THE FUTURE of Halesowen Town has been plunged into fresh doubt after shareholder Morell Maison successfully obtained an injunction preventing the club from entering administration.

It was granted by Judge David Cooke following a day long hearing at Birmingham Civil Justice Centre today.

The ruling also saw fellow claimant Kelly Gentles reinstated as director of the Yeltz and it paves the way for Maison to return to the Grove when his ban from football ends next Tuesday August 11.

Meanwhile the hearing heard evidence of the club’s shocking financial state, with the Yeltz described as being “hopelessly insolvent.”

The hearing was told Ms Gentles had originally been deposed as director and replaced by Janet Nelson, one of four defendants at today’s hearing, at an Annual General Meeting of shareholders on Tuesday July 23.

The court heard that meeting, which neither Maison or Ms Gentles attended, had also passed a resolution to place the club into administration.

But Judge Cooke ruled there had been “serious issues” over the arrangement of the meeting as shareholders had not been properly informed, and it was unclear whether Ms Gentles herself was aware of it taking place.

He said messages placed on the club’s official website did not constitute appropriate notice, while the resolutions passed had not been included on the agenda which effectively made them invalid.

Judge Cooke said: “It is not suggested that by the date the meeting took place Ms Gentles had been made aware of it.

“It is not suggested she was aware that there would be any resolution involving her status as a director or that the purpose of the meeting would be to put the club into administration.”

Earlier the court had been told how Rob McNaughton, another defendant at today’s case, had agreed to pay the club £20,000 in return for 2,000 shares in April in the knowledge the club was insolvent.

That reduced Maison’s shareholding from a majority of 53 per cent to 46 per cent.

Richard Ascroft, defending Mr McNaugton, claimed the club was facing an “array of demands from unpaid creditors.”

He said Maison, who arrived at the Grove in October 2007, was “a former bankrupt” and had installed Ms Gentles as director to “do his bidding.”

The court was told the club had made a net loss of £189,000 up to and including May 31 of this year, while creditors' claims totalling £27,000 were currently being processed in County Court Judgements.

Mr Ascroft said the club had not paid VAT for the last six financial quarters, while no PAYE payments had been made since 2007.

The court was also told former Luton Town player and businessman Godfrey Ingram was a potential investor in the club.

While giving his ruling, Judge Cooke admitted the financial crisis at the club appeared “very serious” and said it was likely the Yeltz would have to enter insolvency procedure “of some sort.”

He added: “It is of course the responsibility of the club to conduct its affairs and to take what action may be proper in the face of the financial circumstances.”

Mr McNaughton and Ms Nelson were ordered to pay costs.

Today’s ruling is likely to disappoint the majority of supporters, who have seen an FA suspension from playing fixtures – originally imposed for failing to pay football creditors – lifted during Ms Gentles brief time away from the Grove.

A statement from supporters group The Yeltz Trust is expected within the next few days.