Today seems to be the end of Ilkestons resident football club.

Either it’s taken me 7 years to publish this article, or it’s happened again. Sadly it’s the latter. Chairman Nigel Harrop has today been told by a court in Liverpool, enough is enough.

Harrop, who has lead the slowly sinking ship of the Robins had announced just hours before the hearing that a deal had been agreed to sell the club, but the court were not interested.

It seems the legal powers that be share the views of many long suffering Il’son fans, who feel it’s a case of too little, too late. Much too late….

Departing Captain Matt Baker shares the fans skepticism, saying he doesn’t believe a word Harrop says;

“We (players) won’t believe anything until it actually happens. When I read the news about the takeover I thought ‘I’ve heard it all before’.

“I understand why fans might think today’s a good thing, they want the club in their hands and I understand why”.

However, things could get interesting, with the current owner Mr Harrop appealing the decision with the deal to sell to ‘All Eight Sports Management’ on the cards.

All Eight, owned jointly by Gustavo Moure and Clem Leech, of Spain and South Africa respectively, are a relatively new company, registered in March of this year, the same month of the players boycott over pay, or lack of. The same month also, that Chairman Nigel Harrop said a takeover deal was ‘imminent’.

Speaking to Colin, an employee of AESM, about todays ruling, he told me; “It is not what we were expecting. We had hoped our intent to resolve the clubs issues would have led to the creditor allowing us time to negotiate.

“We are working to ascertain whether the ruling is good or bad news. If we are unable to save the club it is bad news”.

A view not shared by all Robins fans, it seems.

Following the news breaking, Social Media was naturally vocal in the Erewash Town, and fans seem split on todays decision.

In a poll, 50% of fans are disappointed in the news, with the other half further split between it being the best outcome (39% or undecided (11%) This was reflected in peoples comments, ranging from ‘supporters don’t want them’ (referring to new owners) and ‘Feel for the fans’.

However, the Ilkeston FC Supporters Group have announced they intend to form a community owned club in the town, to the delight of many disgruntled Robins Fans.

The new name is set to be ‘Ilkeston United Community Football Club’ and was discussed in great detail by the group, chaired by Duncan Payne, as a replacement should the club be liquidated for the second time in 7 years.

This is where it gets interesting, as the group say, regardless of the appeal verdict, they are going ahead with the move. Furthermore, they intend to play their football at the New Manor Ground.

Should they be successful, it would mean fans have a choice between supporting the 7 year old reformed club, or a brand new fan owned, community club. Given the atmosphere and opinions of fans this season, it would be likely the majority would move to ‘United’, which would cause a fair few headaches for any potential new owner. More to the point, with this announcement, will the ‘deal in principle’ be scuppered? Will the potential new owners want to buy a club already in turmoil if half of its fans, and with it gate receipts, sponsorship, merchandise etc leave the club?

In any outcome, the club(s) will need to be found a new league, and be formed with full squads ahead of August should they wish to compete this season, a tall order.