Administration been delayed by a day at Dundee, with the arrival of Bryan Jackson to assume control of the Dens Park club now put back to Thursday.
Anxious players, management and staff will have to endure another 24 hours of torment as they wonder who from among their number will be made redundant by the administrator.
Jackson was originally scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, which was confirmed by chief executive Harry MacLean.
However, in the latest twist in this sorry saga, it emerged on Tuesday that Jackson, who has been waiting for £200,000 to arrive from the Dark Blues’ former benefactor Calum Melville, won’t make it before Thursday.
That means worried employees will have to spend another day with the threat of job losses hanging over them following weeks of intense speculation, claim and counter-claim.
Wages went unpaid two weeks ago. While 50% of staff monthly salaries were handed out last week, there is no indication when the remainder will be paid.
It was also revealed that manager Gordon Chisholm and his assistant boss Billy Dodds are willing to take a wage cut to help the troubled club.
They are poised to make the offer directly to Jackson.
Chisholm and Dodds were brought to the club in March to replace the sacked Jocky Scott and have had to endure speculation about their futures.
“Billy and I want to do everything we can to help the club survive,” Chisholm said.£200,000 still unconfirmedIt has still to be confirmed that the £200,000 pledged by Melville which will be used to allay cash flow concerns and to try to get back out of administration has arrived in the allocated bank account, although the signs are that it has.
That money is essential for Jackson to proceed to try to save the club from liquidation.
MacLean said, “I presume it is in but I have not checked, to be honest.
“The solicitors will deal with that along with the potential administrator.
“It is not the deadline time for it to be there yet (but) we expect it to be there and it won’t be a problem.
“At this point it is about getting into administration first because the cash flow problems would cause issues later on. (Dundee only have two home matches between now and early December).”
He added, “Firstly, I have no reason to think the money won’t turn up and, secondly, I won’t second-guess what the administrator will say if it doesn’t.
“The money will help the club to survive and get through the administration process.
“We had people from Bryan Jackson’s company in (on Monday), they are meeting again today and will take it from there.
“The forecasts are there, it just depends on whether we can get the money to run the club.”
Whenever the sackings are made, MacLean pledged to be present.
He also revealed that he had considered quitting the board but feels he has a role to play during administration.Board have “all considered” resigningMacLean said, “I think we have all considered it (resigning) at some point.
“I can’t speak for the rest of the board but from my own point of view I feel I have a job to do to help the club get through this.
“If you get to this point as a board, when you are taking the action we are, then people have to stand up and be responsible for the decisions they have made over time.
“At what level people are going to be involved in the decision-making process that is for every individual to decide.”
He added, “If you are asking me personally if I can look myself in the mirror and ask if I could have done any better then I don’t think I could have.
“I presume we will talk to the administrator and then he will tell me what he wants to do, whether he wants me to step down or not.
“If the administrator wants me to stay on and help then I will do it.”
MacLean conceded that the least those getting sacked deserve is for members of the board to be present when the news is announced.
He said, “If these horrible decisions have to be made then it is only right to look people in the eye,
“I won’t be hiding away from the situation.”
He added, “It is the administrator’s job but I am happy to be there at the time and he knows that.
“I have told him that.”