Dundee caretaker manager Barry Smith is pleading for leniency when the Scottish Football League impose a penalty on the club for going into administration.
The First Division side are facing a points deduction, with an announcement expected at the beginning of next week.
"The players and the fans will be punished," said Smith.
"Players want to play at the highest level they can. If that's taken away from them through no fault of their own then I think that is disappointing."
The SFL held a board meeting at Hampden on Thursday, with two Dens Park directors attending.
And the club's administrator Bryan Jackson will be questioned at another gathering next Thursday to assess Dundee's prospects of survival.
The SFL have sweeping powers under Rule 44 of their constitution to deal with any club which has breached league rules.
And although the sanctions could be announced following Thursday's meeting, it is thought that any decision on punishment will be revealed early the following week.
Dundee would then have the right of appeal to the Scottish Football Association.
"I don't think we're the only ones in this position, and I think we have to be careful whether they (SFL) want to set a precedent where they hit us with a massive points deduction," added Smith.
"Are they going to do that to every other club? Because I think there's a few in a perilous state just now as well."
Meanwhile, to add to Dundee's worries, Tayside Police have confirmed that the troubled First Division club owe them £31,500 for unpaid policing bills.
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