YORK City Knights WILL be eligible for promotion on the assumption they are guaranteed Bootham Crescent as a home venue next season.

League One clubs have a deadline of this Friday to show Rugby Football League bosses they meet the criteria to play in the Championship.

It means the Knights - who have been homeless this year amid the community stadium saga yet still sit second in the table - have had to provide evidence to the RFL of their new contracts with City of York Council enabling them to use York City's home, which is the only venue in York that meets Championship standards.

The Knights still face hurdles in moving there this year, despite signing their deal with the council, but The Press understands the RFL expect eligibility for promotion to be rubber-stamped in the coming days.

The situation surrounding league leaders Oldham is less clear-cut.

Their Whitebank home falls way short of minimum standards but The Press understands the Roughyeds will look to return to Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park home, where they last played in 2009 before the football club told them to move out. That was their plan ahead of the promotion play-offs 12 months ago, though it is unclear if agreements with the Latics are in place.