STEVE Ferres is to meet with Rugby Football League chiefs on Friday in what could prove to be a crucial date in the bid to return professional rugby league to York.

Ferres, who will become chief executive of the proposed new club should it be given the thumbs up from the RFL, will be joined at the meeting at RFL headquarters by a representative of the supporters' trust.

It is expected that the business plan behind the application to have the new York club admitted to the league next season will be discussed.

Ferres, who has previously said he was 99.9 per cent certain that the bid would be successful, would not say how he expected the meeting to go, but he did say he remained positive.

"It would be wrong for me to speculate on what will come out of the meeting," he said.

"We won't know really until we go on Friday what they need to know or what we need to know (about the business plan).

"But I remain as optimistic as I did when I first looked at the proposal. I feel we can fulfil all the requirements.

"I'm pretty positive about what we're trying to do and about what we've given the RFL. Hopefully I will come away on Friday knowing what they want if they want something else.

"We will then know exactly what we have to do to get a positive outcome in two weeks' time." That's when the RFL Council will decide on York's fate.

RFL spokesman Andrew Whitelan said the meeting was all part of the application process.

"The RFL has received a number of applications for membership from different clubs," he said.

"These applicants are invited to go through in detail their business plans with a panel of independent assessors.

"Once that panel has looked at the application, they will make a recommendation to the RFL board of directors, who in turn will make a recommendation to the RFL Council." That council will make the final decision on the application when it meets on July 31.

Meanwhile, Coun Alan Jones, City of York Council's executive member for leisure and heritage, has confirmed the council is to employ a new sports development officer with particular responsibilities for rugby league, a move which - as reported by the Evening Press last week - could be a crucial component in the bid to get the new club into the league.

The council will also give Ferres a letter of support to take with him to Friday's meeting.

Jones said: "York is a rugby league city. There are several amateur clubs which are successful and we want to have a successful professional club too.

"This initiative is being done to help develop amateur RL as well as help York RL gain league status."

Ferres added: "We're grateful for all the help from the council, particularly (Coun) Alan Jones, Charlie Croft and Mick Hutchinson (both of the Lifelong Leisure and Learning Department).

"All the council has been very supportive in helping to get York RL back in existence.

"I think they can see we're trying to make the new club a community-based club with a strong development programme which can take the club forward to a future far superior to what the fans have had.

"It is crucial they're behind us."

Updated: 11:41 Wednesday, July 17, 2002