SHELL-SHOCKED captain Alan Pallister insists a huge gap will be left in his life if York Wasps are wound-up in the High Court on Wednesday.

Pallister, 29, is the longest serving player at the club and is due a testimonial in November.

He is a York lad through and through, having joined the Wasps from New Earswick All Blacks in November 1990.

And he admitted he would be devastated if the High Court hearing does not go their way.

"It would be gutting if it was over. A big part of my life I've spent here," said Pallister after York's 24-6 defeat by Hull KR yesterday.

However, Pallister revealed that it wasn't until Friday when chief executive Ann Garvey held a meeting with the players that the seriousness of the situation sunk in.

"The amount of times we have heard it might be over in the past it does go over your head a bit. But on Friday Ann put the record straight and told us how serious it was. If it goes against us on Wednesday that's it.

"That's when it really hit home. It really did strike a chord and I think that's why some of the lads were off their game. Afterwards nobody has really spoken about it, they've all gone and sat in their own corners.

"I don't think the lads have looked at it as being the last game but if it is then it will be a sad night on Thursday. We'll have to get together and it will really hit home."

York battled bravely in the second half at Huntington Stadium yesterday but the damage was done in the first 40 minutes when Rovers stormed into an 18-0 lead.

The Wasps were slow to get going and Pallister said that the off-field problems had taken their toll.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room wasn't like it usually is. We've tried to blank it out and put it out of our minds but I think it showed a little bit. We were a bit lethargic and didn't start like we can.

"But we can take a lot of positives out of today. We played better in the second half but we were trying to play catch-up football and it was hard work.

"If it's the end it's a bad way to go out but you have to try and look on the bright side."

Player-coach Garry Atkins said he was delighted with the attitude of the players in such difficult times.

He praised their commitment and revealed they had worked hard to keep their minds on the task in hand.

"We've just got to keep doing our bit on the park. We've got to distance ourselves from the politics off the park. There are people in good positions to deal with that - we can't. All we can do is play rugby and put out the best performance we can.

"I've been very impressed with the attitude of the players. They've worked really hard, particularly in the second half.

"We can come away from this game with a lot of credit. There wasn't a lot of difference between the sides, it's just the errors that we made. We knuckled down and improved in the second half. We've just got to get away from this first half nightmare that we keep having."

Atkins confirmed they would be preparing for next Sunday's trip to Featherstone Rovers in the normal way, starting with training tomorrow.