ACCRINGTON Stanley chiefs are remaining positive after raising just under 30 per cent of their tax bill half way to deadline.

When proceeds of the weekend’s bucket collections are added to the grand total, Stanley’s SoS fundraising total will be at £90,000 with just another four weeks to raise the rest of the £308,000 bill.

If the club does not raise the money to pay off an unpaid tax bill, it is likely to be wound up by the high court.

However Chief Executive Rob Heys described the shortfall as simply “a lull” in the fundraising drive and said that plans for October events were going well.

As well as playing Blackburn Rovers, Stanley are also planning to play a fundraising match with US side Austin Aztex, managed by former Burnley manager Adrian Heath.

A sportsman’s dinner is also amongst plans soon to be announced and the club’s directors are currently discussing what contributions they will donate to the cause from their own pockets.

No dates have yet been set for the upcoming fundraising events, but the club is currently trying to arrange them for throughout October.

Initial plans to play Rovers in November could also be brought forward to meet the tax bill deadline of Saturday October 24.

Mr Heys said: “We have still got a lot of things to do.

"Though the fundraising began very quickly we’re now at a bit of a mid-way lull.

"However, we have lots planned for October which should all go really well.

"The Rovers game is definitely going ahead and though it was pencilled in for November, we hope to bring that forward.

“We also have exciting plans to play the Austin Aztex and to host a large dinner which we think can be a big success.

“Obviously a lot of people have also put in a lot of cash as donations.

"It is only right that directors at the club contribute as well and are currently talking about what that contribution will be.”

He added that the club were also in regular contact with HM Revenue and Customs regarding their plans to pay of the tax bill: “They are not the big bad people you expect them to be.

"They want to work with us as much as we want to work with them.”

The Accrington Stanley Supporters’ Fund has offered to pay off the club’s debts - in exchange for shares to the value of its investment.

Stanley bosses have previously said they were willing to talk to the group but were not interested in a share issue which would cause them to lose control of the club.