Macclesfield winding-up petition adjourned after offers made for shares
Macclesfield Town could be set for a change of ownership after court proceedings revealed an offer for shares in the crisis-hit club was at an advanced stage.
The League Two side were facing a winding-up petition in London on Wednesday morning, but any decision has been adjourned for 70 days after barristers acting on behalf of the club said several offers had been made for shares in the club, with one preferred bidder having proof of funds to complete the transaction. HMRC, which was seeking the winding-up order, agreed to the adjournment.
The identity of the preferred bidder is unclear. The entrepreneur Joe Sealey, son of the former Manchester United goalkeeper Les, has long been linked with a bid. It is understood that there have been three bids for the club, or at least a stake in it, with Sealey among them.
Macclesfield sit third from bottom in League Two after a year of strife. Players went on strike last month in protest at unpaid wages, and the former manager Sol Campbell lent his support to HMRC’s claims against the club over his own unpaid salary. The club were deducted six points after pleading guilty to numerous EFL charges, including players failing to be paid on time and for pulling out of a League Two match.
The owner Amar Alkhadi, who has run the club since 2003, spoke before Christmas of being in advanced negotiations over selling the club.
The club will return to court again for a further hearing on 25 March.