YORK City Knights have received a notable financial boost with the news almost all match-day sponsorship deals for next season have sold out - before the fixture list has been printed.

The newly-crowned National League Club of the Year are also confident of sealing several other packages such as match-ball, man of the match and shirt sponsorship in the near future, while there is already a queue forming for player sponsorship even though the full squad has yet to be assembled.

The sponsorship deals in place are believed to have netted the club a five-figure sum, and with other deals in the pipeline, it is thought the Knights are ahead of the pack in the National League.

"There's been a great response from the corporate clients in York in regard to sponsorship for next season," said chief executive Steve Ferres.

"It's sending out a great message to everybody that the businesses in York are getting behind the club.

"We've also got interested parties for shirt sponsorship and we're looking to move forward with that.

"It's a great opportunity for somebody to be linked with a club which is moving forward and which has the prestigious title of Club of the Year.

"We've had great support from our existing sponsors and we're actively working to attract more sponsorship in the next few weeks."

There is also a hope National League clubs, who were each handed £15,000 last year from Rugby Football League central funding, will be given more this term, but any cash would be dependant on the Rugby Football League's ongoing television negotiations with Sky Television and the BBC and the Knights were not banking on it until it arrived.

Ferres added: "We would hope there will be more filtered down for the good of the game but it's in the hands of the RFL.

"We've not taken that into consideration but it would go into the budget as and when we know we're getting it and not before, and we will plan accordingly."

Meanwhile, the RFL has confirmed the National League fixture format for 2004.

The clubs have decided their season will start on the weekend of February 1, 2004, when they will launch into the qualifying rounds of the Arriva Trains Cup, which has changed slightly from this season.

Next term, the group stage will comprise five pools of four clubs. Clubs will play each other home and away and, in addition, there will be two cross-group fixtures per club so each team has eight group games.

The top club from each group will progress to the knockout stage together with three more clubs who will win through play-off matches between the five runners-up, plus the three best third-placed clubs. The play-off ties will be decided by a free draw, while the quarter-finals will be on the weekend of June 6, the semi-finals the weekend of June 27 and the final on July 17.

The make-up of the qualifying groups will be confirmed once this season is concluded.

The regular National League season will kick off on the weekend of April 11, with the final round of matches on the weekend of September 12.

The 2004 National League Grand Finals are scheduled for October 10 and the National League One Qualifying Final on October 16.

Updated: 10:29 Thursday, October 02, 2003