THE future of AFC St Austell remains in the balance this week after a second open meeting at Poltair Park heard the club owes money to a number of local businesses and has debts of around £30,000.

And even if the club can find a solution to its financial issues – which are believed to include players not being paid – it is unclear which league the first team could be playing in next season.

At the time of going to print, an alternative venue to Poltair Park for Saturday’s scheduled Western League Premier Division home game against Bradford Town had not been found.

The Western League has indicated that if St Austell are unable to fulfil any more home fixtures they potentially face relegation to the St Piran League, two leagues down in the football pyramid.

Last Wednesday night’s packed open meeting saw chairman Jason Powell and the club’s two other directors, Rob Newport and Bob Benneto, announce that they are stepping down.

And a group, described as ‘local football people plus a businessman’, are hoping to take the Lillywhites forward from next week, after a short handover period.

Nobody has been officially named yet but the group is likely to include former managers Chris Knight and Craig Holman, and former player Ollie Brokenshire.

A get-together of anybody interested in helping the club to move forward is set to be held at Poltair next Wednesday, February 4 (7.30pm).

Of immediate concern is the ability of the club to complete the season, with Poltair likely to remain out of bounds, possibly for the rest of the season, because of grandstand safety concerns.

According to the league’s website, after Saturday’s match against Bradford, the Lillywhites have four successive Saturday home games next month, starting on February 7.