Cork owner and chairman Tom Coughlan leaves court on Monday

Cork City's problems continued on Wednesday with the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland claiming every player is a free agent.

The Leesiders were wound up by a court on Monday over the club's inability to come to an agreement over unpaid tax.

The players have also agreed to defer their wages to help the club solve its financial problems.

Cork lie third in the Premier Division but all the games they have played in this season may become null and void.

All the league points won against them this season could be wiped as a result of Monday's court proceedings.

Cork club owner Tom Coughlan was unable to pay even half the amount owed to the Revenue Commissioners, despite a recent high-profile friendly clash with Roy Keane's Ipswich and the sales of Denis Behan to Hartlepool and Colin Healy to Ipswich.

The club have until Friday to lodge an appeal and a club statement said they were "doing everything in our power to settle these liabilities".

Cork City do not own their home ground of Turners Cross, which is the property of the Munster FA, leaving the option of a new team to be created to replace the soon to be defunct City.

"The players are fully behind the efforts of Mr Tom Coughlan and the club at this difficult time and they hope that every effort is made by all the stakeholders to keep Cork City Football Club in League of Ireland football," the PFAI stated.

"The PFAI will continue to work with the club and the players to try and secure the immediate and long term future of the club."

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