THE owners of the Newcastle Jesters Ice Hockey Club have been told to settle the club's debts within three weeks or face expulsion from the league.

London-based Fablon Investments, which owns the club, still owe an estimated £150,000 to last season's players and has yet to play a game three weeks into the season.

The Ice Hockey Superleague (ISL) is enforcing a ban on the team registering any players to take the ice until the money is paid, delaying the season's start.

And an extraordinary general meeting of the ISL board yesterday delivered its ultimatum of "pay up or face the consequences", said the league's chief executive, Ian Taylor.

He argued the fans had been "left in limbo" for too long, uncertain of whether there would be a team to support this season or not. Jesters fixtures have been suspended for a month to get the issue sorted out.

The saga, which started in February, has even seen the club chairman, former Durham Wasps owner Paul Smith, quit and now October 17 has been named as the cut-off date for an end to the uncertainty.

However, Fablon chairman Graham Gutteridge has seen the ISL decision as a "vote of confidence" and a chance to "resolve any remaining difficulties".

He said: "We appreciate this gesture by the ISL to give us extra time. We see this as an extremely positive and helpful move by the authorities.

"The fact that the fixtures have been suspended for a month also removes some of the uncertainty for our fans."

Mr Gutteridge added: "It also allows Glenn Mulvenna (director of hockey) and the newly arrived players time to train together in preparation for our face off."

Newcastle were due to start their season on September 2 against the Nottingham Panthers at the Telewest Arena, the Jesters' home venue.

Read more about Newcastle Jesters here.