A crunch meeting tonight will determine the next course of action by York Wasps players over their non-payment of wages.

Several of the playing staff are still waiting for around six weeks wages and have demanded some answers by tonight.

If they are not forthcoming, they may refuse to fulfil tomorrow's crucial Premiership clash at Dewsbury Rams, though the board of directors are confident they have come up with a satisfactory solution to avoid any further action.

The players put a written list of demands to the board on Tuesday night, one of which was payment of the wages owed to them by tonight. If the board are unable to come up with the money, or a suitable alternative, the players will discuss their next move.

Coach Dean Robinson has refused to comment on the situation until after tonight's meeting, while chief executive Jim Race said they would today be implementing the first part of a plan to get the wages up to date. It is that offer which is likely to form the basis of the players' talks tonight.

John Huxley, public relations manager for the Rugby Football League, said they were aware of the financial situation at the Wasps but stressed: "We have had no approach from the club for help and we regard it as a matter for the club. All players are contracted to play and we expect them to play.

"If they don't then there are a number of option available to us and we will take the appropriate action." He declined to comment on the options available but said they had "open-ended powers."

The wage cheques for around one-third of the players, coaches and backroom staff bounced last week, just a couple of days before the Wasps' defeat at Rochdale Hornets.

But they are still in fourth place in the Premiership and victory over second-placed Dewsbury tomorrow could be crucial to their hopes of earning a place in the top-five play-offs at the end of the season.

Last season York's players threatened to strike towards the latter part of the campaign when the club could not pay their wages.

But they eventually agreed to play out their fixtures for a percentage of their wages with a promise that they would receive the rest at the end of the season.

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