The League One club need the money to enable main contractor Buckingham Group to finish the job where costs have risen above the original £30m estimate for the 9,000 seat scheme.

A club statement said: “While we are totally committed to completing the project, we are also about to reach a point of no return.

“Our constructors need a financial commitment from us by January to enable them to complete the final phases and instruct their own subcontractors.

“As it stands at the moment, we are unable to make that commitment.

“Because of unforeseen planning delays and increased building costs, we will need to raise a further £11m to complete the stadium as we all want it to be.”

Steelwork has been erected on the main stand and the club – which is owned by its supporters – hope to start playing at the new ground next season.

But a cash shortfall means the Dons Trust Board owning body now faces a number of choices at a special meeting next month.

These include increasing borrowing at the expense of the transfer budget, scaling down the stadium plans or accepting offers of private investment.