Hamilton Academical have vowed to fight any bid to put them into administration by the financial services company which provided their former owners with an emergency loan last month.
And they dismissed accusations that Morley Sports Management Group (MSM) are not the major shareholders in the William Hill League 1 club.
Hamilton fans celebrated earlier this month when it was announced that MSM, which owns Cymru Premier outfit Haverfordwest County in Wales, had bought a 97.5 per cent stake in the stricken South Lanarkshire outfit from Serif Zengin.
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However, supporters attempting to log on to the official Hamilton website on Thursday evening were met with a message that read: “Hamilton Academical FC is currently under threat of administration following a default under its secured lending arrangements.
“The Charge Holder has made repeated attempts to engage constructively and reach an agreed resolution, however matters remain unresolved at this time, including uncertainty regarding the true ownership of shares.”
But Hamilton, who appointed Neil Blackstone, MSM founder Rob Edwards and Allan Currie to the board after the takeover and who have subsequently brought in former international middle-distance runner Rebecca Nuttall from Haverfordwest County as acting chief executive, have rubbished those allegations.
A statement released last night on a new website read, “Hamilton Academical FC can confirm that the post visible on the club’s website threatening administration was not posted by us, but by The Funding Globe (referring to themselves as The Charge Holder).
“Chairman Allan Currie has been in ongoing negotiation with The Funding Globe, but the word constructive has been used loosely. We continue to be open to work on a reasonable basis to find a satisfactory conclusion for all parties.
“If administration is forced by The Funding Globe, and their preferred liquidators, we will prepare an immediate injunction to prevent this and fight the process on the basis that we highly question the validity of the charge and we are actively seeking advice.”
The statement continued, “Regarding ownership, the club can confirm that Morley Sports Management Limited owns 100 per cent of 1874 Holdings Limited, who are in turn 97.5% shareholders of the Hamilton Academical FC.
“There are no concerns regarding ownership, or the ultimate controlling party of the club, and all documents have been filed within the timelines required by Companies House and share transfer forms duly signed.”
The Funding Globe provided an emergency loan to Hamilton last month when former director of football Gerry Strain was the sole board member.
They then installed their representative Jonny Towers on the board after Strain and Zengin were deemed to be not “fit and proper” by the SFA.
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Companies House records show Towers is still named as a director. Speaking to the BBC, he said, "The Funding Globe is the charge holder, I remain a director of the club and there will be further updates in due course".
It has been reported that Begbies Taylor, who are currently handling the administration of Sheffield Wednesday, have been briefed on the situation at Accies.
London-based entrepreneur Edwards and Towers became involved in a public exchange of words on social networking site X as the bizarre story unfolded on Thursday and Friday.
The former quoted Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu from his work Art of War in a post and wrote, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting (Sun Tzu).”
The latter replied: “Rob, Funding Globe has been trying to contact you for well over a week via Alan Currie who they have been speaking with, to date you have been silent.”
Currie was appointed Hamilton chairman by MSM following the takeover.
Hamilton, whose caretaker manager Darian Mackinnon has been struggling to fill his bench as players who have not been paid their wages have departed for new clubs, are due to play Peterhead in a League 1 match at Balmoor tomorrow afternoon.
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