CONFUSION over York City Knights' future has grown after the Rugby Football League announced that their game against Doncaster had been "postponed".

The governing body have not said the game will yet go ahead, but the terminology - postponement implies a game can be rearranged whereas cancellation implies it would not - suggests they are hopeful the Knights can yet resolve their current situation.

It is thought high-level emergency meetings have taken place today.

Doncaster chief executive Carl Hall, meanwhile, has confirmed to The Press that the Dons offered to stage Sunday's Super 8s opener at their Keepmoat Stadium "at cost", while The Press understands Featherstone Rovers offered to put it on free of charge on Saturday, 24 hours before Rovers' key Championship clash with Bradford Bulls.

Heworth ARLC have also offered to step in again, like they did for much of last season when the Knights were rendered homeless after a fall-out with chairman John Guildford saw them ousted from City of York Council's community stadium scheme.

The RFL have previously said no more games could be played at that Elmpark Way venue given it does not meet League One criteria but have not ruled out giving special dispensation again as an emergency solution.

It is thought Castleford Tigers have also offered their facilities.

Sunday's match scheduled for Bootham Crescent was called off after the Knights - who have played at York City's ground this season as part of the community stadium project after new directors got them back involved - were told they could not use it this weekend for fear of damaging the pitch, given landlords City have three friendlies there in eight days.

That triggered claims from within the Knights camp that contracts had been breached and ultimately that ongoing ground issues meant the rugby league club would have to fold.

An RFL spokesman said: "York City Knights and Doncaster have agreed to officially postpone the game on Sunday. Further information about if, when and where the game will be replayed will be released in due course."

Hall, meanwhile, says the "rugby league family" should rally round the Knights players, coaching team and fans.

The New Zealander, ironically, was a York Wasps player in 2002 when that club went bust, to be replaced the following year by the new Knights outfit.

He also rescued Doncaster from the brink of closure in 2009, owning the club until it was taken over in 2014 by Doncaster Rovers, with whom they share the Keepmoat.

"First and foremost, we sympathise with what's going on," he said.

"The game of rugby league has to come first and hopefully York can resolve their situation.

"We need York in rugby league.

"I feel for (head coach) James Ford and the York players. It's not a nice position to be in."

Hall said Sunday's game could not now take place this weekend, regardless of what happens.

"It's a very important fixture. It's not fair on either side (to re-stage it at short notice)," he said.

"It's in the best interests of rugby league to call the game off this weekend and give everyone time to breathe and give and the RFL an opportunity to resolve the situation if it's resolvable.

"We have massive sympathy with them (York). I know what they're going through. In 2009 we were in administration and I took on the club and rescued it. It's not easy. The rugby league family needs to put this one game aside and give them all the support we can."

On making the Keepmoat available for this fixture, he said: "It might have been better to play it in York or at a neutral venue for the integrity of the competition but I'm sure we could have come to an arrangement to play here. The figure was what it would cost us 'at cost' to open and steward the stadium. We weren't making a pound on it."