YORK Wasps coach Leo Epifania said today that the closure of the club had "screwed his life up".

The Aussie flew to England before the start of the season with promises that star players were signed up, that the club was financially strong and that they had had plans of a Super League future.

However, those promises have not materialised and, if a saviour does not come in, he is effectively out of a job.

"It's just screwed my life up at the moment," he told the Evening Press.

"When I came here I was told of big plans that were happening for the club and I thought I was coming to something special, to a club looking to get into Super League.

"But it's just been a nightmare."

Epifania, a veteran of more than 200 ARL matches Down Under and noted in Australia as a top upcoming coach, sold his Sydney-based fitness business and his home before moving to England a month before the start of the Northern Ford Premiership season in December.

"Right now I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.

"Obviously there is always some hope that someone might come in to save the club, but you can't bank on it.

"As it is, unless some other coaching opportunity comes up I will probably go back home.

"I will probably see if there's any other options over here, rather than it being a complete waste of time, before flying home.

"But if not I will head back and probably have a break for a little while - I will need torelax a bit after the stress I've been put through here."

Epifania said he knew something was up before chairman John Stabler dropped the bombshell to the squad before training last night. But he was surprised at how quickly things went downhill.

"They just walked in last night and closed it down," he said.

"It's hard for me to say anything because I don't know the ins and outs of it all or the real details behind the financial side of things.

"But it seems to me they did this really quickly."

Less than a fortnight ago chief executive Ann Garvey told the Evening Press that the Wasps were in the black and were paying their way.

However, she warned that things were dependent on home gates in the near future, and the only home game since then - the victory over Chorley ten days ago - saw just 280 spectators turn up.

"One minute they were saying they're not in financial difficulty and the next minute they're closing the club," added Epifania.

"I'm just absolutely gutted at how things have turned out."

Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, March 20, 2002