Crawley Town football club is on the market after administrators Begbies Traynor yesterday failed to reach an agreement with creditors owed about half a million pounds.

Current owners the Majeed brothers face a Government investigation into their running of the club over the last year.

Former diamond dealer John Goodwin is the front runner to buy the club and will put in a bid today.

Mr Goodwin, previous chairman of Bishop's Stortford and Romford football clubs, said: "The decision to put it on the market can only be good for Crawley Town and I intend to be the man who buys the club and puts it back on track."

Begbies Traynor had hoped creditors would agree to a deal which would have seen them paid a quarter of what they are owed over three years and the Majeeds retain control at the club.

But the Inland Revenue, owed almost a quarter of a million in unpaid tax by the club since the Majeeds took over last July, rejected the proposal citing the poor track record of payments.

A number of other creditors, including sacked former managing director Steve Duly and manager Francis Vines, owed £50,000 between them, also rejected the deal in a bid to oust the Majeeds.

The decision to liquidate the club and sell was agreed at a meeting of creditors at the Broadfield Stadium yesterday.

Administrator Rob Sadler said former chairman Chas Majeed's involvement in running the club despite being barred because he is bankrupt would form part of his report to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr Sadler said any offer to buy the club would have to include a "sufficient" dividend in order to pay creditors at least some of what they are owed. The Majeeds claim they are owed a £850,000.

Mr Sadler said: "If we only get a derisory offer the only available step would be to dissolve the company, which would mean the dissolution of the football club.

"I have a figure in my head of what we would be prepared to accept but I am not prepared to state that publicly.

"Whether we will achieve that figure I have no idea."

If Mr Goodwin buys the club he has offered to sell 49 per cent to the supporters' trust over five years with the option of buying him out after that.

Devils Trust interim chairman Phil Ogbourne said: "We're obviously delighted with today's events.

"It gives us a chance to restore the reputation of Crawley Town football club and we are very pleased to be working with John Goodwin.

"The Majeeds were bad for this club and hopefully their involvement will be ending very soon."

It has been suggested that the brothers may put in their own bid to buy the club out of liquidation.

Spokeswoman Gil Roberts said: "We will be seeking financial advice on that."