YORK City Knights head coach James Ford has called for point-scoring to end and all parties in the community stadium saga to work together - "for the sake of sport in this city".

Ford has seen his team's hopes of getting into the Kingstone Press League One play-offs hit by new ground issues, after they were told they could not use Bootham Crescent for Sunday's Super 8s opener against Doncaster as planned.

It is unclear where - or if - the game will go ahead, though The Press understands the Dons' Keepmoat Stadium is a possible option. The Knights will have to forfeit home advantage either way, while the worst-case scenario is the club withdraw from the league.

It is the latest "embarrassing" episode in a stadium saga which rendered Ford's team homeless throughout 2015 before the club were allowed back into the City of York Council project this year. The scheme sees them play home games at York City's home until both clubs move into a new arena to be built on the site of the Knights' old ground.

However, they cannot play there this Sunday due to over-use of the pitch, with City having arranged friendlies there on Saturday, next Tuesday and the following Saturday.

"Obviously it's disappointing. It's disappointing that as a collective we're struggling to work together, for what reasons I'm not sure," said Ford.

"I've certainly not been involved in any decision-making on that level, as you'd expect for a head coach.

"I'm struggling to see why all three parties can't just adhere to what's written down in the contracts.

"I don't know what they say is but if it's been agreed we should all follow that.

"Whether that's us as an organisation amending what we're doing, so be it. Whether it's the football club or the council, or a little bit of all three, so be it."

The Knights have a contract with the council to play matches at City's home as part of its stadium scheme. The council has a separate contract with City, allowing rugby games to be held there. The two clubs have no agreement between themselves.

The council say they have told the Knights since May this Sunday would be unavailable due to potential City fixtures.

The Knights contest this, argue that their contract allows them to play on Sundays as long as the game kicks off 24 hours after a City match, and claim it was unreasonable to arrange three football friendlies around the date of a potential Super 8s fixture.

The Super 8s fixtures - whereby the top eight in League One battle for play-off places - were announced last Wednesday.

Home games against Barrow on August 7 and London Skolars on September 4 are also in doubt, though it is hoped new talks will end in a resolution.

"I just think it's about time we all let bygones be bygones and put historical point-scoring to one side," said Ford.

"We should all work together, not just for the sake of the rugby league team and supporters but for the sake of sport in the city, and York as whole. How must this look?

"For the life of me I can't get my head around the bickering between the groups.

"From my perspective, I'm dead keen to see the football club do well and sport in the city flourish.

"Maybe things have gone on in the past that I'm not aware of, but we're supposed to be going into a new community stadium working together.

"If the football club ever wanted me to do something that would benefit them, I'd happily do it.

"It's all so disappointing for the people of the city. They've had their fair share of embarrassment haven't they."

The Knights played home games last year at Doncaster, Featherstone Rovers, Heworth ARLC and York RUFC's Clifton Park. The Rugby Football League will not allow further games at Clifton Park and Heworth as those grounds don't meet criteria, while Rovers host Bradford this weekend in a huge Championship clash, so that venue is unavailable.

Added Ford: "We've got a chance of being pretty successful this year.

"We've made a cup final and have a good chance of achieving our second goal of promotion.

"I'm not privy to the contracts or things that have gone on in before.

"But I don't see why the city does not get behind us and more importantly get behind these players, who work so hard to represent York as well as they can."