Time is Livi's biggest enemy

Jul 9 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

TIME IS BIGGEST ENEMY

ANGELO MASSONE has urged the council to accept his immediate offer of £70,000 now and payment plan of £20,000 per month if they want to see Livingston survive.

The Lions chairman insisted to the Courier this week that his offer remains on the table as the local authority edges towards sending the club into administration for the second time in five years.

Time appears to be running out for the West Lothian club with the council, who own Almondvale Stadium, giving Massone until next Wednesday to settle almost £300,000 in unpaid rent or have the club taken out of his hands.

But the Italian is confident a deal can be struck before then.

He said: “My offer remains on the table but I haven’t heard anything more from them.

“But if the council want to save Livingston FC then they must accept this offer.

“I have had further discussions with Neil Rankine but any deal and also finding other investors would be easy if WLC accepted this deal. It all hinges on this.”

Potential investor Rankine has also urged the council to accept the deal to give the club more time to clear their debt.

But the council are reported to have snubbed the deal amid fears over the club’s ability to honour the payments.

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “This is now a legal matter and it would not be appropriate to make speculative comments in relation to future payment proposals.

“We have worked closely with the club throughout this challenging time and a secure future for senior football at Livingston remains our priority.”

With the prospect of administration and possible liquidation looming Massone arranged a public meeting at Almondvale on Saturday.

Former Dumbarton owner Neil Rankine sat next to Massone and revealed he had spent several hours with the Livingston chairman urging him to stand aside for the good of the club.

Also present at the hot-tempered meeting was Livingston MSP Angela Constance, who expressed her hope at a compromise found to save the club.

But the end could be in sight for the Lions who are reported to be more than £1 million in the red with Massone himself the biggest creditor after pumping £500,000 into the club.

West Lothian Council are said the next biggest creditors with a £280,000 claim while the Inland Revenue are also due a six figure sum.

Livingston’s biggest obstacle is now time after sheriff officers served notice last week after West Lothian Council started legal action to recover their unpaid rent.