ADMINISTRATION now looks almost certain for Cherries after yesterday's explosive revelations.

And while the club could still technically avoid falling to the same fate as Luton Town and Leeds United before them, miracle' and Cherries' are two words long-suffering supporters are not used to seeing in the same sentence.

Next Monday's expiry of the 10-day period of protection gleaned from the club's submission of a notice of intention to Bristol County Court last week would appear to be Cherries' latest D-Day'.

The club could still opt NOT to appoint an administrator and submit a second notice of intention, but with time very much of the essence, chairman Jeff Mostyn will be well aware of another date that could be key to AFC Bournemouth's future.

After the Leeds United situation last season, when the Yorkshire outfit fell into administration AFTER they had been relegated from the Championship, the Football League moved quickly to ensure other ailing clubs could not follow the same path.

So Cherries effectively have until the Football League's March 27 cut-off to make the biggest decision in the club's history - or, should they miss it, start next season in League Two with a 10-point deficit from the off.

The Echo understands several of the club's more pressing creditors have upped the pressure in recent weeks - possibly forcing Mostyn's hand sooner than he would have liked.

It is believed one creditor, former president Stanley Cohen, is owed in excess of £150,000 - a pretty substantial single figure when looking at the club's overall debt of around £4.5m.

And with Mostyn yesterday describing the club's creditors as "aggressive" and "unhelpful", their looming presence is unlikely to disappear any time soon.

The club is certain to press for a percentage' agreement with the creditors should it fall into administration, meaning they would only receive a fraction of the money owed - leaving some of the more generous in that group severely out of pocket.

Of course, it is no secret that Mostyn and co-owner Steve Sly have undertaken a painstaking search for additional investment since they took over the club in March last year.

Mostyn revealed back in December that four potential investors were deep in negotiations with himself and Sly and it would now appear that that consortium's most likely role would be as a potential bidder for the club as a going concern from the administrators, should the directors choose to follow that path.

But that outcome is far from a certainty, with the creditors' agreement required to sanction any potential offer for the club prior to the sale's completion.

In a statement issued to the Echo yesterday, a club spokesperson said: "BDO Stoy Hayward (accountancy firm) is currently dealing with the directors of AFC Bournemouth in an advisory capacity only.

"At this stage there has been no formal appointment of administrators.

"The chairman, Jeff Mostyn, commented that this action was taken to prevent our current negotiations being frustrated by aggressive and unhelpful creditors. We were professionally advised to serve a notice of intention to appoint an administrator which we have done.

"However, the chairman stressed that the club is not in administration and it is not a forgone conclusion that it will be."

  • The Echo was unable to contact Mostyn for a further comment last night.