Luton defender Chris Perry insists the Hatters' financial problems will not cause the club to be relegated to League Two.The future of the League One club is set to move a step closer to being finalised on Tuesday after Monday night's deadline passed for potential buyers to register a bid with the administrators at Kenilworth Road.

But Perry - who played a key part in Sunday's thrilling FA Cup third-round draw with Liverpool - insists that despite not being paid fully since the end of October and having 10 points deducted for going into administration, the players are not contemplating relegation to League Two.

He said: "Any prospective buyer can see that there is a lot of talent here and that the club are in a false position because of the 10-point deduction.

"If it wasn't for that then we'd be just outside the play-offs as the form team in the division.

"It's disappointing that promotion is probably going to be difficult this season now but I think we will definitely survive.

"We feel hard done by that we had the points deducted which put us in the relegation zone and we are determined to get out of it.

"None of us want a relegation on our CV"

Perry, 34, has never tasted relegation in a career that has taken in two FA Cup semi-finals and a £4million move from Wimbledon to Tottenham in 1999.

He will head back to a top-flight arena next Tuesday when the Hatters face Liverpool again in a televised replay.

And he admits that his younger team-mates are thrilled at the prospect of running out at Anfield.

He said: "Whenever we have played teams from a higher level this season we have managed to produce a performance and that was the best we have played this season (against Liverpool).

"We were disappointed not to win the game but there are a lot of young lads who have never played at a ground like Anfield before so they are all looking forward to that.

"Realistically the tie has probably gone for us now but from a financial point of view it is great.

"In the position we are in the draw was the best result we could have got for the good for the club, but it would have been nice to have knocked them out.

"I've been to the semi-final of the FA Cup twice with Wimbledon and Spurs so it's been fairly good to me down the years.

"It would have been nice to get to a final but that's not to have been and I doubt I'll do it now."

The club's administrators are set to announce on Tuesday morning whether at least one suitable bid was lodged ahead of Monday's 5pm deadline.

The club are still losing around £400,000 a month and will be forced to sell players if funding is not made immediately available by a potential buyer.

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