FORMER director Gary Dickenson has had detailed talks with chairman John Guildford with a view to taking over crisis club York City Knights with immediate effect.

Dickenson has emerged as one of the parties interested in taking on the club, after Guildford and the board declared last Thursday night that they would cease operations, saying the ground-share with York City at Bootham Crescent and in the planned community stadium made the business unsustainable.

The plan is apparently to take control of the club from Guildford before it officially folds, with Dickenson becoming chairman and being joined on the board by his wife, Joanne, and Alex Simmons, the founder and presenter of local TV programme Rugby AM.

The move would still require approval from the Rugby Football League.

Dickenson told The Press: “I’ve had fruitful discussions with John Guildford and the Rugby Football League. Nothing is signed and sealed but the RFL seem happy with how talks are progressing and John seems happy.

“Fingers crossed we can have an agreement this week which would see York City Knights continue, with me taking the club over from John.

“Discussions will be continuing with a view to concluding an agreement in the next few days, and then continuing the season and fulfilling all our fixtures.”

Dickenson would not confirm if it was a buy-out or a takeover of the club with no money changing hands.

The shock decision to fold the club came as James Ford's team, genuine promotion contenders in League One, were set to start the Super 8s section of the season, only for Sunday's clash with Doncaster to be called off.

The club had been told they could not stage this game at Bootham Crescent due to three football matches in eight days, including on Saturday, leading to fears the pitch would be damaged.

The players were told on Thursday night that they were free agents, but as a group decided to stick together for the time-being in the hope a resolution could be found for them to finish the season.

They are scheduled to travel to France on Friday for a clash with league leaders Toulouse Olympique on Saturday. It is still unclear if this game will go ahead.

Dickenson said he would look to retain Ford as head coach should his takeover bid be successful.

“I see no reason to make changes. James has been doing a fantastic job and I would hope he can continue to lead our push for promotion,” he said.

York-born Dickenson, 40, joined the Knights board in January 2015 alongside Stephen Knowles, Dave Baldwin and Neil Jennings, with the immediate remit of getting the club back into City of York Council’s stadium scheme after Guildford’s fall-out with the local authority saw them sidelined. 

He quit the board two and a half months later.

The Press has already revealed that York City's owner JM Packaging, which is owned by City chairman Jason McGill, was keen to speak to the RFL about taking over and running a rugby league club alongside the football club.

It is thought there has been no direct communication between JM Packaging and Guildford.

It is understood at least one other businessman - as yet unnamed but believed to be a former rugby league professional - is also interested in getting involved, aside from the proposals from Dickenson and JMP.

Should the Knights fold or this club handover not meet with RFL approval, there could still be a potential interim option to transfer player contracts and team registrations to a newco which would at least see out the season.

If and when that is set up and able to fulfil fixtures, thoughts could be turned to getting full plans in place for 2017 and beyond.

City of York Council has been involved in talks with the RFL and the two bodies, alongside York City, made a joint statement on Friday insisting there was a future for pro rugby league in York.