STAR signing Phil Hasty reckons the only way is up for York City Knights after the much-heralded recruitment drive at Huntington Stadium.

The 25-year-old scrum-half's eye-catching move to the Knights was followed in quick succession yesterday by the arrival of Cook Island forwards Tere Glassie and Dana Wilson from Oldham.

And former Hull KR favourite Hasty believes the club will be well-equipped to push for a play-off place in LHF National League One rather than go the way of previous League Two champions Keighley and Barrow in falling straight back down.

"They're strong players and you need to have big, strong forwards in this division," he said. "York are a good side but it's a big step up and if you want to consolidate you need to have players like that.

"We're wanting to be pushing for the top six, especially with only ten teams in the league. We don't want to be looking at the bottom."

Hasty made the step up from NL2 to NL1 two years ahead of the Knights - he was named the NL2 Player of the Year while with Hunslet in 2003 before joining Rovers for 2004.

"It was hard to get going at Hull KR but then it just clicked," he said of his debut season at Craven Park, when he swept the board in the end-of-season awards.

"It's a bit more physical in NL1 and you need to be a bit more up front in the pack. If you've got good strong forwards you should do all right."

Hasty's second season at Craven Park was less enjoyable as he suffered a few injuries and often played second fiddle to new scrum-half James Webster, who is in the running for this year's NL1 Player of the Year gong.

Nevertheless he remained a firm favourite with the fans and wants to win the same respect from the York faithful, keeping his entertainer tag albeit without compromising the team structure.

"It's always nice to know the fans are behind you and hopefully I can have that at York as well," he said.

"My personal aim is just to play as many games as I can and play consistently well week in, week out.

"You've always got to change a bit for the way your team plays but you have to keep what made you the player you were. It might take a few training sessions and games for everyone to get to know each other and we can take it from there."

As for his new side, he said: "They're an up and coming club. I know Jonny Liddell (new team-mate) from our time at Hunslet and I spoke to him and he said it's a good club to play for.

"I've spoken to a few other people as well and I've had good reports, and after talking to John Guildford (chief executive) and Mick Cook (coach) I liked the sound of it with who they wanted to bring in and their plans for the club."

Updated: 10:28 Thursday, September 29, 2005