AS previously reported by this column, the support for York City Knights has been coming from far and wide, and the tale of one Irishman's commitment to the cause has caught the eye.

Coming from Holywood (that's Holywood near Belfast, not Hollywood, California), Jon Horner has developed a curious if not unquestionable passion for the club.

Though not born and bred in the heartlands of the game, Horner's interest in rugby league was nevertheless piqued at an early age, due to televised Challenge Cup matches.

He attended his first live match when Leeds played Wigan in the Charity Shield staged in Dublin.

"I was amazed how fast, tough and exciting a game it was and decided to find out more about it," said Horner. "I had a satellite dish installed and watched every RL match on TV."

With no geographical allegiance to a league club, Horner chose to follow Leeds Rhinos and began to visit Headingley a couple of times a season, also attending Irish RL internationals and Challenge Cup finals.

His interest in York began while over in Yorkshire to attend a Leeds match. He spent the weekend in the Minster city and bought a copy of the Evening Press.

Horner said: "The lead article was about York Wasps facing a winding up order and the article urged all supporters to turn up at Huntington Stadium for their next home match.

"Feeling that as a league fan I did not want a club to go out of business, I attended the match. The club subsequently survived the tax bill when Messrs Stabler and Greenfield became involved but I continued to follow the fortunes of York until the demise of the Wasps."

By now totally committed to following rugby league in York, he was delighted when the Knights were accepted into the Rugby Football League in time for this season.

"As soon as the opening fixture in the Arriva Trains Cup against Hull KR was confirmed, I booked myself on a flight from Belfast as I didn't want to miss the Knights' first match. I now consider myself a committed Knights fan and hope to attend as many matches as possible over the coming seasons."

Horner also had a word of thanks for amateur club York Groves.

"I spent a bit of time with the lads from Groves over the weekend of the KR game and I'd like to thank them for making me so welcome," he said.

"I would also like to thank Knights' chairman Roger Dixon, who, on hearing where I had travelled from, insisted I join the team and backroom staff in celebrating the Knights' first game. It was been a wonderful weekend."

WELL done to the under-10s lads of York Acorn and New Earswick All Blacks, who gave another demonstration of quality junior rugby prior to the Knights' match with Dewsbury last week.

Acorn, with Darren Jefferson, Callum Hannigan, Sam Orange and Joel Johnson impressive, won 16-0 thanks to their second-half show but All Blacks gave a very good account of themselves too. Orange (3) and Hannigan got the tries.

Many of the lads stayed around to cheer on the Knights and they did indeed provide good vocal support - though chanting "Who ate all the pies?" at opposition players can never be condoned.

Updated: 11:23 Saturday, March 01, 2003