MARGATE say they are facing a "financial crisis" in the wake of continued delays about the re-development of Hartsdown Park.

However, the development company involved say they are committed to the project and are in it for the long haul.

A club spokesman said: "Our development partners have confirmed they will not desert us and have agreed, in principle, to extend funding to the club to assist it through it's most difficult financial crisis. These funds will allow the club to remove the transfer embargo and therefore stabilize trading.

"They are committed to the long haul with us, and have no intention of giving the Council reason to repossess the site."

Meanwhile, in another twist to the long-running saga, Thanet Council are now "assessing" the club's latest submissions about the project's business plan requested in a letter received by the club two days before Christmas.

This covered issues that Margate say they considered had been fully covered in previous meetings, and also questions the figures used by the developer. The club e-mailed additional information to the Council on December 29 and this will be discussed at a cabinet meeting next Thursday.

The spokesman added: "The cabinet approved the plan on November 10, and passed it back to officers to negotiate out the remaining issues allowing the redevelopment to go ahead. Now the officers are passing it back to the members.

"These continued delays have caused further financial hardships for the club. All our re-finance packages had relied on the club being given the go-ahead by Thanet Council"

Project leader Gary Lever is due back from a trip to Australia on Friday but has kept in close touch by phone and e-mail over the latest situation.

It is nearly three years since Margate last played at Hartsdown Park, and the club have been ground-sharing with Dover and now Ashford. However, the Football Conference have already stated they will not allow the arrangement to extend beyond the end of this season.