Alan Doyle doesn’t expect Kettering Town’s Southern League Red Insure Cup clash with Arlesey Town to go ahead on Tuesday.
The Poppies have been set a 4pm deadline on Monday to give the Southern League assurances the game can take place at Nene Park after the crisis-stricken club saw a second successive match postponed at the weekend.
The home game against Bideford was called off after the electricity was cut off at the stadium due to an unpaid bill while Doyle had just a handful of players available.
It came after the clash at Leamington was also postponed due to a lack of players.
And caretaker-manager Doyle is expecting the same outcome for Tuesday night’s game as the clock continues to tick for the Poppies.
Doyle and majority shareholder Imraan Ladak say there are two parties who have “definite” interest in taking over the club, who were also supposed to have paid the £3,000 owed on their Company Voluntary Arrangement by Monday.
The playing squad also remain unpaid for this month, with some of them still owed money from September and a registration embargo put on the club by the Southern League remains in place.
Doyle hosted a trial match on a training pitch at Nene Park on Saturday but he admitted his hands are tied by the financial problems.
“I certainly don’t expect Tuesday’s game to go ahead given the situation with the electricity,” Doyle said.
“And if that happens then our next match is due to be against St Neots on October 27 so that is the sort of timescale we are dealing with.
“Obviously a deal for the club needs to be done and, in the meantime, someone needs to pay the wages and pay the electricity bill.
“All I can do at the moment is prepare for when we are allowed to sign players again.
“But the problem is that if and when we can play again, we will need experienced players and at the moment I can’t offer them anything.
“Having youngsters in the squad is a luxury the club can have if things are functioning properly.
“But the other issue is that of the first-team players just two turned up for the game on Saturday. That is how bad things are now.”
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