HEAD coach James Ford has admitted he is "lost for words" after the grave situation facing York City Knights - and the future of professional rugby league in the city - rapidly came into full view.

Just 48 hours after doubts were raised over where Sunday's League One Super 8s opener against Doncaster would be held, it has become apparent the situation regarding their groundshare with York City is so troublesome the club are on the brink of folding.

A decision on their future is likely to be made by club chiefs before the weekend, and The Press understands chairman John Guildford is to speak to the squad at training tonight.

There is a chance the players will be made free agents, giving them a chance to get new clubs before tomorrow's 2016 transfer deadline.

Ford - whose side had been genuine contenders for promotion to domestic rugby league's second tier - is aware the plug is on the verge of being pulled, leaving the players and coaching staff "worrying about providing for their families" and ending over a century of professional rugby league in York, 14 years after the Knights grew out of the ashes of the old York Wasps club.

Ford only signed a two-year extension to his contract earlier this month and this week had been busy looking to recruit new players before the transfer deadline.

With the situation now turned on its head, rival clubs are instead sniffing around looking to snap up Knights stars should the club withdraw from the competition. The Press understands approaches have already been made.

Said Ford: "I'm lost for words. Disappointed, surprised. I feel for the supporters and the players," he said.

"Surely there is an alternative. I'm at a loss."

Asked where he now stands from a personal perspective, Ford - who only this year reduced his teaching hours as a tutor at Wakefield College to give more time to rugby - said: "I'm the same as the players - potentially out of work and worrying about providing for my family, same as everybody else.

"Obviously I knew there was a fair amount of difficulty last year but I thought we were making excellent progress on the field and slow recovery off the field.

"At the end of the day, there is an owner of a business and it's his prerogative really if he thinks there's no other way.

"Whether someone else wants to come in and take over remains to be seen.

"It will be a massive loss to rugby league to lose a club of York's potential.

"I'm willing to do what I can to continue to take this club forward. But it does not look or read promising.

"If you look at other sports and other teams, other clubs in rugby league, in similar positions, they find ways to come through.

"Hopefully rugby league in York will find a way. It would be a massive loss to the area and the sport if not."

The Knights left their old Huntington Stadium home at the end of 2014 so it could be demolished to make way for City of York Council's planned new community stadium on the same site.

A major falling-out between Guildford and project leaders saw the club ousted from the much-delayed scheme and left homeless throughout 2015, but new directors helped them get back into the project this year.

As such, they have played home games at York City's Bootham Crescent, the plan having been to do so until the new stadium is built. The Knights have a contract with the council to that end, and the council has a separate contract with the football club.

However, the situation came to a head after the Knights were told they could not play Sunday's match there because City arranged three friendlies for this week and say the pitch would be damaged by a fourth game, while there are further issues over two of the Knights' three other home Super 8s fixtures.

Knights chiefs are taking legal advice amid claims the council has breached their contract, and say the business is unsustainable. The council has not responded to that claim and says the stadium project would still go ahead without the rugby club.