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Motherwell chairman John Boyle has warned Cardiff "the bailiffs are coming" after failing to recover £175,000 owed for the transfer of Paul Quinn.

Moments after Cardiff announced it had signed Craig Bellamy on a season-long loan deal, Motherwell sent the Welsh club a statement warning it was considering a number of legal options.

A petition issued by Motherwell against Cardiff was heard at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday (August 13) but the Fir Park club says Cardiff officials did not submit a defence and has not given any "business-like response" to its appeals.

Motherwell is now taking legal advice over issuing a winding-up order, arresting assets or sending in bailiffs to recover the money.

Former Motherwell captain Quinn moved to Cardiff in June last year for a fee of about £300,000 with an initial instalment being paid up front and further staged payments agreed.

But Motherwell says it is owed £175,000 plus interest and costs, leaving Boyle furious that Cardiff have been able to acquire Jason Koumas, Tom Heaton, Danny Drinkwater, Seyi Olofinjana, Martin John and Manchester City striker Bellamy in recent weeks.

Boyle said: "We've been put off, fobbed off and messed around since January.

"We have been respectful and persistent but we had no other option than to take Cardiff to court on Friday and they didn't even bother to turn up.

"How cynical can it be that a club can be signing a raft of high-profile, expensive players when they owe a small club like us over £200,000?

"It is quite simply a disgrace. It is utterly cynical and disingenuous in the extreme.

"We previously had a good relationship with Cardiff but we have been forced on to our back foot.

"We have no alternative but to take legal action and we will pursue it vigorously. We will consider issuing a winding-up order or literally sending bailiffs to their ground on a home match and collecting our cash."

He added: "It's absolutely ridiculous when they are splashing money all round the place and they can't even pay last year's debts.

"We have done everything we can, we've followed every football regulation, we've followed every legal regulation and all that has happened is we've been messed around, and we will not stand it one minute longer.

"The bailiffs are coming towards Cardiff – be assured."