Sam Hammam has met the club directors

Mounting debts forced the sale of captain Graham Kavanagh to Wigan on Friday, and fans fear that others may be sold.

Mr Hammam has not ruled out the possibility of selling more players but said he hoped he would not have to.

The club's official accounts, released on Saturday, showed it was almost �30m in debt.

Speaking after a meeting with directors at Ninian Park on Friday, Mr Hammam said: "I read today that a lot of players could be going - this is not the case.

"Some might still go but we hope none go. We don't promise one way or another," he added.

"We, the club and the fans, all have to stand together and we might have to accept to do very, very painful things indeed in the next few days or weeks," Mr Hammam said.

Auditors have been called in at the club, which is said to be �30m in debt.

Saviour

Ninian Park players and staff have not been paid this month and it is believed the club's total wage bill each month is near to �750,000.

Ironically the sale of the Graham Kavanagh comes less than 24 hours after the team's manager said no player would be sold before Saturday's home game against Sheffield United.

Lennie Lawrence is worried about further sales

On Friday, Bluebirds manager Lennie Lawrence, also could not rule out more sales after Kavanagh, who was Cardiff's first �1m purchase in 2001 and was a driving force in the club's recent rise.

The Republic of Ireland international had been an integral part of what Mr Hammam insisted would be a march towards the premiership when they were promoted in 2003.

Mr Hammam insists Cardiff City's future will be safe when work begins on the new stadium in July or August, but many Cardiff fans have turned against the chairman they once regarded as the club's saviour.

Some fans have voiced deep concerns over the future of the championship side.

Vince Alm from Cardiff City Supporters Club said: "We've had some bad chairmen in the past - I'm not going to name them - and bad times, but never as bad as this."

But Gwyn Davies, spokesman for the Valley Rams supporters club, was more optimistic after meeting Mr Hammam on Friday night.

He told Radio Wales on Saturday : "I was absolutely distraught. These are tough times, but I feel a lot better than I did yesterday. "Graham Kavanagh going is a massive sacrifice, but put in the context of would we rather lose some of our young talent, you've got to put it into perspective."