YORK City Knights will have a notable new recruit bolstering the ranks for Sunday’s trip to much-fancied Swinton Lions - with winger James Clare arriving on dual-registration from Castleford.

The 24-year-old has played seven times in Super League this year, most recently in last weekend’s 22-20 win over Salford - in which York-born Ash Robson scored a try on his first-team debut.

Robson, a burgeoning talent at the Jungle, had been tipped as a potential dual-reg option for York but it is Clare who becomes the first player to make that move this season.

Clare, pictured , has made 37 Tigers appearances in total since his debut in 2012, scoring 23 tries, but, with strong competition for wing places now at Cas coach Daryl Powell’s disposal, he has been made available for the Knights’ tough trip to Moor Lane.

York boss James Ford said: “We need to use dual-reg appropriately. We don’t want to cause disharmony in the camp but at the same time James is a player of outstanding quality and he suits our game-plan and how we’re going to play this weekend.

"I know James well - I coached him in the under-18s at Lock Lane. He’s talented and a great person to have around.”

Clare was also dual-registered last year but only turned out for York in a reserves match. “His attitude was exemplary,” added Ford.

“He was a credit to Cas and to Daryl Powell with how he applied himself. He’s a good person and I know he will come into our environment and take it forward.”

Clare is likely to come in for Adam Dent, who took a knock to the throat in Sunday’s win over Coventry so was a doubt anyway.

Ford, having lauded Dent’s display at Leigh Miners, when he said it was “impossible” to drop him, remained delighted with the 21-year-old’s follow-up show against the Bears but explained his reasoning for bringing Clare in.

“Adam has been pretty good for us in the last two games,” he said.

“He’s highlighted he’s got potential and can kick on to become a really good player. But it’s key for his development that he gets breaks through the sea son so he can keep developing physically and mentally and grow into a high-calibre player.”

Asked if Clare was likely to stay a while or appear only as a one-off, Ford said: “I’m not going to suggest who Daryl should pick but I imagine James will play in Super League. I’m not going to look too far ahead - I’m just looking at Swinton.”

On whether more dual-reg moves were imminent, he added: “I speak frequently with Daryl and Pete Riding (Cas head of youth).

It’s the first time we’ve decided to use a Cas player this season - which is a positive sign for York and the players I have at York.

“Having looked at Swinton and having got a plan for Swinton, I felt James Clare would increase the effectiveness of that plan.

“It will also be a good opportunity for the wingers at our club to look at someone who’s played very well in Super League over the last couple of years, which will hopefully help them to kick on.”