With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to wreak havoc across the footballing landscape, clubs are counting their pennies more than ever.
If the situation has hit the top tier clubs hard, imagine the situation for those lower down the football pyramid.
There’s a very real possibility that certain clubs could go to the wall without the situation changing, but there has been some light amongst the enveloping gloom.
According to BBC Sport, League Two side, Southend United, have avoided a winding up petition.
Currently bottom of England’s fourth tier, without a win in their opening nine games, things look gloomy on the pitch for the Shrimpers.
However, with the news that the club have settled tax debts worth £493,931, the winding-up petition against them has been dismissed in the High Court.
BBC Sport note that the case had previously been adjourned four times to allow the Essex-based side more time to settle the debt.