A COMPANY fronted by former Saints chairman Michael Wilde has been wound up by the taxman, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Merlion Group Limited was liquidated at London’s High Court after an action was launched by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

The firm, a specialist provider of affordable housing, was handed a winding up order in June this year having been set up nearly 20 years ago.

Mr Wilde, who left Southampton Football Club in 2009 after it was placed in administration, was the named director of the company, according to the Insolvency Service.

Tax bosses have refused to reveal why the order was issued on the firm, which was registered to an address in Portsmouth.

But according to documents held by Companies House, the business was placed in compulsory liquidation on June 23.

A separate business chaired by Mr Wilde, Winchester-based Merlion Homes, is still in operation.

The 58-year-old became the biggest shareholder at Saints in February 2006, seizing control as chairman in June the same year.

However, in February 2007 he stepped down after it became clear that new investment was not forthcoming.

The multi-millionaire businessman was to make a comeback as the chairman of the football board in 2008, along with former chairman Rupert Lowe.

But a year later, both men resigned from the boards of parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings and Southampton Football Club after the former was put into administration.

It is understood Mr Wilde invested around £2m of his own money in Saints which he will never recoup.

In June this year, it was revealed that his luxury New Forest mansion had been put on the market for £5.5m.

The eight-acre Burley Grange, nestled in the heart of the National Park, was described by estate agents Savills as having stunning views of the forest and a “manicured”

garden. The property, which also features a personal gym, home cinema and converted media and leisure complex, is still on the market, but with a reduced asking price of £4.95m. The former grammar school boy came to Hampshire around 20 years ago. He has a wife, Janet and son, Marc and has lived in Jersey since 2005.

Mr Wilde was unavailable for comment.