Halifax had hoped for a crowd of 5,500 for their match against Whitehaven but only 2,247 people, many of them fans from Super League clubs who had paid at the turnstile in a show of support, turned out.

If they cannot generate the money to meet their contractual obligations to their players and suppliers by next Monday, Halifax's directors will have no option but to recommend to their members that the club be liquidated.

"We need £90,000 to meet all our liabilities until December 1, at which point we start getting income from next year's sources such as sponsorship," explained Halifax's company secretary Michael Steele.

"If we haven't solved the problem by next Monday the prospects of us going under are very, very real. Fortunately we are much nearer a resolution now than we were 10 days ago but there is still a long way to go."

Steele confirmed he has had meetings with the club's former chairman Howard Posner, a senior executive with main sponsor Halifax Home Insurance, for assistance in putting together a rescue package but said that no formal plans had been drawn up.

"They seem to be waiting for the day we succeed. Maybe it's time they realised it's a chicken and egg situation and that they won't get the club they want unless they get behind us now," he added.

The trouble-hit club have had to resort to selling off club memorabilia, including the silver salver they won for beating York in the 2004 qualifying play-off final, on the internet auction site eBay to bring in cash.

Halifax, whose debt problems drove them into a Company Voluntary Arrangement in 1999, are currently seventh in National One but could still reach the play-offs if they beat Widnes on Sunday.

However, under the game's bylaws should they go into liquidation they would lose their membership of the Rugby Football League which could lead to them being relegated with immediate effect.

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