Port Vale have failed to pay their players wages, it has been confirmed today.
BBC Radio Stoke reports that the players were told AFTER last night's draw with Crewe that they would not be paid. The news was relayed to the squad by manager Micky Adams. The attendance last night, of 6,356, was over 2,000 lower than last season's meeting between the sides and would have generated income of around £60,000. However the wage bill is reported to be £180,000.
Meanwhile, the local press is reporting that the club have asked the council to loan them a further £300,000 'in order to stay afloat'. Any further council funding would be controversial after it announced £24million in budget cuts last week. The PFA have also been in talks with the club over a loan.
Fansite OneValeFan reports that a further council statement is expected later today with the club owing around £10,000 on their existing loan and a further £20,000 due tomorrow.
Update: Gareth Owen, the PFA representative of the club, has told the BBC they were due to be paid at midnight last night, and were only told two hours earlier that the money was not coming.
Micky Adams told the BBC: "If the rumours are true then tomorrow morning instead of pushing for the play-offs, we need to win games to stay in the League."