Insider Media Limited

Interest in buying Ilkeston Town Football Club has been “encouraging”, according the club’s liquidator. Dean Nelson at business adviser Smith Cooper said he has received “a higher level of interest than originally expected”.

There are now eight days left for interested parties to submit their bids.

Nelson, head of corporate recovery and insolvency services at Smith Cooper in Derby, explained: “We have received a high level of interest for the purchase of the assets, probably higher than I originally anticipated, which reinforces my initial belief that the successful purchaser will acquire an infrastructure with massive potential.”

The deadline for submitting sealed bids for the assets of the club is 4pm on Friday 29 October. Nelson said that he will then meet with the Erewash Borough Council, who own the freehold of the ground, to discuss the bids in detail.

He said: “Although I am keen for the successful bidder to have the longest possible time to plan for the 2011/2012 season, I do not intend to name the successful bidder until both myself and the council are in agreement and then an announcement will be made”.

Nelson also refuted claims that a large proportion of the monies received by the liquidator would be paid to former chairman Gary Hodder.

He said: “This is simply not true. The documentation that I have received to date would indicate that, if there are sufficient funds available to enable a return to creditors, after discharging the costs and expenses of the liquidation, no monies would be payable to Mr Hodder as he does not appear to be a creditor in the liquidation.”

Nelson was appointed liquidator by the Secretary of State on Tuesday 14 September 2010 after a winding up order resulted in the company ceasing to trade and being placed into liquidation on 8 September.