CROYDON Athletic players and management could be poised for a mass walkout if the club cannot find the money to pay them.

The Rams are due to play Concord Rangers in the Ryman Premier Division tomorrow and although the club have confirmed the game WILL take place, the home team could be markedly different from that which beat Carshalton Athletic on Monday.

Croydon Athletic's funding issue has arisen after their owner Mazhar Majeed was arrested and released on bail twice in the last seven days.

Majeed was initially arrested in connection with an alleged international cricket betting scam last Saturday evening, before being questioned again in relation to money laundering claims.

As Majeed was the main source of money for Croydon Athletic, the allegations which surfaced in a national newspaper this week have left the club unsure of their financial future.

The Rams squad have not been paid for last week and manager Tim O'Shea - for whom the job is his main source of income - says the playing staff are waiting find out if the club can meet the wage bill going forward before deciding on their own futures.

"We are waiting for confirmation [that] the players' wages from last week are going through," he said.

"The club is rallying around to try to ease that problem. The players are desperate to go ahead at the club and are seriously together with all this going on. We are basically waiting for the green light as we speak.

"The game is going ahead on Saturday - but what team plays is still open to debate."

As the manager's role is O'Shea's main job, the issue over payment is particularly pertinent. Many of the players have the financial security of another job.

O'Shea admitted it was an important issue to whether he remains as the Rams manager, but insisted it was more than a case of simply missing out on a week's or a month's wages.

He stressed that he and the players were keen to stay at the club but added that any decision on their future would be taken as a group.

"We are in this together - myself, Smudger (assistant manager Neil Smith) and all the players. But at the same time, you must appreciate that bills need to be paid and mouths need to be fed. That's no different to anybody else," said O'Shea.

"It's not a case of: 'If we don't get paid last week's wages then we're not playing'.

"But you have to be fair to the players and give them the opportunity to make their own minds up on their futures. If [the wages] don't come through then conversations will have to be had and decisions made. I can't avoid that unfortunately.

"Whatever decision I make will be made with the players. We are in this together - we carry on together or we walk away together."

O'Shea allayed fans' fears that they might not have a team to support, saying: "The main thing there will still be a club.

"The supporters have been brilliant and were brilliant on Monday."

For more coverage of the problems engulfing Croydon Athletic, see our reports on page 60.