Coventry could face winding-up order over debts

COVENTRY, England (AP) -The future of third-tier English club Coventry is in the balance after the owners of the 129-year-old team were threatened with a winding-up order if stadium debts aren't settled within three weeks.

Arena Coventry Limited, which own the club's Ricoh Arena stadium, says Coventry owes 1.6 million pounds ($2.58 million) - 1.1 million pounds ($1.77 million) of which is unpaid rent.

ACL said Wednesday in a statement that "the behaviour of Sisu, the owners of Coventry, has left the board with no choice but to issue the statutory demand.''

Coventry has until Dec. 26 to settle its unpaid rent.

The midlands club won the 1987 FA Cup but has struggled financially since dropping out of the Premier League in 2001. The team was relegated from the League Championship in May.