Disillusioned Lee Crooks has blamed his treatment at the hands of York Wasps for finally forcing him to quit as coach.

As revealed on this website late yesterday Crooks handed in his resignation, just two days after being told he would not be offered a new contract when his current one expires on July 7.

The Wasps insist they are not in a position to offer any contracts until they get money in place for next season, which could be as late as August or September.

But Crooks claimed he had been led to believe that he would be offered new terms.

"I feel I have been let down by the club," Crooks said. "If they'd told me six weeks ago they were not in a position to offer me a contract I'd have tried to go about my job the best I could until the end of the season.

"But they haven't told me the truth about what they've been intending to do.

"Then to imply that I would have to apply for the job when it comes up again is insulting.

"I feel I'm letting the players and supporters down by resigning but there are certain principles I have got to uphold."

Crooks has stood by the Wasps during the most traumatic season in the club's history.

Despite losing most his top players due to financial constrictions, having to bring in a host of amateurs and trialists, and suffering three 90-point defeats in a long line of hammerings, Crooks has steadfastly refused to quit, saying he intended to see through the job he had started.

But he has been upset by York's refusal to return that loyalty with any firm commitment to his future at the club.

"I asked them to offer some commitment to me but they weren't prepared to do that. Commitment has to work both ways," he said.

"They said I would be the front runner for the job when they get the money in but if someone like Shaun McRae came in for it then he would get it. I think that's despicable."

But Wasps vice-chairman Russell Greenfield stood by his previous claim that, due to the club being in a Company Voluntary Arrangement, they were not able to issue contracts.

"I told the board they couldn't issue any form of contract or take on any kind of debt until we had the finance in place.

"We could have offered Lee something but financially it wouldn't have been in the best interests of the club and the club has to come first," said Greenfield, adding that they had left the decision until this week because it had been their first board meeting in six weeks.

"Also we don't know how long we would have to wait and it's quite possible that Lee would be working somewhere else by then.

"But I'm sorry that he's resigned. He has been loyal, he's worked hard, he's a nice guy. He was a wonderful player, an icon and I hope he gets a very good position in rugby because rugby is his life. I wish him all the best."

However, he suggested that, had Lee stuck out his contract until it ended on July 7, they might have been in a position to offer him a new deal.

The Wasps are close to tying up a major sponsorship deal with a multi-national company and Greenfield said: "I'm going to meet with the person in charge of the company next week and we are hoping we might finally clinch it then."

Updated: 09:20 Friday, June 22, 2001