Aston Villa's dire financial situation has been well-documented in recent days, and it has now been revealed that it was so bad that bosses refused to pay £20k for squad suits for the play-off final.
That's according to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett who tweeted that key figures were so worried and aware of the issues that the club were facing they didn't sanction the squad suits ahead of the Wembley clash.
As well as that, Dorsett stated that the club also spoke to Burnley and convinced them to pay up early on a sum that they owed Villa as part of the Ashley Westwood deal that took the midfielder from Villa Park to Turf Moor.
Those funds were then used to pay the May wage bill, which was paid on time.
However, a missed payment to HMRC, which saw the club served a winding-up order, highlighted just how much trouble Aston Villa are were in after they lost to Fulham.
Whilst the immediate threat of administration appears to have eased, the club will still have to sell many of their better players this summer to cope.
The Verdict
In the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter if the players had new suits for the final so fans won't be bothered that the club didn't pay for that and it's understandable.
However, it shows just how concerned the board were and the fact they asked Burnley to pay early is another clear sign that Villa were in a truly desperate situation.
Thankfully for supporters, they look to have avoided the possibility of administration but there are still big problems ahead for the West Midlands side.
Thoughts, Villa fans? Let us know in the comments below.