Blackpool Panthers are urgently seeking new investment following the resignation of chairman Bobby Hope for health reasons.

It leaves the Championship One club in financial turmoil, with a wage bill to pay on Friday.

"There's been a lot of sweat, blood and tears taking the club to the level it is now," head coach Martin Crompton told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The next five days could decide our fate, so fingers crossed."

Blackpool have enjoyed one of their best ever seasons and are currently third in the table, six points behind leaders Oldham.

This Friday is D-Day Blackpool head coach Martin Crompton

They won all eight of their opening league games and also reached the fifth round of the Challenge Cup, putting in a battling performance in the 70-22 defeat against reigning Super League champions Leeds.

"We've only been getting gates of around 200-250 recently so our wage bill far outweighs what's coming into the club," said Crompton.

"And now because the chairman has stopped funding the club we're in a very dangerous situation. We just hope we'll get new backers to help us sustain the success we've had this season.

"John Chadwick [stand-in chairman] has worked hard over the last couple of weeks and has been in negotiations with one or two people. We'll keep that private until a decision's been made but at the moment it's still all up in the air.

"This Friday is D-Day. I'd hate to think some of us don't get paid because we've a massive game at Hunslet coming up, so it's a major distraction and I'm just hopeful someone will step in over the next day or two and help us out."

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