Wasps' rescuer Richard Collier has been appointed as a new director of York Rugby League Club.

The owner of Copmanthorpe-based firm Collier Plant hire was today welcomed on to the Northern Ford Premiership club's board by delighted chairman Trevor Cox.

He saluted Collier as 'the right type' to strengthen the club, adding that the search for other directors continued.

Collier was one of two staunch York RL backers, who earlier this month averted a pay wrangle that threatened the team's fixture against Dewsbury Rams.

Players had asked for money owed to them be paid before the fixture or they would consider taking further action, which could have meant refusing to play at Dewsbury.

But Collier and club director Ann Garvey answered the club's cash SOS by each stumping up several thousands of pounds to pay the outstanding wages of the playing-staff.

Now he is to be a colleague of Garvey on the club's board to the delight of Cox.Said the Wasps' chairman: "I am pleased to welcome Richard Collier to the board.

He has been a supporter and sponsor for many years now.

"He will bring business acumen and common-sense to the club.

"I have always believed we needed to strengthen the board and we will continue to do that.

"We are on the lookout for new directors all the time, but we only want the right people. Richard Collier is the right type of person."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.