CHIEF executive Mitchell Murphy is confident Jets players and staff wages will be paid on time this month as work on a plan to refinance the embattled club continues.
Retail giant Gerry Harvey confirmed to the Newcastle Herald on Sunday that he had lent Jets owner Nathan Tinkler $1 million last month.
He said he had not asked why Tinkler needed the money but added: "He could be paying the Jets, wages, interest, solicitors. I've got no idea."
The Jets' finances have been in the spotlight since Football Federation Australia issued Tinkler with a show-cause notice on February 2 over unpaid debts.
A portion of those liabilities have since been paid.
But Tinkler has still not paid an estimated $400,000 in superannuation to Jets players and staff and reportedly also owes the Australian Tax Office about $2 million, prompting the ATO to garnish the monthly grant FFA provides the Newcastle franchise.
Without the FFA grant, worth $2.55 million to every club paid in monthly instalments, the club's ability to pay its players has been stretched to the limit. Players and staff received their monthly wages 48 hours late in February.
Their next pay day is on March 15.
When asked if he envisaged similar dramas paying wages this month, Murphy replied: "No. We have a plan that we have been working on to refinance the club.
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"That plan is progressing well, but we are not at the finish line yet.
"Our members and fans can be assured that we have profound attention on resolving those financial obligations. We are in open dialogue with FFA to ensure they know where we are at in that process."
Murphy said the plan was holistic.
"There is no priority ranking," he said. "We want to resolve all our obligations."
Meanwhile, exiled senior players Billy Celeski and Adrian Madaschi are no closer to having their exits finalised.
The former Socceroos were among five players Tinkler declared more than five weeks ago had been sacked.
"It is fair to say I don't see a change in the status quo," Murphy said. "They will continue to train with the squad as per the regulations with the PFA and we will continue to honour their salary on a monthly basis as per the guidelines of payment."
It is a similar situation with David Carney, who, unlike Celeski and Madaschi, has a year to run on his contract.
"His agent is liaising with our football operations manager," Murphy said.