Portsmouth's prospects look bleak on the pitch but the club's Supporters Trust remains confident it can secure the club's future off it.

The troubled League One team confirmed on Tuesday that six first-team players have left Fratton Park at the end of their short-term contracts as part of the ongoing cost-cutting process.

The captain Brian Howard, defenders Mustapha Dumbuya, Jon Harley and Lubomir Michalik, midfielder Lee Williamson and striker Luke Rodgers are looking for new clubs.

Guy Whittingham, the caretaker manager, has also lost the on-loan forward Paul Benson after he went back to Swindon Town, and has a first-team squad of just 13 players to work with ahead of Saturday's trip to Scunthorpe United.

Pompey, who won the FA Cup in 2008 and were relegated from the Premier League two years later, are in the League One relegation zone having not won any of their past 14 matches and face a 10-point penalty if and when they come out of administration.

Meanwhile, the saga of the Pompey Supporters Trust's attempt to buy the club will rumble on at least until the end of the month after the latest court hearing was on Tuesday adjourned until 31 January.

The group's bid hinges on the administrators, PKF, gaining permission to sell it Fratton Park, which is controlled by the former Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai. But the PST says the latest delay gives it more time to successfully complete its takeover.

"Our original wish was to buy Fratton Park ourselves and we are optimistic that we will be able to achieve this, which of course is what the fans want," said the Trust's chairman, Ashley Brown. "However, the single most important thing our supporters can do to help achieve this objective is to convert their pledges or buy a share if they have not yet done so, either as individuals or in syndicates.

"All money is held in an escrow account and will only be used should the bid proceed, as we all hope it will. The more cash we can raise before the final court hearing, the better our chances of success. It is as simple as that."