Chris Wise King's Lynn director Michael Chinn is confident the club will avoid a winding up order on Wednesday - despite the untimely exit of a key figure in their battle for survival.

Chris Wise

King's Lynn director Michael Chinn is confident the club will avoid a winding up order on Wednesday - despite the untimely exit of a key figure in their battle for survival.

With a crunch date with the taxman looming, and a debt of over �65,000 needing to be paid, the Linnets have been rocked by the resignation of financial director David Handley.

Handley came aboard at The Walks six weeks ago before King's Lynn were given time to get the money together at a previous hearing - and his acrimonious exit has prompted fears that the club will struggle to pay the bill.

But Chinn has some meetings planned for today which, he hopes, will spell good news for the Linnets as they prepare for one of the most important 'fixtures' in their history at the High Court in London.

“There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make sure the club comes through this hearing,” he said. “I have got a Plan A and a Plan B and I'm confident we'll be okay. I'll be talking with a number of friends and I'm hopeful they will lend me the money I need to pay off the tax bill.”

While he remains optimistic that Lynn can come through their latest off-the-field test Chinn is angry that Handley's exit has forced him into some last-ditch wheeling and dealing.

“We've wasted six weeks because of him,” he said. “He came in making all sorts of promises and basically he hasn't been able to deliver.”

Handley was unavailable for comment yesterday but in an interview with the Non League Paper he said he had put �23,000 into the club - a claim Chinn refutes.

“I feel I have been brought to the club under false pretences,” Handley is quoted as saying. “I have put in �23,000 and I feel I am going to be made a scapegoat for all the problems. I had a pact with the other directors but it seems I was paying for everything and there was a hell of a lot coming out of the woodwork.”

At least supporters had something to celebrate on the pitch on Saturday as the Linnets maintained their good run of form.

A late goal from player-manager Carl Heggs earned the club a 1-0 home victory over Salford City in the FA Trophy, with the club now hoping for a money-spinning draw in the first round proper today.