LIFTING silverware today would represent the biggest achievement in rugby league so far for York City Knights captain Jack Aldous - made extra special by ending the club's cup drought.

The "Mr Duracell" prop forward leads his team out in Blackpool for a high noon showdown with old rivals Keighley Cougars in the iPro Sport League One Cup.

The final, which kicks off the Championship's Summer Bash round of fixtures at Bloomfield Road, is the first of the 25-year-old's senior career - as well as the first final for York RL, barring play-offs, since 1978.

And the 25-year-old, a two-time Press Player of the Year, says victory would be momentous not only for himself but for York as a whole especially given they have not lifted any knockout trophy since the 1936 Yorkshire Cup.

"For me personally it's obviously right up there. It's a final. It's my biggest game for the club," Aldous told The Press.

"Last year was a big one - that play-off semi-final against Swinton.

"Making my debut for Hull FC in the Challenge Cup was a very big moment in my career.

"They were probably my two biggest achievements in the game so far. This is up there - and if we win it will be number one.

"I've seen in the paper it's been quite a long time (since York were last in or won a knockout final).

"This cup was in any case one of the big goals we set ourselves at the beginning of the season - and it'd be a big added bonus to be able to end that drought and bring a trophy back after so long.

"Is it as important as the play-offs? At this stage of the season to be in a final is really good. It's a trophy up for grabs so I think it's up there."

The Knights beat Keighley 20-12 in the Challenge Cup two months ago but Aldous agrees with the general consensus that that game will have no bearing on this one.

The Cougars went on a seven-match winning streak after that Bootham Crescent defeat, which only ended last week in a 30-20 League One loss at London Skolars - the team they had beaten in the iPro semi-final. Head coach Paul March accepted some of the blame for that defeat as he had rotated the team in readiness for today.

Meanwhile, the Knights' blistering start to term, of eight straight wins against League One opposition, stuttered after a defeat at Barrow and draw with North Wales, but James Ford's men got back on track with victory at Newcastle Thunder eight days ago.

Said Aldous: "Keighley have a really good team, but I'm confident - and everyone else is - that if we do things we do in training and play the way we know we can play then we can get the win," he said.

"They've changed since the last time we played them and we have as well. They're better now but so are we and if we hit our straps we are confident we can get the better of them."

He added: "Last week we had that really good win at Newcastle and we've got a bit of momentum. The video session this week was really good, it's been really relaxed and everyone has been good in training. We're all really looking forward to it."