RUGBY league has a future in York, the sport's bosses at the RFL, York’s football club and the city council have all said.

The three bodies made a joint statement after news broke on Thursday that York City Knights RFLC was to fold, after row over a match against Doncaster on Sunday that cannot be played at Bootham Crescent.

The RFL confirmed Sunday’s match against Doncaster had been postponed. Together with City of York Council and York City FC they said they hoped to make an announcement about the future for rugby league in York soon. The city council offered money to help find a venue for Sunday, it added.

Ruling councillors defended their part in the stadium saga at a council meeting on Thursday night, hours after the closure new broke. Labour councillor Julie Gunnell had said she would be “devastated” if the Knights were indeed to close.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, the executive member responsible for the stadium project, said that in six to eight years the council had “numerous correspondence” suggesting the Knights might fold, and said: “I am genuinely happy that myself and colleagues I have worked with on the council, officers especially, and officers at the Knights and the football club, have done all within their power to do what’s right for rugby in the city and for the Knights as a rugby club.”

He also told Cllr Sonja Crisp, who was herself once in charge of the stadium project, city council’s legal advice showed it had not breached a contract with the Knights over use of Bootham Crescent.

Yesterday’s statement said the three bodies were standing by York rugby fans and the RFL confirmed the fixture had been postponed but could be rearranged and relocated before the end of the Super 8s.

The statement said: “We continue to work to resolve this situation and are hopeful that ways can be found for James Ford and his players to be able to fulfil the remainder of their fixtures this season. Whatever the Knights’ future, there is a future for the Community Stadium and community facilities in York, which are all progressing well. The council, the RFL and York City FC are fully committed to making sure there is a future for rugby league in York.”