Whitehaven head coach Kyle Amor admits that the hardest part is yet to come, despite the club’s relegation from the Championship being all but confirmed.

The 28-14 defeat at Batley Bulldogs on Sunday leaves them two points adrift in the second relegation spot with only one match to go.

But their points difference is 244 worse than Swinton Lions, the team immediately above them, meaning their fate is effectively sealed.

“The hardest part for Whitehaven Rugby League is yet to come, but us fulfilling our fixtures gives them a chance,” he told BBC Radio Cumbria.

Whitehaven have endured a traumatic season, with chief executive Barry Morgan resigning in June, a number of board members stepping down from their positions, and player wages going unpaid.

Jonty Gorley resigned as head coach and players threatened to not play the final six games of the Championship campaign.

Former St Helens prop Amor was parachuted in from his regular job as a television pundit to help his hometown club and players agreed to complete the season, but they have gone into matches unable to name a complete 17-man squad.

Against that backdrop, the proud Cumbrian club are now set to drop into League 1 for the first time since 2019, and Amor knows that lots of work needs to go on during the close season.

“To finish the season gives ourselves a platform to reset, because that’s exactly what it needs – an almighty reset,” he said.

“It needs some very difficult conversations to be had and some people to probably get upset, but it also needs positive people around it to get this great club back to where it is.”