MEMBERS of cash-strapped Selkirk Football Club are set to pursue their former chairman through the courts in a bid to claw back cash.

The Yarrow Park club, who were handed a 14 day suspension last week by the Lowland League for failing to fulfill two fixtures, held an emergency meeting on Monday evening within the clubrooms.

It emerged that they are over £37,000 in the red as well as owing a committee member more than £100,000 in personal loans.

And it was further revealed that a £47,000 bequest to the club in the summer had been arrested by Sheriff Officers for money owed to a floodlighting company.

Businessman Ross Anderson stood down as chairman of Selkirk last month.

On Monday members and supporters agreed unanimously to raise a civil court action against him on grounds of financial mismanagement.

Current chairman Jaydee Sharkey, who took over last month, revealed his club's financial problems.

He said: "It was only after I became chairman that the extent of the problems began to emerge.

"Every email I read was from someone after money and every drawer I opened in the office had bills tucked away.

"From the advice I've been given this club is at the stage where it can't continue."

Selkirk, who were formed in 1880, were founding members of both the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Lowland League.

The club's rich history boasts internationalists such as Sandy McMahon, Bob Mercer and Bobby Johnstone.

Among the many in attendance on Monday was the club's greatest ever manager Ian Whitehead, who guided the Souters to countless trophies during the 1970s.

But recent success, which saw Selkirk finish fifth in the Lowland League last season, has come at a cost with many of the squad still waiting to be paid.

Mr Sharkey added: "There is two ways we can go - either out of business or try somehow to get out of this mess."

Selkirk office-bearers will be called to a disciplinary hearing by the Scottish Lowland League within the next fortnight.

But efforts will be made in the interim period to attract enough players to honour fixtures and put plans in place to begin managing the debt.

Club secretary Sheree Davison told us: "The priority at the moment is to bring players here and honour our fixtures.

"We will be talking with an Academy in the next week or so about players.

"If we can get a team on the park then we can hopefully start addressing the dire financial position we are in.

"Nobody wants to see Selkirk fold."

Interim manager Gordon Rae is holding an open training session on Thursday evening at Yarrow Park for any potential players.