Hull: A journey into crisis

There has been plenty of controversy at Boothferry Park

BBC Sport Online's Mandeep Sanghera examines Hull City's fight for survival as the threat of liquidation draws ever nearer.

Hull City appear in the High Court on Wednesday faced with the realistic possibility of the club becoming extinct.

And, whether it will prove to be the last stop on the rocky road to ruin, or a stay of execution, the dramatic setting within the country's corridors of justice seems only appropriate to decide the club's fate.

Following a notorious and long-running affair, the court appearance is the controversial crescendo to a series of shenanigans which have embroiled Hull.

In a series of events involving claims and counter-claims, a disgruntled landlord, angry and frustrated fans, a hopeful saviour, the wrath of the Football Association and a police investigation, the final blow could be struck by Customs and Excise as well as the Inland Revenue.

Former GB Davis Cup tennis boss Lloyd

Hull owe £500,000 in unpaid VAT and further debts believed to total around the £1m mark. As a result, liquidation could be the punishment.

In typical style, the build up to the case has been marred by wranglings that have been commonplace at the Third Division outfit for a number of years.

David Lloyd, the former British tennis Davis Cup team head, gave up his controlling interest in Hull but maintained ownership of their Boothferry Park ground.

The day before the court outing he padlocked the gates to the stadium saying it was in the best interests of the club.

Banned

Present chairman Nick Buchanan was not impressed in the midst of trying to work out a plan to save the club.

Buchanan's spell at Hull began in November 1998 when a consortium bought the club for less than £250,000 and his time has certainly not been without incident.

In February 1999 a boardroom bust-up saw director David Bennett banned before Tom Belton was ousted as a club director and sacked as chairman in August that same year.

Consequently, Buchanan took over as chairman of the club and his tenure was followed shortly by the FA confirming an investigation into Hull's financial affairs in September.

The year 2000 began with Buchanan failing to buy Boothferry Park and the FA landing Hull with a £2,500 fine. The club had reportedly spent a £67,000 loan which was supposed to be for players' wages.

Police investigation

In March that year a number of the team's players threatened a walk out as it was revealed that the club were losing £15,000 a week and that Lloyd was owed more than £60,000.

The following month saw Hull face a winding-up order with a £25,000 tax debt with team manager Warren Joyce and John McGovern being sacked.

This heralded the arrival of former Aston Villa manager Brian Little and he set about improving matters on the pitch.

But the controversy off field continued and in May 2000 the club were locked out by Lloyd for the first time.

Formerly departed directors Bennett and Belton revealed plans to buy back Hull and a month later a police investigation into the club's financial affairs was announced.

The club's problems have since come to the fore.

Now the controversy is set to continue in the High Court arena.