Birmingham and Oldham have winding up bids dismissed in court

A judge has dismissed bids to wind up two football clubs after being told that tax owed had been paid.

Tax officials had made applications to wind up Birmingham, who are mid-table in the Sky Bet Championship, and Oldham, who are near the foot of the League Two table.

But Judge Sebastian Prentis dismissed both applications after a barrister representing HM Revenue and Customs said money had been paid.

Giselle McGowan told the judge that Birmingham's debt had been paid.

She said some of Oldham's debt had been paid and said club bosses disputed the remaining amount.

The judge analysed both cases at an Insolvency and Companies Court hearing in London yesterday.

Detail of the amounts the clubs owed did not emerge at the hearing.

A number of other football clubs are facing winding up petitions from tax officials and have featured at recent court hearings.

Bury's case is due to reconsidered by an Insolvency and Companies Court judge on December 18.

Macclesfield's case is also due to be reconsidered on the same date. Former Macclesfield manager Sol Campbell has supported a winding up petition launched by tax officials.

The former Spurs and Arsenal central defender says Macclesfield bosses owe him more than £180,000.

Southend, where Campbell is now manager, are due back in court on January 22.

*FIFA has been advised to take legal proceedings to recover an "undue payment" from its former president Sepp Blatter to ex-vice president Michel Platini.

The world governing body's governance committee has advised the FIFA administration to take the necessary steps to recover the two million Swiss francs (equivalent now to £1.54m) plus fines imposed on the pair when their disciplinary cases were heard before the statute of limitation passes at the end of the year.

The payment from Blatter to Platini was approved on January 18, 2011 and transferred to Platini from FIFA on February 1 of the same year. Both men were initially suspended for eight years in December 2015, with both sanctions reduced to six years on appeal.