Supporters of troubled Crawley Town Football Club have accepted that the Majeed brothers running the club may be the only alternative to extinction.

But they have called for a public apology from the owners for the "hurt" they have been caused over the past year.

Owners Azwar and bankrupt Chas Majeed have offered to pay creditors £500,000 by the end of October.

If the majority of people owed money by the club, including the Inland Revenue, players, former staff and Crawley Borough Council, accept the offer then the Majeeds will retain control.

If more than 50 per cent reject the offer the club will be wound up and the team dissolved.

Antony Weller, of the Crawley Town Supporters' Trust, said: "The trust has opposed the involvement of the Majeed brothers ever since the club was placed in administration by them at the beginning of June.

"It has not changed that view as it believes the business decision to go into administration was a reckless, unnecessary and unethical decision.

"We understand some people don't want the Majeeds at any cost but the simple fact is that without acceptance of the revised offer there will be no football club this season.

"That opportunity evaporated when the administrators decided to allow this last-ditch offer to be made.

"We therefore have two options. Continue with the revised offer in the hope that the Majeeds can find the money within 60 days or face being wound up, possibly with no chance of future resurrection."

The Inland Revenue, owed more than £200,000 by the Majeeds, has indicated it will refuse the offer.

Mr Weller said: "If accepted, the offer will cost the Majeed brothers the same amount financially as it would have cost to keep the club running.

"In short, they could have spared the club and its fans all the uncertainty and unrest and Crawley Town would now be sitting proudly joint-top of the Nationwide Conference instead of being adrift at the bottom after a ten-point reduction."

Mr Weller expressed concern that the Majeeds may not be able to find the money in time.

He said: "It appears to hinge on urgent financial investment in the club, investment they have so far showed an inability to obtain because of their actions.

"The trust remains concerned that a public apology has not yet been forthcoming from the Majeeds for the anguish and hurt it has put the club's supporters and creditors through during the past 12 months.

"This has been a deeply unsettling time for supporters of Crawley Town Football Club. The blame for that instability lies with the Majeed brothers.

"The trust urges them to lay aside their usual practice of shrouding their financial affairs in a cloak of mystery and to seek out new, genuinely independent investment for the club."

The Majeeds were unavailable for comment.