Tough-talking York Wasps coach Dean Robinson is on the brink of wielding the axe to make an example of under-achieving players.
Robinson's patience has finally run out after seeing his team pick up just one win from their opening seven Northern Ford Premiership games.
Now he is ready to carry out his threat to drop those who are letting the side down, starting with Sunday's Challenge Cup clash at Warrington.
And he is pleading with the supporters not to lose faith while he tries to salvage something from the season.
He said: "We have 80 per cent of the squad who are busting a gut to turn things round, albeit a lot of them are on a learning curve and are not used to being senior professionals.
"But 20 per cent are living in the comfort zone. They know my hands are tied and I can't drop them because we don't have the luxury of a big squad.
"So on Sunday, with no points at stake and the squad at full strength, the only people I'll be taking to Warrington are the players who are prepared to bust a gut for York Rugby League Club to get the show on the road.
"If the others don't like it they can knuckle down or they are free to leave the club. It will be decision time over the next couple of weeks for a number of individuals."
With a squad of just 22 players, which four times has been decimated to 17 because of injuries and illness, Robinson has been frustrated by his lack of options.
However he is hopeful the revenue from Sunday's cup tie at Wilderspool, where a crowd of at least 5,000 is expected, will allow him to the strengthen the squad.
He said: "The NFP has developed into a competition of the haves and the have-nots and unfortunately we are among the have-nots.
"It brings a lot of problems, not least shuffling people around and having to play people in positions where they are not at their best. It makes it difficult for them so I am full of admiration for my guys in doing what's necessary.
"Several supporters spoke to me last week expressing concern why I continue to pick players who they believe are not trying or out of form. Unfortunately the answer is that I have nobody else to put in their place. It's something I'm conscious of and I'm going to do something about it but I can't do it on my own. I will need assistance financially and morally from the board."
Seeing last season's promising squad break up was a bitter pill to swallow for Robinson, but he believes it is now time to accept their current plight and start making plans for he future.
"I urge the supporters to keep getting behind the side as we continue to develop the players of Rob Lee, Andy Hill and Spencer Hargrave's calibre into accomplished NFP professionals.
"Then the next stage is to keep hold of them for next season. The last thing we want to do is make them into the finished product for other sides to do what they did last year which was take the cream of the crop.
"It is up to the board of directors to make sure that doesn't happen again because if it does then as far as being a competitive and professionally run club York would be finished."
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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