PROMOTION-SEEKING York City Knights' recent recruitment drive has gone into overdrive with head coach James Ford signing four more players - all with top Championship nous.

Three of them come on loan from Halifax - packman Adam Robinson and centre Sam Smeaton arriving initially for a month and winger Tommy Saxton re-signing until the end of the season.

The fourth is Andy Smith, the 31-year-old former Bradford, Salford, Halifax, London Broncos and Dewsbury threequarter who has been on the Knights Foundation staff since February and who is now looking to get back into first-grade action after two seasons off the pitch.

The signings - following those of Ross Divorty and, on loan, of Jordan Crowther and Harry Tyson-Wilson - represent the clearest indication yet that the League One high-fliers, far from resting on their laurels, are preparing for a renewed push for play-off success.

They also mean a few of the current fringe players might be going out of the revolving door on loan, given the size now of the squad.

Said Ford: "I'm really grateful the owner and the board have helped me to improve the squad. They're trusting me to take the club forward and that's fantastic.

"These are Championship players and good Championship players. They've played for some excellent clubs who have played in and won Championship Grand Finals."

Robinson, 28, formerly of Wakefield, Batley, Oldham, Doncaster and Dewsbury, has been at Halifax for four seasons but has seen his game-time limited in the last few months.

Ford said: "He's a really strong-running forward who can play back-row or in the middle and has a lot of intent about him.

"He carries the ball really hard and direct and defends that way too. He can be a great signing for us.

"He's played an awful lot of Championship rugby and done well in that competition. He's providing top-quality competition for the other back-rowers at the club. I'm excited to bring in another player of this calibre.

Smeaton, 27, formerly of Featherstone and Sheffield, is in the same situation at The Shay.

Said Ford: "I played against him a number of times. He's a bit like Mike Emmett in that he can get under your skin and get you a bit flustered, but he's also skilful and will give you strike on the edges."

Former Featherstone winger Saxton first arrived at York last month and played in three victories, scoring one try, before pulling a hamstring in the victory over Rochdale.

He will not be risked in Sunday's trip to Oxford, though Robinson and Smeaton are in contention.

Ford said: "He's got an awful lot of experience and, more importantly, an awful lot of class. He's a talented, natural rugby league player. We've seen glimpses of that which have changed the momentum of games.

"He'd not played for several weeks before he came to us so we've not seen the best of him, but, come the Super 8s and beyond, I'm confident he can be a really important player in our drive for promotion."

Smith has been training with the first team for some weeks.

Said Ford: "Andy's been at the club for a while. He's played at a very good level - Bradford Bulls, London, Halifax, Dewsbury. He's had a couple of years out of the game and it will be tough for him to force his way into the team with the standards our outside backs are playing at.

"But last year in the play-offs, we were really low on bodies and experience as we had that many busted players.

"Andy will bring plenty of experience and ability. He was a very strong runner of the ball. York fans with good memories might remember me and Chris Thorman having a really difficult afternoon trying to deal with him.

"There's no pressure on him after so long out but if he plays to those levels, it will be a fantastic signing."