George Rolls pays off Kettering Town tax bill

George Rolls has said the winding-up petition brought against Kettering Town will be dismissed after paying the club's debt to HM Revenue and Customs.

Former Cambridge United chairman Rolls is effectively in charge of the Poppies but has yet to acquire the club from owner Imraan Ladak.

"The money was paid on Wednesday," he told BBC Radio Northampton of the £42,000 tax arrears.

"The winding-up petition will still get heard on Monday but will be dismissed."

Rolls, who will be able to complete his takeover once the formalities of the court hearing are finalised on Monday, has settled the fee out of his own pocket and will continue to address other creditors, with debts totalling "hundreds of thousands of pounds".

"It's going to take a good two or three years to turn the place around," he said.

"We move on but obviously there's more money to find. There's a couple of VAT quarters that need to be submitted.

"I've invested a sizeable amount since I've been involved at the club. It had to be done.

"We asked the supporters to come in their droves to their last couple of games and for whatever reason they haven't been able to.

"We've done our bit, we've paid off the Revenue. Now we need the supporters to turn up and have a celebration."

Kettering have a 25-year lease at Nene Park and Rolls hopes to run a profitable hospitality and conferencing business at the ground.

But, with the club six points adrift of safety following a three-point deduction for failing to pay players' wages, he admits survival in the Blue Square Bet Premier this season is unlikely.

"I don't think anyone expects anything but relegation to be fair," he said.

"If we get placed in the Conference North we'll have a top-six budget."