THE organisers of a consortium set up to take over Bromsgrove Rovers have urged supporters to ‘act now’ to secure the club’s future.

With a hearing for the club to be placed into administration by chairman Tom Herbert imminent, the organisers of Bromsgrove Sporting Limited held a public meeting on Monday night to galvanise support.

They have tabled a bid believed to be around £40,000 for the club, which is said to be over £500,000 in debt.

The Bromsgrove Sporting bid is thought to be one of two on the table for the club, although the Bromsgrove Advertiser has learned their may be a last minute one made involving former Greens’ manager Duane Darby.

The administration documents, made available after the meeting, show Herbert and his wife Sandra are the biggest creditors, being owed around £200,000 plus £40,000 to a pub they own in Kidderminster.

Herbert has vowed to stand down as chairman after the hearing.

Other large creditors include HM Revenue and Customs (£64,000), All for One Engineering (£40,000), Coors Brewers (£26,000) and Bromsgrove District Council (£11,890).

In the application, Mr Herbert cites his ill health, the general economic climate, ground upgrading and kit expenses as amongst the reasons for the level of debt.

The administration hearing will take place on Monday in Birmingham, although Bromsgrove Sporting spokesman Rob McLaren told the meeting it was dependent on the appointed administrator providing a document which outlined a way forward for the club.

He said: “We don’t know how the club has got into the state it has because in the 1990s it was playing at the top level of non-league football and actually making a profit.

“Since then, both on and off the field it has spiralled downwards and we want to try and return the club to an even keel and start again as a community concern.

“We have put forward what we think is a sensible bid, and it remains to be seen if this will be accepted in the face of at least one alternate proposal.

“But if it is, we think with the goodwill of the people of Bromsgrove and supporters of the club, we can make a success of running it on a sound financial basis.

“We need people to come forward to help us with this, whether financially which will secure a place on the new board, or in any other way they can help.

“Our ultimate aim is to attain and sustain quality football at the Victoria Ground and we don’t think with the present regime running the club, that this goal is viable at the moment.”

Former director John Teece has issued the club with a winding up order which is due to be heard on Friday October 23 for £5,665.41 he claims he is owed.

But if the petition for administration is successful, this will override the winding up order.

* Meanwhile on the field, boss John Snape took his side to Woodford Town (see report in Rovers section) with three of his players the subjects of formal seven day approaches.

Leamington have enquired about Josh McKenzie, Redditch about Jemiah Richards, and Hednesford about Danny Scheppel.

Rushall have also enquired about Marlon Walters but have not made any formal approach.

Snape said he was hoping to keep all of them.

He said: “I am hoping Marlon will stay because he is enjoying his football here and he would be going to the same level at Rushall.

“The enquiry about Danny Scheppel was made a while ago and we haven’t hear anything since so we are hoping nothing more will come of it.

“But I suppose with the uncertainty surrounding the club, and the lack of action in the next few weeks, clubs are bound to be interested.”