ACCRINGTON Stanley say they have sent HM Revenue and Customs the remainder of their outstanding tax bill to seemingly avert an auction of some of the club’s key assets.

CW Harrison and Son were instructed last week to advertise an auction of a number of items, including seats and floodlights, on March 9 after the Reds remained £9,000 short of their monthly £32,000 bill to HMRC.

The auctioneers reiterated yesterday that they would only confirm today – exactly a week before the auction – whether the event would go ahead or not, once they had received news from HMRC.

But Stanley insisted on Friday that the tax bill would be paid and the auction would not go ahead, and now say they have sent the £9,000 owed after gaining income from Saturday’s home match against Torquay.

Player wages were not paid on time yesterday but the club will gain a cash boost in the next few days when they receive their latest Football League payment.

Stanley’s financial situation has been complicated by an ownership struggle – with the deal for former chairman Eric Whalley, who has not been involved in the club day to day for over 18 months, to relinquish his major shareholding still to be finalised.

Key figures at the club had hoped the deal might have been completed by now but it is understood that contracts are in the process of being drawn up.