FORMER Challenge Cup winner Tommy Saxton is expected to make his York City Knights debut at Newcastle Thunder tomorrow night.

Pontefract-born Saxton, who was a substitute during Hull's thrilling 25-24 triumph over Leeds at the Millennium Stadium in 2005, has agreed loan terms with the Knights having played five times and scored one try for Championship outfit Halifax this term.

The 32-year-old winger has also represented Castleford, Wakefield Trinity, Featherstone and Salford, where he played in the European Super League.

International honours, meanwhile, have seen him capped by England A and England Academy.

On securing Saxton's services, Knights head coach James Ford said: "I believe Tommy is one of the best wingers in the Championship, so he is an excellent signing for us. His quality speaks for itself and he will certainly help us speed our game up.

"He's a very attack-minded player and will bring a lot to that department of the team. I think he will fit in well with how we want to play.

"I know him pretty well and he's also a close friend of Jonny Presley. He's not played for three weeks at Halifax and has been getting a bit frustrated, so that gave us an opportunity to take him on and I'm really happy he's joined us." Saxton will not be eligible for Knights' iPro Sport Cup final against Keighley a week tomorrow, but Ford is delighted to be able to call on his experience against a mid-table Thunder team, who are level on points with their Kingstone Press League One visitors.

On the challenge awaiting his team at Kingston Park, the Knights chief added: "It will be a really tough game.

"They have a couple of high-quality overseas players in Vincent Rennie and Thomas Ruediger, who is as good as any full-back I have seen in our division this season. We also know Rhys Clarke takes the ball pretty well from his time here at York and I believe they will be playing a couple of duel-reg Hull KR players, which is recognition of what we are doing as a club, because teams are looking to strengthen when they play us."

Loose-forward Mike Emmett and full-back Rich Wilkinson return to the squad for the north-east test following their respective ankle and tricep injuries, but hooker Harry Carter is still sidelined by medial ligament damage and is expected to miss out on Knights' cup final appearance during the Summer Bash in Blackpool.

On Carter's recovery schedule, Ford said: "Harry is responding well to treatment. He's a tough kid, who is fit and young and that generally means he is likely to heal quicker.

"But he's still probably a couple of weeks away and, then, we would need to get him back up to speed physically with strengthening and conditioning work."

Ford is determined, meanwhile, to return to winning ways in the league having lost 50-12 at Barrow and drawn 16-16 with North Wales Crusaders, having kicked off the campaign with four straight victories.

"We had illness in the camp against Barrow and, despite not hitting our highest standards against North Wales, we came away with a result and that's the sign of a good team," he reasoned.

"There were a couple of things we could have still done better and there were a couple of individual errors, but to get something from the game, in the end, showed real grit and it was a real, good point. All teams go through a bit of a lull in form and I believe we've had ours now." Ford went on to suggest that the interest in Kriss Brining from Salford Red Devils had eased off a little with the hooker ready to feature against Newcastle.

"There's been no movement on Kriss' situation and he's our player," the Knights boss declared. "That's how it looks like it will probably be staying for the time being.

"Everyone is pleased he is getting recognition and there are others that deserve it too, but Kriss is a loyal man and we have a very together group. He won't be letting anything get in the way of his form and his commitment to the boys."

Knights squad: Turner, Morland, Craig, Saxton, Presley, Nicklas, Spiers, P Smith, Aldous, E Smith, Tonks, Emmett, Brining, Waller, Mallinder, Applegarth, Osbourne, Buchanan.