YORK City Knights will complete their season after all, a statement from the Rugby Football League has said.

Hopes rose considerably after dates for their remaining home games were confirmed for Bootham Crescent.

And the RFL then stated the club "have committed to fulfilling their remaining Kingstone Press League One fixtures".

The calling-off of last Sunday's Super 8s opener at home to Doncaster due to York City's ground being unavailable that weekend led to the board saying they were to close the club as it was "unsustainable" due to groundshare issues both there and at the planned new community stadium. There followed expressions of interest in taking over the club.

All the players had been told last Thursday they would be made free agents, but they stuck together in the hope a resolution could be found.

The governing body issued a statement this evening.

It said: "The RFL can today confirm that York City Knights have committed to fulfilling their remaining Kingstone Press League One fixtures.

"Chairman John Guildford is looking for a buyer for the club and is currently in discussions with a potential purchaser and, to end any uncertainty whilst the necessary due diligence and legal formalities take place, he has confirmed that he will continue to run York City Knights during this period and will ensure that the team play all of their remaining 2016 fixtures."

Given the off-field turmoil, this weekend's trip to League One leaders Toulouse was also in doubt up until today, only being confirmed by the RFL this afternoon, once the two teams had submitted their squad lists for Saturday's match, and just before the Knights set off for Gatwick.

Fixtures will continue as normal thereafter, with dates now agreed by community stadium project partners for the Knights' forthcoming matches.

York will host Barrow next Saturday, August 6 (2pm), brought forward a day, subject to agreement from the Cumbrians. Hunslet Hawks will come on Sunday, August 21 (3pm), as was always agreed, and London Skolars will visit on Sunday, September 4 (3pm), also as originally announced.

The Doncaster match is set to be rearranged for Wednesday, September 7 (7.30pm) or Thursday, September 8 (7.30pm), to be confirmed, ahead of the last fixture of the Super 8s, away to Keighley on Sunday, September 11.

Doubts over this weekend's fixture led to several players not being able to get the necessary time off work at late notice and, coupled with injuries, it meant the team set off for France for the clash with the powerful Toulouse side without a full complement.

Guildford said: “It has always been my priority to do what is best for rugby league in York.

“I want to end this period of uncertainty for the club while negotiations are ongoing by guaranteeing that I will ensure the club will fulfil all their remaining 2016 fixtures.

“We are in contact with both City of York Council and York City and hope they will assist us in arranging the fixtures, as published by the RFL, to be played in York.”

He added: “This is a proud club with a great heritage and a talented squad of players and I will do everything I can to ensure that they are given the opportunity to win League One, starting this weekend in Toulouse.”