Yesterday's hearing was adjourned to allow further evidence to be collected. Billingham Town released the following statement....



"The first hearing took place today of the petition presented by Hartlepool United to wind up Billingham Town Football Club Limited.

The proceedings were adjourned so that further evidence could be filed by the parties. The next hearing will take place on the first available date after 28 days before a Circuit Judge at the Teesside County Court and will be listed to last a full day.

In the proceedings Hartlepool United are seeking to wind up Billingham Town Football Club Limited in respect of a debt alleged to be due under a written agreement drawn up by Hartlepool United which makes no reference to Billingham Town Football Club Limited and which was not signed by the sole director of Billingham Town Football Club Limited, Tom Donnelly.

Hartlepool United also seek to wind up Billingham Town Football Club Limited for allegedly not paying for a mower which was never delivered by Hartlepool United.

Billingham Town Football Club Limited denies any liability for the written agreement which was not made by the company and not signed by the director, and disputes having agreed to purchase the mower which was never supplied by Hartlepool United anyway, although Hartlepool United were paid £700 for it by Billingham Town manager Peter Mulcaster."

I'm sorry, but that one sentence in the statement sums up absolutely perfectly how big a joke this winding-up petition seems to be.

It may not be to Billingham Town, but it makes 'Pools look very embarassing.

I don't agree with Pools doing this but I'd be amazed if it was all as daft as Billingham Town are making out. Issuing statements like that before a hearing doesn't seem like a good way to go on. Pools might be in the wrong legally, or in the right legally and the wrong morally but either way waiting for the hearing is sensible as there seems to have been some confusion about who had the right to act on behalf of Billingham Town.

The manager paid for lawn mower?

Is this standard practice for football managers?

"Turner yer fooking clueless"

"Get Boydy on Turner"

"Turner pay for that lawn mower yer clueless damned bounder"