Hull City owner Russell Bartlett has dipped into his own fortune to keep the club running.

The Guardian says Bartlett has been forced to pay his own money into the club to fund its day-to-day trading.

The Tigers are struggling to meet their financial commitments, principally because of a wage bill - £38m annually for a squad of 41 players- described by the returning chairman, Adam Pearson, as "not manageable".

Pearson, who sold City to Bartlett in 2007, returned to the KC Stadium on Monday following Paul Duffen's departure. He claims Hull's borrowings are £9m, relatively low for the Premier League but the club cannot support wages for players on so lavish a scale.

He would not disclose how much Bartlett has put in this week to ensure the club can pay its way, but said: "Russell Bartlett is a good owner who has put his own money into the club and he continues to fund it privately."