YORK are a “sleeping giant” of rugby league – with Super League potential.

That is the firm belief of Mark Applegarth, the former The Press Player of the Year who returned to York City Knights as player/assistant-coach this winter.

Applegarth cites a “fantastic” occasion – when a 3,000-plus crowd saw his side beat Oldham in a televised thriller at Huntington Stadium in 2009 – as evidence to back up that claim, while the league restructure he reckons gives all clubs below the top tier a big fillip.

He also says a chat with former Knights full-back Matty Blaymire - who went on to star in Super League with Wakefield - gives him faith that the feel-good factor in the Minster city can return.

“There is a good community club scene here and there’s no other professional club within 20 miles, said Applegarth - echoing the thoughts of Rugby Football League chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer, who believes York’s “uniqueness” is the envy of many bigger teams.

“If we get York playing in the right league, playing some attractive rugby – it’s a sleeping giant.

“If we get a good new stadium as planned there are no boundaries for the club. In five or six years if everything is in place, who says we can’t be watching a Super League outfit with regular gates of seven, eight thousand.

“If rugby league was promoted through the community a bit better, the new stadium is in place and going well, and the team is playing well, there’s no reason why York could not attract a very good fan base.

“It’s not like West Yorkshire with Wakefield, Castleford, Featherstone, Batley, Dewsbury, Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield all competing for fans.

“We’re the only pro club in North Yorkshire and we’ve got a city to ourselves, both the football and the rugby league, and there’s no reason why both clubs can’t flourish.”

He added: “I saw Matty Blaymire at the weekend and we were talking about different atmospheres at grounds. Matty experienced a title and promotion here with York (in 2005) and had the bus tour through the city centre. He’s played a number of years in Super League, but he still says that’s one of his best experiences in rugby league.

“I was here when we played Oldham that time at Huntington Stadium with a full house, drums beating, 3,000 people making noise and the Sky TV cameras there. As a player that’s what you really look forward to.

"I remember running out thinking, ‘This is fantastic, how much noise are these fans making?’ “If we get the community stadium sorted and get atmospheres like that, it would be fantastic.”

The Knights’ crowds have dropped off markedly from the 2,000 average of nearly a decade ago, but Applegarth said: “I think the last few years have been tough for rugby league in general at this level but this new league restructure will help.

“We’ve got a pathway to the Championship and then there’s a pathway to Super League. Our main aim is to get into the Championship and, if and when we get there, we’ll have more big teams coming here and the atmosphere that can be created would be fantastic.”