YORK City Knights are on the verge of agreeing a significant sponsorship deal with a major international company, the Evening Press can reveal.

No details have yet been released by the club but the Press believes the deal would be worth a five-figure sum over each of the next three years.

The company is thought to be Australia-based with centres and branches all over the world, including one in York. They have strong links with rugby league sponsorship in Australia and New Zealand and also sponsor a Football League Division Two club and a Zurich Premiership rugby union club. Those two outfits are based in the south of England, so the deal with York would give them a bigger presence in the north.

Knights' majority shareholder, John Guildford, confirmed talks had taken place.

"The deal is about done and we hope to formally publicise it soon," he said.

Updated: 10:54 Saturday, October 04, 2003