Sheffield Wednesday faced with second winding up threat

Chief executive Nick Parker last night told a fans' forum the Owls were now due back in the High Court on November 17.

The Owls looked to have staved off financial collapse only three weeks ago after reaching a last-ditch agreement with the club's bank, the Co-operative, who provided an emergency payment of 780,000 to see off the first winding-up petition issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

It appears Wednesday, whose overall debts total in the region of 30m, have immediately fallen behind on the agreement reached with HMRC to pay outstanding and ongoing tax liabilities and the taxman has moved quickly to return the club to court. The amount owing is understood to be in the region of 600,000.

The Co-operative Bank only agreed to bail the Owls out hours before the first petition was due to be heard on September 8 and there must now be doubts Wednesday will be able to call on the bank's help for a second time.

But Parker, who along with chairman Howard Wilkinson held frank discussions with fans outside Hillsborough after Saturday's defeat to Southampton, claims the future could be brighter, though, with new investment a possibility.

He told the fans' forum the club's bank are confident of securing investment and that he and Wilkinson are pressurising them to do so.

Parker also claimed that an overseas oilfield company have offered 600,000 to help pay off the tax debt, but refused to be drawn on whether or not the consortium was led by former goalkeeper and manager Chris Turner, who recently resigned as Hartlepool boss.

Wilkinson was forced to defend his and Parker's positions at the weekend and stated: "If Nick and I walk away, and quite honestly, both of us have got a lot of reasons to walk away, this club would be in receivership next week.

"Now that is the end of the road if that happens, or the beginning of the end, so while we're here, we're fighting for the club you want."