THE York Wasps Rugby League Club saga is set to rumble on for another eight days after a decision about its future was deferred until Friday, May 10.

However, the Rugby Football League today told the Evening Press there was "light at the end of the tunnel" and Mike Miller of the Wasps working party was "confident" of a positive outcome.

Miller said they were lining up a crucial meeting with RFL finance executive Nigel Wood tomorrow to ascertain exactly what the RFL want to be in place.

He stressed the fans' public meeting on Sunday (2pm at Huntington Stadium) would now be crucial as the working party needed approval from supporters to "take the club in the direction the RFL want us to go".

The meeting was also needed to "maintain a momentum and fundraising efforts to prove the club was viable".

"We will seek the fans' approval to spend the time and cost in implementing the criteria for it to happen by May 10," he added.

The RFL Council met yesterday and were expected to give a verdict on the business plan submitted by Wasps fans, who are wanting to resurrect the club and have it readmitted to the league.

However - as exclusively revealed on the Evening Press website (www.thisisyork.co.uk) yesterday - no decision was forthcoming and rather a new deadline was set for the matter to be resolved.

The RFL have stressed this new deadline would not be extended because, if the bid fails, they would need three weeks before the resumption of the NFP to restructure the league without the Wasps.

RFL spokesman John Huxley said the situation was "vague" and that no vote was taken by the council yesterday nor was a recommendation made by the RFL board, who had been sent copies of the business plan last week.

He explained alterations to the business plan had been submitted after the weekend, including yesterday morning, and the board had not had time to consider these changes.

"The situation is not as clear-cut as some might think," added Huxley. "At this stage it (the business plan) has not gone as far as the RFL would like it to go in terms of detail.

"But the chairman said there was a light at the end of the tunnel and every effort is being made to give the York consortium a chance to make this work."

Huxley said the new executive chairman of the RFL, Richard Lewis, who officially began his job yesterday, had been given the mandate to handle the matter from now on.

He added: "A recommendation will be made by the executive chairman and his team depending on whether York make the deadline on May 10 and the board will ultimately accept it or not accept it."

Miller told the Evening Press the working party wanted more time to finalise the business plan and get further direction from the RFL.

He and fellow working party member Roger Dixon had been expected to attend yesterday's meeting but were told beforehand there was no need.

Further details are likely to be outlined at the public meeting on Sunday. Miller stressed they needed lots of fans to turn up and more pledges (sent to Hague and Dixon Solicitors, Bank House, 1 The Square, Stamford Bridge, York, YO41 1AG) and fundraising to be realised to give the club a firm financial footing.

Updated: 12:12 Thursday, May 02, 2002