Crooks wants to stay at York

The future of York Wasps coach Lee Crooks could be decided next week.

Crooks revealed a board meeting will be held next Tuesday when he expects to determine whether or not he will be stopping at the club next season.

Crooks has made it clear he wants to stay, although he admitted much will depend on the club's long-term plans and ambition.

Speaking to the Evening Press, Crooks said: "I'm hoping the club are going to be ambitious as I am. If they are I want to be part of making York a competitive club again.

"This year has been the lowest point of my rugby career. I don't ever want to be in this position again and York Rugby League shouldn't want to be in this position ever again."

The Wasps are already lining up a major sponsorship deal with an unidentified company which, if it comes off, will allow them to bring in some quality players next season.

That alone should be enough to ensure there is no repeat of the horrendous events which have made this season arguably the worst in the club's history.

Players have left en masse, record defeats have tumbled and the Wasps have hit rock-bottom in the Northern Ford Premiership.

One silver lining for Crooks was his appointment as the Yorkshire coach for the Origin Game against Lancashire.

It demonstrated the high regard in which former Great Britain international Crooks is held within rugby league circles.

He has already stated his ambition to progress to Super League, probably starting as an assistant.

But he is determined to prove his ability at York, despite a turbulent first season in charge.

He said: "If everything goes to plan I want to be at the club next year.

"I set out to do a job but because we went into a company voluntary arrangement, we've had to muddle through this season so the job I started to do has been put back a year.

"I believe there's enough potential at the club to achieve what I set out to do but certain plans have to be out in place."

Updated: 11:10 Saturday, June 16, 2001