Sheffield Wednesday served with second winding-up order

Sheffield Wednesday are facing a second winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill.

On 17 November the Owls are due to face a winding-up order over an unpaid PAYE tax bill of approaching £600,000.

Now it has emerged the Hillsborough club must deal with a similar order over an unpaid VAT bill of £300,000, due to be heard on 1 December.

If talks with potential new investors do not result in a takeover, Wednesday may be forced to enter administration.

Although such a move would automatically mean a deduction of 10 points, it would buy the club time to try and finalise a takeover. Talks are believed to be ongoing with three separate parties.

Last week it was announced that a major financier had withdrawn his interest in taking over the club.

Kevin Mundie, a senior executive at Certified Oil Rentals, pulled out of the deal citing family reasons.

But the club remains outwardly confident it will be able to find the necessary investment to stave off administration.

Chairman Howard Wilkinson told supporters earlier this week that he and chief executive Nick Parker were working closely with the club's bankers, The Co-operative Bank, to deliver a long-term investment deal.

The club's official website reported Wilkinson as saying: "As we speak there are a number of potential investors who are in advanced negotiations with the bank and the club ... we are all very mindful of the upcoming HMRC case, and in many ways this acts as a line in the sand for all parties.

"What will ultimately happen I do not want to speculate, apart from to reaffirm there are now serious options open to us and the bank."