THE venue for York City Knights’ first home game of term is still in question ten days before it takes place - but York RUFC’s Clifton Park ground appears favourite.

The Knights, who have begun the season homeless after being sidelined from the community stadium project, were previously not scheduled to have a home fixture until mid-April, when the League One campaign gets into full swing.

But, following their stunning opening-day iPro Sports Cup win at London Skolars, they were drawn at home to Newcastle Thunder in round two, accelerating their need to find a solution to their ground troubles.

The Tynesiders have offered to stage the tie, but it is thought the Knights wouldn’t want to concede home advantage or ask fans to embark on another long away journey - especially with a trip to South Wales afoot this Sunday in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

While there has been no word yet from the club on where it will be played, they do have an agreement to stage reserve-team games at Clifton Park this year, and their pre-season “Probables v Possibles” fixture was also held there.

The Knights would still need to be given special dispensation from the Rugby Football League to play competitive matches at that venue as it falls some distance short of professional rugby league standards, but the governing body, unlikely to eopardise their clubs or competitions, have previously indicated they may be inclined to allow it as a temporary fall-back option.

Nick Elliot, chairman of York Sports Club, the organisation that includes York RUFC, has also previously said that, while “there would be a few hurdles to overcome”, staging Knights games this season “could be something we could look at”.

Talks between the Knights’ new directors and City of York Council with a view to bringing the rugby league outfit back into the community stadium scheme are ongoing, but there is no indication on how those talks have progressed.

If a resolution is found, the Knights would be able to play at York City’s Bootham Crescent as part of the project to redevelop their old Huntington Stadium ground as a stadium to house both clubs.

Club chairman John Guildford, who has been expelled from stadium discussions after the council blamed him for the breakdown in talks, has offered “no comment” on the current position, and none of the new directors brought in to take over those negotiations is going public.

The council likewise has offered no updates when asked by The Press.

The only other venue in York with a stand - a single terrace - is Heworth ARLC, but those facilities, like Clifton Park, do not meet pro criteria.

Taking the tie out of the city is the only other option.

Guildford has likewise remained tight-lipped over the “open offer” by City’s owners, JM Packaging, to buy the Knights.

The Press revealed last week that the Malton-based company headed by City chairman Jason McGill had sent a letter offering to begin talks regarding a potential take-over.

Guildford, who had not received the letter when he was first asked about it by The Press, confirmed he had since seen it, but he would not indicate if it was something he would consider. “No comment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Knights reserves play a friendly tonight at Dewsbury (8pm). Three players who starred in the first-team’s 78-10 win in London on Sunday - Tyler Craig, Jake Joynt and Brad Nicholson - are set to play.

Speedster Jamal Chisholm starts after recovering from an ankle injury, but fellow winger Ben Dent is ruled out after his knock in pre-season.

Knights reserves (probable): Riley, Craig, Hanson, Potter, Chisholm, Glover, Batty, Joynt, Iley, Nicholson, Rice, Leary. Subs: Hinchsliff, Page, Price, Starling, A Dent, Swift, Stewart