ONE of the new directors involved in getting York City Knights back into community stadium talks has moved to reassure fans they are doing all they can to find a resolution.

Gary Dickenson, who was asked by Rugby Football League bosses to intervene in the stalemate between the Knights and City of York Council, is now heading up negotiations on behalf of the club after chairman John Guildford was ostracised by the local authority.

The plan is for the Knights - currently homeless - to share York City's Bootham Crescent ground until their old Huntington Stadium home is redeveloped to house both clubs, but that will only happen if the rugby league club sign up to a detailed long lease.

An agreement will almost certainly not be reached in time for the iPro Sport League One Cup quarter-final against Newcastle Thunder a week tomorrow.

That tie, it has now been confirmed, will instead be staged at York RUFC's Clifton Park (3pm), with the RFL granting temporary dispensation to play it there even though the venue does not meet league requirements.

Dickenson, owner of cosmetic dentistry company CFast Ltd, said: "I recognise that, in the absence of information, speculation runs wild.

"Very many hours have been put in by myself and the fellow directors to try to get some resolution.

"Everyone has to understand the deal is for a 99-year lease with a lot of implications financially and operationally on YCK so these negotiations are not quick or easy.

"Both ourselves and the council have agreed we will not release anything about the negotiations publicly until we have some resolution one way or another.

"Meetings have been taking place, and the council and YCK have a constructive and friendly relationship which will hopefully see us reach a positive conclusion soon.

"Nobody wants to get news out more than us, but at the minute we can not and will not. All will become clear soon."

The Knights' first home League One match is on April 19, although victory next week or in tomorrow's Challenge Cup match at South Wales could see them handed another home tie before then.