THE deepening crisis at Weymouth Football Club has suffered another major setback with the first-team squad issuing a 14-day payment notice at the end of which they could become free agents.

The players, who still have not received their wages for January, held a meeting with Terras’ officials yesterday after taking advice from the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Weymouth chief executive Gary Calder said: “The players have given the club 14 days’ notice whereby if they do not get paid in that time then the club will have to release them as free agents.

“This has all come from the fact that just prior to Christmas the club was left high and dry in regards to the debt not being paid.”

The playing staff have shown fantastic character over the past few weeks in the midst of the growing crisis, picking up seven points from their last three games, but now they want to see an end to the turmoil which has plagued the club over the last few months.

Millionaire businessman Colin Hill and former Cambridge United chairman Lee Power took a look at the accounts at the Blue Square Premier outfit last week.

Echosport understands that the duo met with former majority shareholder Malcolm Curtis and Ernie Battey, chairman of Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd, yesterday.

It is believed that lawyers were also present at the meeting and that negotiations are still ongoing.

When quizzed about the meeting last night, Curtis said: “No comment. But what I can say is that I no longer have any involvement with WFC at all.

“Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd through Wessex Delivery Partnership LLP own the land surrounding the Wessex Stadium of which I am a minority shareholder whose job is to try and deliver the development of the new stadium.

“That is my day job and as far as the football club is concerned I am now just another man on the street.”

Meanwhile, Power was unavailable for comment.

The Terras are due to travel to Torquay United tonight (7.45pm), weather permitting, and for boss Alan Lewer the game will surely be seen as a welcome distraction from the ongoing saga off the pitch.

He said: “I want the game to be on so we can get back to playing football but we are light on the ground in terms of players.

“We have the side that has been playing with the exception of Anton Robinson of course, and we have also lost Sam Cutler for four to five weeks with ankle ligament and tendon damage.

“With Pierre Joseph-Dubois also out it means we will have Jordan Collins, Scott Dixon, Ollie Tribe, Jordan Vincent and Marcus Browning on the bench, although Marcus is also a bit of a doubt as well.

“So as you can see we are pretty stretched but there is nothing we can do about it.”