Port Vale have been placed in Administration after the High Court accepted an application from Stoke Council.
Once the Football League confirm the inevitable points sanction the Valiants will drop to 43 points, level with Burton, but their recent form of 18 points from the last 24 suggests they will not trouble the foot of the table unless the Administrator has to offload players.
Manager Micky Adams has already been told by the incoming Administrator, Bob Young, that he intends to keep the manager and his squad in place as much as possible. Young previously handled their 2003 Administration.
The biggest single creditor is Stoke Council, who are owed around £1.8million of a £2.25million loan and are expected to fund the Administration for a further £500,000. One possibility is that the council take ownership of the Vale Park ground, which it's loans are secured on, and rent the stadium back to the club.
So far, the only public expression of interest in the club is from former bidder Mo Chaudry. His previous offers were blocked by the former board, but he will no longer be hindered by their rules banning any one person from holding more than 25% of the club.
Meanwhile the supporters' "Starve 'Em Out" campaign has been rebranded. Now they have dispensed with the much hated board, they have rebranded as "Feed 'Em Up" and called for supporters to return to the club.