The club has until 10.30am tomorrow to pay off the remaining £67,000 of an outstanding tax bill or reach the end of the battle for its survival.

Speaking yesterday, Chinn told the Lynn News: "If push comes to shove, I don't know if there will be a football club by the end of the week.

"We've been doing everything in our power to try to find the money to pay the bill, but at the moment we've hit a brick wall. We've still got another 24 hours to try for a solution.

"We have spoken to the council about guaranteeing us the money for two months, but it looks more than likely that we will use a top barrister to try to win us another 60 day reprieve to pay it."

Chinn added: "The club is financially sound, but the main bugbear has been this oustanding tax bill, which stems from a number of years ago."

Chinn's hopes of raising the necessary money through his business contacts were dashed at the time of going to press - leaving Lynn with a battle against time ahead of their High Court date tomorrow.

Lynn could choose the route of going into administration today, but Chinn stressed: "I think it would be an absolute waste of time putting the club into administration, but we have until 5pm on Tuesday to decide if that's the route we want to take."

Administration would see the club suffer a ten-point deduction and see the club's finances run by an administrator, while a winding-up order could see the club fold and fail to fulfil their fixtures for the season.

The Linnets' cause wasn't helped by the acrimonious departure of Leicester-based financial director David Handley, who left the club in a war-of-words with Lynn's fellow directors at the end of last week.

Handley said: "I am very disappointed and feel I didn't get the full backing of the remainder of the board.

"I genuinely came on board to try to help the club move forward. I have put in more than £23,000.

"I've written the money off and don't wish to be issued with shares for any of the money I put in. I wish the club all of the best for the future."

An angry Chinn hit back at Handley, saying: "David was told when he came to the club that if he wanted a seat on the club's board then it was on the understanding that he would pay or find the money for the outstanding tax bill.

"Once he'd done that, both David and myself were meant to be taking over the club and moving it forward from there."