BIDEFORD SHAKE OFF TAX WORRIES
BULLS OPT OUT OF CUP
HEREFORD have explained their absence from the Southern League Challenge Cup draw. The League allow clubs to withdraw from the competition if they so choose. The Bulls are about to embark on their first season at Step 4 after winning the Midland League title in their debut campaign. A club statement said: “(Manager) Peter Beadle requested the move in order to concentrate on other competitions.” Chippenham Town, Mangotsfield and Marlow don’t feature in the first round draw either. BIDEFORD AFC have confirmed they are debt-free for the first time since the club was reformed almost 30 years ago.
The Robins, who had suffered financial problems, were reborn as Bideford AFC 1987 but their future was under threat again after a winding-up petition was brought against them by HM Revenue & Customs.
The petition, lodged on June 23 over unpaid tax, has now been cleared after the Evo-Stik South & West club settled the outstanding amount last week.
It means Bideford have avoided a scheduled High Court appearance on July 18 and can now look ahead to the new season with aspirations of returning to the Southern Premier at the first time of asking.
Director Ian Knight said the debt carried over from a similar petition last summer.“We were told we hadn’t paid everything the tax man thought we should pay from last year,” he told the North Devon Journal.
“We thought we had, but HMRC did some more digging and said they wanted more money from us. They wanted us to sit down and talk.We have done that, paid back the money and sorted it all out last week.
“The club has paid off all its debt to HMRC. In 1987, the club went under and we formed under the new banner. It is the first time since then that this club has been debt-free.”