YORK Wasps may be staring into the abyss, but how heartening that more than 400 fans should attend an emergency meeting. Even more surprising, the fans pledged £10,000 to a supporters' fund.

How telling, too, that many of the pledges were dependent on the board resigning. This indicates that fans are willing to support the troubled club but not those who currently run it.

The 134-year-old club has until tomorrow afternoon to find a saviour. At the moment, there is no sign of a knight on a white charger willing to sweep York Wasps from the lip of oblivion. But it is still possible that good might come from this disaster, if, after an interval, a re-born Wasps rises from this sorry mess.

Updated: 10:41 Monday, March 25, 2002