EBBW Vale coach Mike Ruddock has called the decision to make 14 people redundant and mothball the club's social activities "devastating".

And club captain Chay Billen described the action as "a bit demoralising, and a bad day".

Ebbw Vale are cutting eight members of their staff and, according to chairman Marcus Russell, "a handful of players".

It is believed they number six, and that the leading member is Wales A wing Andrew Wagstaff.

Chief executive Tony Dilloway has made himself redundant, and also going are an administrative assistant, office manager, bar manager, cook and two cleaners, plus one other member yet to be told.

All social facilities will cease to exist at the club, though ways are being explored of making the clubhouse facilities available on match days.

The cuts are the price of keeping the club going after the Welsh Rugby Union agreed to fast forward some of the £650,000 they will give them next season to ease their cash flow problems.

Though Russell insisted the playing structure and coaching staff had not been affected Ruddock called it a huge blow.

"Obviously I'm devastated because we've had a great pre-season of real quality, so to hear this and that people would lose their jobs is a very sad day," he said.

"It's a huge blow at a time when I felt we were making progress.

"A lot will come down to how the players react to quite an unstable situation and whether they can create the same spirit.

"It was already a huge challenge, but it will be a bigger one now.

"But we've just got to get on with it, we're all professionals, we're paid to do a job and we've got to get on with it. That will be my message to the players."

Billen, still recovering from a neck operation, said the decisions were "a bit demoralising". "It's a bad day and I hope not too many will be demotivated by this.

"I've been there before, but this time it's pretty hard to take because for the first time in years we've had a good pre-season.

"We lost 20 players last year and Mike Ruddock didn't get here until August the year before, now this happens. It will be hard to motivate the players."

Billen has decided to return to university to get more qualifications.

The club appeal for support from the community and will offer season tickets at £100, a rover ticket costing £150.