The family of the late president of Ħamrun Spartans Football Club, Victor Tedesco, have asked the courts to stop the premier division club from selling or loaning its players to other clubs.

The request for an injunction was filed by Mr Tedesco's wife and children after the club, they claimed, failed to pay him more than €45,000 in debts despite its many promises to do so.

They said that in 2001 the club had declared, in a document signed by notary Sandro Schembri Adami, that it would pay Mr Tedesco 70 per cent of all transfer fees.

By 2008, only about €5,000 had been paid and Mr Tedesco agreed to receive 30 per cent instead.

A document attached to the request for an injunction shows that the club had intended to pay some of the money back in instalments, €800 by February and by March 2008.

The papers, which were signed by club president Gaetano Tanti, secretary Sean Scicluna and treasurer Emanuel Fenech, state that Mr Tedesco was then to be paid €350 at the end of each month as from April 2008.

Mr Tedesco died last March.

The family also pointed out that although the club was recently involved in discussions to transfer players to other clubs, they had been excluded from the negotiations.

They specifically mentioned talks over the sale of Ryan Fenech to Sliema Wanderers FC, where he is already on loan.

The injunction was filed by Patricia Calabretta, Doreitte Tedesco, Louise Portelli, Henriette Tedesco and Josephine Tedesco against club president Daniel Sullivan; secretary Mr Scicluna and treasurer Jean Pierre Busuttil. It was signed by lawyer Kris Borg.