Kettering Town survival funds 'in place', says director

Kettering Town have the money to pay a debt of nearly £70,000 and avoid going into liquidation, according to director Garry Graham.

A winding-up order was rescinded on Monday, but the Poppies must settle in 28 days with Rushden & Diamonds Ltd, the shell company left over when the club of the same name became defunct.

"We've got the funds in place already," Graham told BBC Look East.

"We knew going into the case we would need the money to settle it and we do."

Monday's High Court hearing was the latest in a series of attempts by creditors to shut down the Northamptonshire club.

Crippling financial circumstances saw the Poppies descend from the Conference Premier to the Southern League Division One Central - a drop from the fifth to the eighth tier of English football - within one season.

The money owed to Rushden & Diamonds Ltd was for rent of the Nene Park stadium, the former home of Rushden & Diamonds FC, and briefly where Kettering played their home games.

The 141-year-old club, which came within five votes of election to the Football League in 1974, was told on 2 September it would be put into liquidation, but chairman Ritchie Jeune and his board appealed against the decision.

That gave Kettering time to raise the cash from their Supporters' Trust and football fans worldwide, who helped raise over £30,000 via a fundraising website and charity match.

Graham is hoping that the club, which is now playing home games at Latimer Park in nearby Burton Latimer, can now rebuild its fanbase.

"The fans are there now. They understand what we want. We have a new board and we will take the club forward," he said.

"It's about building trust with local companies, local players who want to come in. The old Kettering has gone, we've survived and we need to take the club forward and get people on board."