes to be in a position to pay staff their wages for June after today’s High Court hearing, according to reports.

Notts County have been up for sale since January and have just suffered relegation from the Football League for the first time in their long history.

Notts fans will be hoping for better news today to kick-start their preparations for life in the National League, which starts in a month’s time.