Rob Edwards, the Hamilton Academical director, has assured supporters of the Lanarkshire club that their annual accounts will be filed “long before” the action date on the compulsory strike off notice which has been served on parent company 1874 Holdings Ltd.
1874 Holdings received the First Gazette Notice - a public warning - from Companies House yesterday due to their failure to submit their accounts on time.
The company, which is owned by Edwards and his Morley Sports Management group, now has until June 28 to resolve the matter or the Crown will be able to seize their assets.
The notice read, “The Registrar of Companies gives notice that, unless cause is shown to the contrary, the Company will be struck off the register and dissolved not less than 2 months from the date shown above.
“Upon the Company's dissolution, all property and rights vested in, or held in trust for, the Company are deemed to be bona vacantia, and will belong to the Crown.”
Edwards said, “This is merely because of late accounts due to us having to work back through the financial position of all related entities from 2023/2024. It is standard Companies House procedure when accounts or Confirmation Statement is late. Once accounts are submitted the strike off notice will be removed.
“We obviously took on the club in a dire situation and takes time to gain clear understanding, alongside all the other challenges we have faced, but we are making very good progress. The 1874 Holdings accounts will be filed long before the action date.
“Our focus remains on doing the job we need to do and getting the club back on stable ground.”
1874 Holdings, which the Morley Sports Management group acquired a 100 per cent stake in from previous owner Serif Zengen on January 3 when they completed their takeover, was last week served with a winding up petition by the debt collection firm Zenith Legal Services Group Limited.
Read more:
- Ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp names Scotland tie as pick of World Cup matches
- US World Cup fan zone announced for 5k Scots with bars open to 4am & jumbotron
It has been reported that Zenith is seeking in the region of £320,000 that it is claimed was loaned to 1874 Holdings to fund the club last year.
Hamilton have prepared a response to the petition which is due to be submitted today.
Hamilton announced at the start of last month that they had reached an agreement with The Funding Globe Limited over the emergency funding that was provided back in November.
And the third tier outfit – who have been playing their games at Broadwood in Cumbernauld this season - revealed earlier this month they would be returning to New Douglas Park next term after signing a two year deal with the stadium owners.
Accies, who have been docked 21 points by the SPFL during the 2025/26 campaign due to rule breaches which were committed under the previous regime last year, are currently in ninth place in the League One table, a point behind East Fife with one game remaining against leaders Inverness Caledonian Thistle away on Saturday.
Edwards, whose Morley Sports Management group also operates Cymru Premier outfit Haverfordwest County AFC in Wales, stated last week that he is pleased with the progress that has been made at Hamilton during the past four months.
“I feel really proud of what we've achieved as a group,” he said. “We've been able to negotiate the removal of the Funding Globe, we've restored credibility with the SFA and SPFL, which has resulted in us having no concerns around licencing. We're going back to New Douglas Park on our own terms.
“I think we've played a really calm, concise game. We've come out in a position where the club is where we want it to be. We've definitely achieved a little bit more what we had set out to do by this time. Obviously, what happens on the pitch is something we can't control. But results have got better over the last three weeks.
“There are always going to be challenges, particularly when there are people who are out to try and cause distraction and concern. That's something we can't control.
"We just have to remain calm, concise and professional in how we deal with things. If we just stick to facts we'll come through this, as we have with everything else.
“I'm really happy with how things have gone. We're now in a position where we're looking towards next season. We had been taking it day by day when we first came in. I don't think we could have done much more to be honest. We're still in a really strong position going forward.”
Share