But that was the scenario facing Tony Benson at the start of last month when he agreed to take the reigns as Oldham Roughyeds coach for another campaign.
The Taxman's winding up order was quickly withdrawn when Chris Hamilton took control of the club from former chairman Bill Quinn.
And one-by-one the players started to sign on for the new season in Championship One, which starts with a Northern Rail Cup tie against Rochdale Hornets on February 7.
The ground situation - Roughyeds were kicked out by their landlords Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park - has still not been resolved although a site within Oldham is being discussed with the Council.
"It has certainly been a challenge," said 42-year-old New Zealander Benson.
Daunting
"But to Chris Hamilton's credit he's been unbelievable. He has put everything in place and done some incredible things to get us where we are. I went away right in the middle of it all back to New Zealand for a holiday. When I came back things had started.
"We had a couple of players signed. The club was stable and probably in a better position than for some time.
"It looked like a daunting task but as we got into it things have progressed well."
So well that some pundits are predicting great things from Oldham who probably over-achieved last year in reaching the Grand Final before losing to Keighley.
The nucleus of last season's squad has now been signed up and a couple of exciting young players in Ben Mellor from Warrington and Danny Whitmore from Salford have been added along with Valu Bentley.
"At the end of the year I knew the players who were going to leave and I encouraged them because they were going to a higher grade," said Benson.
"The other players we spoke to at the end of the year and the message to them was - including myself - that we would all be on pay-cuts.
"But they signed on and it shows to me they are here for the right reasons. Some of them even had better offers with other clubs. We have a few more announcements to make and we have got the nucleus of a strong squad in place now."
Strong
The rule changes regarding club's academies have helped Oldham picked up the likes of Mellor and Whitmore.
"It's fantastic for the game and good for us as a club.
"Ben has come from the Warrington Academy. He's a true prop forward and he's built like one. He's 21 and very strong, skilful and dedicated.
"Danny is a hooker from Salford and he also plays in the halves. I can see a sharpness in his skill that has been honed at a Super League club.
"It's great seeing these young players coming in and sparking the training sessions up."
Benson agrees that being temporarily homeless is not the best preparation for a new season but reckons leaving Boundary Park will be for the best in the long term.
"It is frustrating but in the end we will be better off. Boundary Park never felt like home. We weren't that comfortable there and we never had a place to mix with our supporters.
"I have the utmost confidence in Chris. He has achieved the impossible so far and he will do it again. We are going to be a much better club."
St Helens have confirmed that 2010 will be their final season at Knowsley Road and that they will move into their new stadium during 2011. Tweet
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Best of luck to Danny Whitmore in 2010 at his new club.
The only way for Oldham to go forward, is to build a structure that creates a desire in any young amateur footballer of a goal of playing for that team.I was only very young when I had that dream, and even then somewhere in the late sixties I was the exception not the rule. The club was in decline then and generally had ego driven Chairmen, overpaid secretaries and a board more interested in big noting than working on a growth plan for the club and district.
The reality is that the club can not really get any lower, No ground , no money, no assets, no support and the worst part of all absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.
Oldham could be the biggest force in the English Rugby league, I know it. But sadly the driving force has to be the local competition not someone who likes to flaunt his wallet. Drive, desire and ambition has to be created and spread like a disease amongst the young players. Forget about building a team this year, build a future. Get a dreamer in, forget about the pink Rolls Royce and cigar smokers (you might not believe it but it was the case)Get someone in with desire, passion and belief. Forget about throwing money away on players, get the locals in and be proud.
I had a Dream, Joey Anglin
Absolutely agree with everything Joey says.
When I was playing the Latics did more to help and encourage the local amateurs than the Roughyeds. Oldham is a hotbed of Rugby League - look at the number of top class players who have signed for other clubs. Here's hoping that they can finally achieve sucess (I'm so surprised at writing this word in the same sentence/conversation, as writing ORLFC that I have forgotten how to spell it!!!)