JAMES FORD has revealed how York City Knights' pre-season preparations have been "severely disrupted" by the club's legal dispute with City of York Council - but is optimistic adversity will help to bring his new-look squad together.

The Knights have already been warned their friendly with Super League outfit Hull scheduled to be played at York City's Bootham Crescent ground on January 11 is under threat because of the latest wrangle over the community stadium plans.

Additionally, head coach Ford says his team have been told by the council they cannot train at York St John University's sports facility on Haxby Road as previously agreed, even though the club have "a great relationship" with the university.

The dispute surrounds arrangements in place for the rugby club to play at Bootham Crescent and train at St John while their Huntington Stadium base is demolished and rebuilt into a new 8,000-seater arena to be shared with City.

"It's all making our preparations a lot harder but the character in the squad is such that they are seeing it as a challenge and it's bringing them closer together," said Ford.

"A bit of adversity can bring solidarity.

"We have put a lot of planning in place for our pre-season and we have a great relationship with St John, but just when we thought we had come to the finish line (with the agreements), it appears to me that the goalposts have been changed by the council.

"We had a really good two or three weeks at Haxby Road but we haven't been there for the last few weeks.

"It makes it difficult for me but we're just getting on with it and the lads have been excellent. We will still prepare the team to a high standard.

"Hopefully in the meantime common sense will prevail and the powers that be can sort it out."

Asked for his opinion on the dispute, Ford said: "Obviously contract law is not my area and therefore I would not want to speculate on anything."

As for the Hull match, he added: "We're preparing for the game to be on."

Ford's charges are still at Haxby Road on Saturdays but evening training is currently taking place on Manor School's Astroturf pitch and at partner club Castleford Tigers' gym facilities.

"We're at York St John on Saturdays but we can't use the facility in our designated slots because the contract details are under dispute," said Ford.

"We're thankful to Castleford and our dual-reg agreement with them - it's a really good facility - and we're grateful to Manor School.

"It disrupts the gym sessions we should do together on Tuesdays so it's obviously not ideal as we want to monitor the players and do some coaching in the gym, but, with this squad, we can trust them to do their work away from the club.

"The travelling and switching around causes severe disruption to preparations but, while it might affect a person's enjoyment of pre-season, it hasn't so far and, touch wood, it won't do."

Of the issue, a City of York Council spokesman said: "The council remains in legal dispute with Mr Guildford, chair of York City Knights, and has withdrawn from negotiations with regard to the York Community Stadium. The matter will be adjudicated upon by the court in due course."