The crisis at Derry City deepened today with more staggering developments that have left the club on the brink of collapse.

Already expelled from the League of Ireland after the Football Association of Ireland said rules were broken over contracts with players, there was more shame for Derry City when the players released a damning statement last night distancing themselves from “wrongdoing” at the club.

The comments from the players came after chairman Pat McDaid and three other directors stood down leaving just Stephen McCarron on the board.

The club is in a total mess with fans left bewildered by what is going on.

The only hope that they seem to have right now is a meeting tomorrow which will involve top FAI officials, Derry officials and businessmen in the city.

That will take place as the loyal supporters come to terms with what is happening at their football club.

The statement from the players, who have been cleared by the FAI, is sure to leave many fans seething.

It said: “Until the allegations of ‘dual contracts' were made very recently, no player was aware of the existence of a second document which contained different figures to the one which we had originally agreed.

“The position is that at the beginning of the contract period, each player was presented with a document on Derry City headed paper which contained income amounts which we each individually agreed with the club.

“With only one exception, no player knowingly signed a second document.

“It now appears that, what the club had misrepresented to us as a blank registration form containing no figures, terms or conditions, was, in fact, a second document upon which different figures were subsequently entered and lodged with the league.

“The full terms of this contract were never made available to the players and we fully believed that the wages which we were being paid were disclosed to the league in accordance with normal practice.

“As soon as the players became aware of the situation, we have immediately agreed to set the record straight and we wish to have nothing to do with this wrongdoing.

“We are deeply distressed at this turn of events and we wish to distance ourselves entirely from the board's conduct.”

As for most of the board resigning, McDaid said that his relationship with FAI Chief Executive John Delaney had reached the point of no return.

Whether the same can be said of Derry City Football Club remains to be seen.