The future of Shaun Goater’s Ilkeston is, once again, in doubt after the players refused to play for the English non-League club because of a dispute over pay.

It is understood that players — some of whom are employed full-time by the Derbyshire side — have not been paid since before Christmas.

Ilkeston, who appointed Goater as manager in February, are 14 points adrift of safety and need a miracle to preserve their Evo-Stik League Northern Premier status.

The first team squad includes Bermudian players Dale Eve, Danté Leverock, Jaylon Bather, Tehvan Tyrell and David Jones Jr.

A takeover of the club is believed to be imminent but, with no date scheduled, captain Matt Baker and the players have taken matters into their own hands.

Baker issued a statement on an Ilkeston fans’ forum after the players’ decision not to travel to AFC Workington for today’s league game.

“Today was the day no one wanted to happen,” it read.

“The players made the decision that things had to change, players have been beaten into this situation due to a lack of wages and communication.

“We were given hope weeks ago and, unfortunately, this hasn’t materialised yet; the players want to play but felt this situation needed to come to an end and hopefully this will help.

“I believe that the chairman [Nigel Harrop] is working hard to solve the problems and will be speaking to us on Monday to resolve this situation.”

It is not the first time this season that Ilkeston have courted controversy.

They were briefly suspended by the league just days before the start of the season for a “breach of rules and regulations and a failure to pay football creditors”.

The club claimed they had been “aggressively pursued” having been poised to secure a payout after former player Che Adams’s £2 million move from Sky Bet League One side Sheffield United to Championship outfit Birmingham City.

The debts were settled a fortnight later with the suspension lifted with immediate effect.

Ilkeston are scheduled to play Buxton away on Tuesday.