WEYMOUTH FC officials will hold a do-or-die meeting on Thursday night at the Wessex Stadium in a last chance saloon bid to save the ailing club.

The Terras moved another step closer to oblivion on Monday when the first-team squad issued a 14-day payment notice, which could see them walk away from the club as free agents.

In response, chief executive Gary Calder, director Mark Golsby, community officer Tim Davis and Weymouth Supporters’ Club chairman Ian White have organised a forum in the hope that fans, shareholders, local businesses and the wider community will turn out in force to offer their ideas and support. The meeting will start at 8pm and is open to all.

The Terras have been searching for new investors ever since former majority shareholder Malcolm Curtis resigned as chairman and handed his shares over to Make It So Ltd, a holding company whose directors are Mr Calder, Mr Golsby and club accountant Ian Winsor.

And it seems that the Terras’ officials are still blaming Mr Curtis for the club’s plight. Mr Calder said: “The club is in a situation where it has 15 players who have issued a 14-day payment notice and will walk away in 12 days if they are unpaid. And that is why we have arranged tomorrow night’s meeting because this really is crunch time.”

Mr White then added: “As Malcolm Curtis stated in yesterday’s Dorset Echo he is now just another man on the street but how he can look himself in the mirror each morning I do not know.

“The fact no one at the club has been paid is a frightening situation and we all now need to get together to ensure the club survives.”

Mr Golsby, who is also the vice-chairman of the Terras Trust, added: “Tomorrow’s meeting is open to all. To the business community, supporters, shareholders and anyone who cares about the football club and its future survival.

“It is not about the trust, the supporters club or any other individual group, it is about everyone coming together in a bid to take action to save WFC.” Meanwhile, Mr Davis believes it is time the local community asks itself a big question.

He said: “We desperately need help and people need to decide do they want a football club or not? Because if something is not done soon then the town could well end up being without one.”

As the battle for the future of the club continues it was reported that a meeting took place on Monday between Colin Hill and Lee Power and the owners of the land surrounding the stadium, Malcolm Curtis and Ernie Battey.

However, Mr Power denied that any meeting had taken place. He said: “I have not got anything to say at the moment except that things are on-going.”

Mr Battey, meanwhile, refused to confirm or deny that a meeting took place.

He said: “My interest is in the development with Weymouth. I have no interest in the football club but I do understand what is going on, and if whoever owns it wants to engage directly then I would be more than happy to do so.

“If we could have a shared vision then that would be the ideal situation but the frustrating thing is that everyone says they want to talk to me but nothing happens. But then again people have to do what they have to do.

“I cannot be responsible for the football club because I have no investment in it but the land we own can have a good outcome with the development of an income-generating stadium for the town worth between seven and eight million pounds.”