Telford Tigers boss Tom Watkins believes it was good to talk after positive forum

Around 70 supporters gathered at Telford Ice Rink for the meeting, which was held to address issues around the team's performance, which has seen them lose 13 straight games in a row.

Questions centred around recruitment, game performances, progress from last season and the future of the club going forward.

Fans were asked to table the questions by e-mail before the forum but others were taken from the floor.

The reigning NIHL National League champions have struggled this season, losing six players at the start of the campaign and are on a run of 13 straight defeats.

Watkins said: "A lot of the questions were expected given the level of results in the last few months which nobody has been happy about and it was a positive meeting where things were able to be aired and discussed. "I said before and at the meeting we are having difficulty recruiting players to the level of the ones we lost at the end of last season, where six key members of the first team squad went elsewhere.

"As a club we are sound financially, well run and well supported with an average of 700 attending games but others like Leeds get twice that and it makes a difference, plus the player base is more central to their location.

"Players also have other commitments like work and family and we are 60 minutes from the nearest ice rink so travelling is a factor as well for them as well as them already being settled at other clubs or for the younger ones, being able to step up to national league hockey.

"It is a similar situation with Tigers 2, there are players coming through as we have seen but the first team is a big step up and we are in a league where we are playing 60 games rather than 30 for the seconds, so there is the extra commitment."

"I am frustrated with the recent performances, it is a results business the same as football but we have had to rebuild this season and we are finding the player pool is not only limited but players are often reluctant to relocate. And especially on the run we have been on, but rest assured me and the other coaches and staff are working hard to address it.

“We are looking forward to the future, rebuilding a squad whilst developing players and providing a positive playing environment, meanwhile we are hopeful of strengthening the squad for the forthcoming league programme."