Corney insists bills will be paid

Athletic chairman Simon Corney.

ATHLETIC chairman Simon Corney insisted all outstanding bills would be paid after the Sky Bet League One outfit were placed under a transfer embargo.

The club's interim chief executive Mark Moisley told BBC Radio Manchester he hoped the Football League would lift the club's ban on signing new players in time for the January transfer window.

Corney (pictured) did not mention the embargo in an extended interview on Oldham's official website, but said the club had to pay bills totalling over £300,000 in the next seven days.

"It's been widely reported and quite right that we are behind with some payments to other clubs," Corney said.

"I'm asking the fans not to get too concerned about it. It's quite common in football and there are probably quite a lot of clubs in the same situation as us.

'DEBTS'

"The debts will be paid. There's no two ways about it. They always do get paid, we have to pay them."

It has been reported that Athletic owe other clubs fees for loaned players and had apparently yet to pay local rivals Rochdale for ticket sales for a recent league game between the two sides.

"If I'm really honest with you we have other priorities this coming week," Corney said.

"We have a wage bill and a HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs) bill which totals over £300,000, which has to be paid in the next seven days and those have to take priority in this situation.

"Everything always gets paid, but as we know cash flow is a problem here, it's not a secret, it's tough."

Corney, who has made no secret of his desire to sell the club, said he had twice visited China in the last fortnight in search of potential investors.

'SCARY'
He added: "I've got a very tough week coming up next week. It's scary. You don't sleep at night. As I said there's a lot of funds that need to be found between now and next week.

"But we'll find a way, some how, some way because we always do, because that's what it's about."