Brendan Guilfoyle, the administrator running beleaguered Super League club Bradford Bulls, has apologised to the players for failing to attend a meeting he had called for Tuesday morning.
The Bulls players were promised an update on the club's financial crisis after Guilfoyle made 15 people redundant, including the entire coaching staff, in a major cost-cutting exercise.
The squad arrived on time at the club's training base in Tong, near Cleckheaton, only to discover through a third party that the meeting had been cancelled.
Joint captain Matt Diskin said: "We all turned up with the impression that we were meeting Brendan Guilfoyle to find out some more news but 10 minutes beforehand we found he's not given us the courtesy of turning up.
"We're in the dark, as we have been through the whole process. We don't know what is happening.
"The pure lack of communication is quite disrespectful in our eyes."
Guilfoyle, a partner in Leeds-based P&A Partnership, said he had decided to cancel the meeting but said the message did not get through to the players in time.
In a statement, he said: "I had convened a meeting with the players for today. Late last night I decided to cancel it as I had no update for the players and told them to have a day off.
"Unfortunately, it was too late for the message to get through by the time we contacted the captain, the players representatives and their solicitors.
"We have been in touch with the captain, Matt Diskin, to give a personal apology to him and his team-mates - I recognise how unsettling it was for the players."
Bradford are due to play London Broncos in their next league fixture at Odsal on Sunday amid rumours that former coach Brian Noble is set to take charge but Diskin expressed grave reservations about the game.
"We turned up today ready to train," he added. "Everyone has got their kit but there's nobody turned up.
"There is a game scheduled for Sunday but, in all honesty, how can we fulfil that fixture without any coaching staff? We're not allowed in the gym because of health and safety reasons.
"I hope we can play the game but it's going to be very hard without any staff in place."
Guilfoyle refused to confirm that former coach Brian Noble had been lined up as a caretaker coach when he attended a fans' meeting in Bradford on Monday night and later he maintained that former chairman Chris Caisley was not behind the scenes waiting to mount a rescue.
"I cannot state strongly enough that I am not speaking to any former directors or shareholders or anyone who has ever acted as a director, about buying the club," he said.
"I am desperately looking for ways for this club to survive and genuinely looking for purchasers.
"I would urge Bradford's business community to rally round and see how they can save this club."
Guilfoyle, who has no money to pay the players' wages for this month, has extended the deadline for the administration by two working days to next Tuesday but said there can be no further extension unless a buyer is found.
He said this would enable Sunday's game to go ahead and he revealed that Monday night's meeting, which was attended by around 500 fans, had unearthed a potential investor.
"I am sure the passion and tangible support offered by fans will play a significant part in any rescue," he said.
"It has already had an effect. One businessman who had rejected any involvement rang me after the meeting and said he had changed his mind.
"He has now asked to look at the numbers, based on the loyalty and support shown by fans.
"This city should be proud of its fan base, who are a real asset to anyone buying Bradford Bulls."
