Shropshire’s premier ice hockey team Telford Tigers could be forced to quit its league after its main sponsors pulled out just weeks before the season was due to start.Now the club boss has admitted the Tigers are facing an uncertain future unless a new source of cash is found. It was announced yesterday that sponsors, Cannock-based Eurologix, had withdrawn.

The news came just four days after it was revealed the security firm was the new title sponsor of Elite League team Sheffield Steelers.

Dedicated fans have been quick to offer their support through donations and giving up their time, and dozens of messages have been posted on the Tigers’ website.

David Candlin, Tigers club manager, said the collapse of the deal meant the side now looked unlikely to be able to compete in the forthcoming English Premier League (EPL) season.

The side are due to ice off at Slough Jets on September 20, before the first home game at Telford Ice Rink the following day against Swindon Wildcats.

Mr Candlin said the news was a massive blow for the team’s 22 semi-professional players and their dedicated fans.

Mr Candlin said: “I think right now the likelihood is we won’t be taking part in the English Premier League and we won’t start this season.

“We’ve got three weeks in which to scrap everything and start again, but we’ve been working all summer. I don’t see how we can possibly do it.”

He urged anyone who might be able to sponsor Telford Tigers to get in touch via their website as soon as possible.

Mr Candlin said, after agreeing the sponsorship deal with Eurologix in June, the Tigers had secured new players with experience of the Elite League, the top British division, but without the funding would no longer be able to afford them.

He said the team could “run on a shoestring”, but it was too late now to make new arrangements for the new season.

Mike Loughlin, Eurologix managing director, said yesterday the firm had pulled out of the deal after Telford Tigers’ management failed to meet certain criteria laid out as part of the deal.

By Lizzie Yates