A list of creditors totalling in excess of £2 million includes small local businesses and even schools who are owed money, dating back several years, for use of sports facilities.

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe School is owed £4,944; Rastrick High School £2,820 and Brighouse High School £173, according to documents released by the club's administrators.

Michael Horrocks, of Hipperholme and Lightcliffe, said the debt was an old one from the club's previous company voluntary arrangement in 2003. Under the terms of that traders got nothing but they have been included in the new arrangement proposed by administrators.

"The club has not trained here since," he said. "Because of what happened last time if the club trains here again it will have to pay cash."

All-Glass, of Ripponden, is a small company owed £165. It was called out after a break-in several years ago.

"It has been going on for so long I have thrown the paperwork away," said owner Simon Barritt. "It is annoying."

Hebden Bridge firm Fat Cat Trad-ing Comp-any, which provides promotional banners and ground boards, is owed £169 and owner Craig Mitchell said he had been stung twice over the years by Halifax Town.

"I wouldn't touch the club with a barge pole now," he said. "It is not worth the hassle."

Mr Mitchell said he would like the club to succeed and he app-lauded the efforts of those who tried to keep professional sport in the town – but there were too many financial problems.

"With the best will in the world it does not seem to matter who is running the club.

"People probably give 100 per cent but it seems to happen every few years.

"It is a shame. 2.5p is not worth a light. I have learned my lesson and I bet there are a lot of people like me."

The Shay Stadium Trust, which works on behalf of Halifax Town and Halifax RLFC, is listed as being owed £14,100 but chief executive Geoff Butler said that figure needed to be clarified and it would be substantially less.