FORMER chairman John Stabler will be back in charge of York Wasps next week - if he can stave off the threat of the winding-up order which is hanging over the club.

Stabler and fellow ex-York director Russell Greenfield will next week try to persuade the Inland Revenue to defer their winding-up order until the end of the season.

If that proves successful the pair will take control of the club with immediate affect.

Speaking to the Evening Press today, Stabler said: "We will not be going down with a bag full of money because we haven't got the sort of money that the club owe.

"We are going to try to persuade them to give us some time to sort things out, otherwise the club closes on Wednesday.

"We have to persuade them that we're serious people and try to get an extension while we cobble things together.

"If we can do that then control of the club will pass to us. If we aren't successful there won't be a club anyway."

However, Stabler believes the chances of the Inland Revenue agreeing to the proposals are "only 50-50".

He said: "The Inland Revenue are saying that there have been so many agreements with the club over the last three years and none of them have been met. I think they have come to the end of their tether.

"It's going to be a difficult meeting on Wednesday. We're down to the wire. We are not the cavalry coming marching in and the club is saved.

"Hopefully we'll come out with a result but it's not guaranteed."

Stabler and Greenfield are currently directors at Super League club Hull FC and will remain so unless the Wasps' future can be secured.

Even if they can rescue York from their current plight Stabler said they could not guarantee keeping the club alive next season.

However, if the Wasps are to go forward then the pair will consider their positions with Hull.

Wasps chief executive Ann Garvey said the club were grateful to Stabler and Greenfield stepping in. "The one thing we want is for York Rugby League to continue. If somebody is willing to take over the responsibility then that's the ideal situation for the club.

"And it's well known that john stabler has always been passionate about York Rugby League."

Stabler, who lives in Barkston Ash, near Tadcaster, has always been a York supporter and admitted he could not stand by and watch the club die.

"I've been going down there since I was six years old. I was a director for 11 years, five years as chairman.

"The fact that I've put an awful lot of money in is immaterial because that's lost anyway.

"But we can't let it go without a fight. Whatever problems I've had there before are miniscule compared to having no club."

Greenfield has been going through the club's books this week to determine their exact financial position.

The pair know what the income will be and are confident that between them they have enough business contacts to bring in new sponsorship.

Stabler, who runs his own business John Stabler Textiles, is also counting on the supporters to show their backing in Sunday's home clash with Hull KR.

"We are hoping a lot of stay-away people will latch onto the fact that we're back and that the club's in dire straits and need the support."

Stabler first joined the Wasps board in 1986 and was chairman between 1990 and 1996 before stepping down, saying he was ready for a change.

He stayed on as a director before resigning a year later.

Don't miss tomorrow's Evening Press for the latest in the 'Keep the Wasps Buzzing' campaign.