ILKESTON Town Football Club has been wound up after a court refused to give it more time to clear its tax debts.

The Conference North side was given six weeks breathing space in July to pay Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs the £50,000 it owes.

But it was this morning refused more time to find the money needed during a hearing at the High Court.

Presiding judge Mrs Registrar Derrett refused to allow further time, despite being told the club was selling one of its players for £20,000 and would pay off the bill at £1,000 a month.

Ilkeston Town manager Kevin Wilson revealed the club is planning to appeal the court's decision, adding: "I feel shattered by the decision.

"It's a sad day for the club and its fans, who have supported the club come rain or shine.

"Hopefully the appeal will be successful."

The club had held talks with unidentified businessmen interested in buying the club.

Today was the third time the case had been back to court. Prior to bring given extra time to try and meet its debts in July it had also been given a month's breathing space at an earlier hearing.

Now the affairs will be handed over to an Official Receiver. His job will be to do his best to ensure that debts are paid off by selling any assets available and then bringing business to a close.

The Football Conference will decide by 5pm tomorrow whether to allow Ilkeston's league game at Redditch on Saturday go ahead.

The Football Conference's general manager Dennis Strudwick was still awaiting formal confirmation from the Robins of their intention to appeal the court's decision to wind up the club.

He said: "I have received nothing official from the club, but I don't dispute it has been wound up.

"I don't believe they can [formally] appeal the decision, but they can ask the court to rescind it.

"As for the game on Saturday we will wait until 5pm tomorrow.

"We are still waiting for confirmation from the club of the court's decision and what they plan to do, if anything.

"We have got to be fair to Redditch, who will be making preparations to entertain Ilkeston."

Strudwick expressed his sadness Ilkeston has been wound up with tax debts of almost £50,000, and revealed the club received £8,000 of central funding from the Conference two weeks ago.

"We are all football people so we are obviously sad," he added.

"We try to help our member clubs as much as we can.

"Ilkeston received £8,000 a fortnight ago. I don't know whether they used that to pay off the revenue, or not."

"It would be normal, and it is within competition rules, to expunge the results of any club that ceases to trade."

Ilkeston have played seven games so far this season in Blue Square North, and are currently 17th in the table. They were set to play their eighth league game of the campaign at Redditch on Saturday.