THE six-month pay dispute saga at the Newcastle Jesters ice hockey club will come to an end this week, according to the North-East side's chairman.

And Paul Smith last night totally refuted claims that the team would not be playing in next season's Ice Hockey Superleague (ISL) following the ongoing situation.

He said the money would be paid on Friday, bringing the saga to a close and allowing the club to start signing players for the new season, which is less than a month away.

Some £150,000 is owed to last season's squad, from three months' salary.

Mr Smith said: "My number one aim has always been to protect the club. I did not want to jeopardise the future of the Newcastle Jesters by over-committing ourselves.

"However, I would like to confirm that all of the debts outstanding to the squad from last season, will be paid on Friday, August 10, 2001, at which point we will then be given the official go-ahead from the ISL to start building our squad for the coming season."

He added: "I wish to refute 100 per cent, any claim that we will not be involved in the UK's top level of ice hockey.

"I have worked closely with the ISL throughout the entire close-season as we seek to solve problems within the Newcastle franchise, but at no stage whatsoever has there ever been any mention of us dropping out of the ISL. That will not happen.

"I can assure our fans and all of the other clubs within the ISL, that the Newcastle Jesters will be ready to begin their season, on time, with a full squad, playing in the Superleague."

Mr Smith has been working during the close-season to sort out a series of problems within the Jesters.

A director of hockey, Glenn Mulvenna, has already joined the club, but his efforts to form a squad have been hindered by an ISL ban on registering players until the money is paid.

Mr Smith concluded: "It has been a difficult few months, but the Jesters will come out of this as a much stronger, more stable outfit."

Jo Collins, executive director of the Ice Hockey Players' Association which is dealing with the players' wages claims, said she would continue holding her breath for the money to be paid to an IHPA solicitor.