WELCOME to my new column in the Evening Press. I hope it proves informative and a good read for all sports fans and York City Knights fans in particular.

Talking of Knights fans, one of the first things that struck me since arriving at the club was the positive vibes coming from the terraces.

The fans were great once again on Sunday for the game against my old club Featherstone.

It's been a really encouraging feature for me personally and for the club as a whole.

The noise and the general vibe they're creating has been brilliant. They're really getting behind the team and seem to be genuinely enjoying their rugby.

You can get fans who come with the sole intention of standing there and whinging for an hour and a half, but at York there's a very positive vibe at the club.

The numbers turning up have also raised eyebrows across rugby league. There are some clubs at a similar level whose attendances are struggling to get close to those at York.

For example, the Batley v Dewsbury game on Sunday only attracted 868, which must be disappointing for those clubs given it was a traditional derby clash.

I can't put my finger on why it was that low and I must admit I was surprised.

Perhaps the new generation of supporters, the kids, are being steered towards Super League clubs. When you've got the likes of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield on your doorstep, there's a temptation for the kids to identify with the stars at the big clubs.

That might be where York has an advantage. It's a city in itself and the two nearest Super League clubs, Leeds and Castleford, are a good half-hour's drive away.

Perhaps another difference is the way the Knights have been promoted off the field. They've got some good professional people doing the right things, while the players need some credit as well for what they do not just on the field but also off it.

The fans also deserve a big pat on the back. The old club were in turmoil but when the people of York were asked to show they wanted a professional team in the city, they did so.

The city also has a strong amateur base and we want our players and the club to identify with those amateur teams to help foster links.

It definitely makes a difference to have big crowds rather than empty spaces. It gives the players a lift and in the same token it helps when we are trying to attract players to the club.

People see there is a strong, vibrant support and players very much prefer to play in front of a decent crowd.

The atmosphere being generated by the Knights fans has also been excellent - I definitely like the drum.

It all puts an onus on us to keep up good performances, though it's fair to say we've got off on the right foot.

I know I've been quoted a few times saying I "wasn't over-enamoured" with our performances, and that perhaps comes across as if I'm really hard to please.

Truth is I have been pleased with the commitment and effort of the players - but we know we can get better with the ball and we're striving to get better.

We will have another big test this Sunday at Featherstone in the Challenge Cup. We beat them this week but there will be different circumstances this time. I think we will be underdogs again, given that they're from a higher division, but we haven't got anything to lose and we'll go there with a positive attitude.

Hopefully the fans will play their part again and we'll do our best to give them something to cheer.

Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, March 10, 2004