RFL steps in to help Wildcats

Ralph Rimmer, the RFL's chief operating officer, feels the Yorkshire club have an opportunity to "draw a line" under their current difficulties by going into administration.

He believes they could have new owners by the time they kick off the new season on Saturday week, but hinted that the process could damage their hopes of staying in the Engage Super League beyond the end of this year.

The League this week sent out application forms for the new three-year Super League licences which take effect from 2012, and will announce the outcome of their deliberations in late July.

With one Championship club certain to be promoted - that announcement will be made at the end of March - Wakefield are thought to be vying with neighbours Castleford to avoid relegation.

"We have to be realistic," Rimmer said. "There is a weighting system attached to acts of insolvency. There are other aspects to licensing but certainly it is a consideration.

"However, one way or another, there will be a great future for Wakefield. It's a fantastic club with a great history and I certainly feel they have a lot more great history to create yet.

"It's a difficult time for the club but this draws a line underneath it and gives them an opportunity to develop themselves going forward.

"As a governing body, we do take a paternalist approach and we have worked alongside Wakefield throughout this process. We take great care of our member clubs. We are probably far more paternalistic than any other governing body in this country."

Rimmer confirmed that Wakefield will be deducted up to six points as a result of breaching the governing body's insolvency regulations and the RFL board of directors will meet to decide the size of the penalty.

"The points deduction is at the board's discretion," he said. "It's always somewhere between zero and three wins, so it will be somewhere between zero and six points.

"They are in administration as we speak and that process should take around seven days. We would hope they will be out of administration by the Magic Weekend and competing in Super League for the next 12 months at least, so there is plenty to cheer about."

The Wildcats were given more breathing space when a winding-up petition brought by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill of around 300,000 was adjourned for 14 days at London's High Court yesterday.

Lawyers for the administrators O'Hara's said that the administration application was due to be heard next Friday.

Andrew Glover, a Wakefield supporter who owns West Yorkshire Windows, has revealed he has made an offer to buy the club while another local businessman, Steve Parkin - who tried to buy Leeds United shortly before they were taken over by Ken Bates six years ago - is also thought to be interested.