A RALLYING cry has gone out to all York Wasps fans - watch the team play or watch the club die.

Club bosses say that unless enough fans come through the Huntington Stadium turnstiles the club will go under, even if the proposed company voluntary arrangement is passed by the creditors.

Former vice-chairman Russell Greenfield told the Evening Press that the club's future was dependent on players accepting new contracts involving a ground-breaking payment method whereby a percentage of gate receipts would make up their wages.

Therefore, the number of fans at home games would determine how much the players were paid.

"We'll be the only club in rugby football that is going to pay playing staff with a (yet to be decided) percentage of the gate," said Greenfield, who came up with the unique idea and received backing for it from Leeds-based corporate recovery specialists Begbies Traynor, the company charged with organising the CVA.

"How it's divided between the players is between the coach (Lee Crooks) and chief executive (Ann Garvey). The other percentage of the gate will go to York Wasps.

"Therefore, the supporters need to come through to make sure the players get reasonable wages and the club meets its running costs."

Greenfield said a minimum average gate of 900 was needed for this scheme to work in the long run - last season's average was 773, while the lowest gate was less than 331 against Rochdale Hornets. However, 1,251 watched the opening day defeat by Doncaster Dragons a fortnight ago.

"If the fans come in big numbers the players will be over the moon but if we get 300 or 400 through the gate, they won't be happy," he said.

"We're taking hard financial decisions and it's up to the players and supporters now. The club is now in their hands."