Spanish second-tier club Reus Deportiu have been given a three-year expulsion from professional football and a €250,000 fine for failing to pay the wages of six players.

The club's financial woes have been well documented in Spain, with majority shareholder and chief executive Joan Oliver pleading for patience and forgiveness from fans at the end of December.

Oliver's hope was he could sell the club to a wealthy investor, despite their estimated debt of €5.2million.

But the most serious issue from the perspective of the Spanish league authorities is unpaid wages.

Six players have had to leave Reus as a result of not being paid their wages, an offence the Spanish league called "extremely serious".

Reus – who were in the second tier's relegation zone – have 15 days to appeal against the decision.