Keighley Cougars will hold a "clear-the-air" meeting with supporters tonight to discuss the club's latest financial crisis.

It follows the decision of owner Hami Patel to stand down leaving them with insufficient funds to meet the wage bill.

It has resulted in coach Steve Deakin being forced to go part-time and the players being offered reduced terms for the rest of the season.

"We feel it is important we put the facts in front of the fans with all the speculation flying around," said Cougars general manager Gary Murgatroyd.

"We want to bring them all up to date with what is happening behind the scenes and our plans for the future.

"I thought the fans were tremendous at Oldham on Sunday. They really got behind the side and the young players we brought in were amazed by their response. It just shows how much they care about the club.

"At the moment it's a case of battling on from day to day but in the longer term we have some exciting plans. If talks were are having come to fruition the present situation could be completely turned around very quickly," he said.

Tonight's meeting will be held in the Hall of Fame bar at Cougar Park (8pm).

Deakin is still unclear which players will be available for Sunday's visit of Hunslet Hawks.

"Hopefully we will have a better picture of what the players are going to do when we meet tonight," he said.

"Some of them are of a mind that they want to go elsewhere, others are injured and are waiting to see whether there is an improved offer.

"We need to know of their intentions tonight so we can plan ahead.

"Basically, the team we played at Oldham was our reserve side with three trialists from a team I know well, Oldham St Annes. Most of the players who came in did an outstanding job."

Meanwhile the influential Martin Wood has had the plaster removed from his left leg after knee surgery and is looking to start running again in three weeks time