Bryan Jackson and Robert Barclay of PKF have been appointed interim managers of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club in a bid to protect the club from imminent petition for liquidation for £134,000 by HMRC.

PKF corporate recovery partner Bryan Jackson said: 'The interim management process will allow the club to operate without immediate fear of closure but I cannot stress the need for the continued support of the fans, players, and staff in this process. It is important to realise that this appointment is simply the first step in a process that will take some considerable time.'

Jackson said the 128-year old club had 'accumulated substantial debts over several years mostly from existing and past directors' and that a number of redundancies will be announced in the next few days.

'Money will need to be raised simply to get to the end of the season as well as into the summer to continue to fund the club's day to day operations. Meanwhile I shall be consulting with creditors and potential buyers of the club to try to ensure it has a viable future,' Jackson said.

Gavin Masterton, Dunfermline Athletic major shareholder, stated: 'Over the years the Masterton family have invested several millions of pounds into the club to establish the infrastructure and just under one million in the current year but this trend unfortunately was not sustainable.'

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