YORK City Knights remain hopeful Sunday's big opening friendly against Hull FC at Bootham Crescent will go ahead - but the recent floods have left the game in significant doubt.

The pre-season fixture is the Knights' long-awaited first outing at York City's home and back in the city centre - a year later than expected - as part of the community stadium scheme that will see the two clubs share the football ground before ultimately moving into the planned new arena.

Super League side Hull are set to bring a strong side and with it a large travelling support, all helping to boost the Knights' coffers.

However, City's last home game, against Northampton Town on Boxing Day, was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch amid the floods that hit York.

After a couple of dry days, more heavy rain was forecast for today, and City said that groundstaff as of yesterday had been unable to carry out "significant" work on the pitch due to the saturation levels.

Nevertheless, Knights major shareholder John Guildford said: "As far as we're aware, the game is on, we're ready and we're looking forward to it. There should be a good turnout and hopefully it will be a good day.

"If York City have concerns, I would assume they would contact us and we would get in touch with a local referee to carry out a pitch inspection if and when necessary.

"If it was at Huntington Stadium (the Knights' former ground which is to be redeveloped as the community stadium), it would be a banker as that pitch drained well. I don't know Bootham Crescent as well as City do, obviously, but I'm optimistic it will be okay on Sunday."

A City statement said: "In just over three days we had 40 millimetres of rain falling on the pitch.

"The pitch at this point does remain saturated with groundstaff doing their utmost to get it playable for both football and rugby.

"Because of the state of the pitch, they can't take any machinery onto it to do anything significant but we are doing everything we can to get it playable and we will continue to monitor it daily."

Neither club has confirmed who will make the final decision on whether the game goes ahead.