YORK Wasps' demise has been predicted many times, and it has always survived. But today it stands at the very brink of extinction.

This is the lowest point in Wasps' proud, 134-year history. The timing of the blow makes it all the more devastating. Days after York's football club was saved after an exhausting city-wide campaign, its rugby league club is imperilled.

This would have been a horrible irony if the fate of the two were not inextricably linked. When Wasps' bid to take over York City failed, the rugby league club failed with it.

Fans, players and staff are shell-shocked today. Although they had long feared for the future of their club, they were not prepared for the abruptness of the end. As coach Leo Epifania put it: "They just walked in last night and closed it down."

This is no way to treat people's lives and livelihoods. Unhappily, however, it is in keeping with the amateurish manner of the club's recent management.

No one doubts the commitment to Wasps of chairman John Stabler. He and his board have struggled valiantly to keep the club going, despite facing major obstacles.

Primary among these is Huntington Stadium. Wasps never fully recovered from the move from Clarence Street. This ended the fans' time-honoured ritual of enjoying a few beers in the city centre before walking to watch the match. Many never followed the team to Huntington, even when the club enjoyed some success in the Nineties.

Club bosses tried to make the best of a bad move, but they do not own the stadium and their hopes to expand it were scuppered by planning restrictions. With income limited to gate receipts and sponsorship, investment was low and that has been reflected in Wasps' dismal recent record of results.

As a result, the fans stayed away. At the last home game only 280 spectators turned up.

Unlike their counterparts at City, York Wasps' directors have not blamed the fans. Instead, they say they have been badly let down by their main sponsor, the New York Economic Development Fund. They claim it promised enough money to see the club through the season, and international players to boot.

But you cannot run a business on promises. The sponsors' alleged failure to deliver is deeply disappointing, but so too is the club's failure to keep them to their commitment.

What Wasps need now is for the Rugby Football League to step in and broker an urgent rescue package.

The success of the Save City campaign shows what can be done if the wider York community rallies round. If Wasps can buy enough time to survive until season's end, there is hope that they can then attract new backers who are prepared to overhaul the club from top to bottom and relaunch it as a viable entity.

Updated: 10:38 Wednesday, March 20, 2002