Motherwell chief executive Leeann Dempster has accused Cardiff of a complete lack of co-operation over the outstanding instalment of full-back Paul Quinn's transfer fee.
Motherwell have threatened the Welsh club with extreme legal moves such as a winding-up order, arresting assets or sending bailiffs to their stadium over the unpaid money. The Clydesdale Bank Premier League club revealed they were still owed £175,000 plus interest and costs after Cardiff failed to pay an instalment of the £300,000 transfer in January.
She said: "It's critical in these times, when all football clubs find themselves in dire financial circumstances, that we co-operate as best we can. Unfortunately, there has been no co-operation on this front."
Dempster declared there had been no meaningful contact from Cardiff since she raised the issue publicly last month and even court action failed to elicit a response.
She added: "We don't believe they have given us a proper business-like response. The club pursued the matter through Hamilton Sheriff Court. The petition was considered on Friday and Cardiff didn't turn up to submit a defence so we're moving forward from there.
"We have been as patient as we possibly can and, I'm sorry, we don't have any patience left. It's time for Motherwell to be paid in full."
Cardiff were under a transfer embargo for much of the summer amid unpaid tax bills and a debt to Charlton relating to their purchase of defender Mark Hudson. But the ban was lifted by the Football League earlier this month, allowing City to register summer signing Tom Heaton and loan duo Jason Koumas and Danny Drinkwater ahead of the new season.
But Motherwell have been unable to ensure they are paid before Cardiff sign more players, and a deal to sign Craig Bellamy on a season-long loan has added insult to injury for the Fir Park board.
"It's frustrating," Dempster said. "We have made our feelings known to the SFA and others and we would like to see more being done.
"It's not fair and we're going to move forward vigorously on this one. They had a transfer embargo but because this is a football debt in Scotland, my understanding is that it's not imposed in that respect."
Source: PA
