STICKING together through such a week of turmoil shows how much “success with this team means to the group” – no matter what the result today.

So says senior statesmen Jonny Presley ahead of crisis club York City Knights’ toughest assignment in years.

To outsiders, today’s game is already a write-off, victory inconceivable.

Not only have the Knights faced another long trek to south France to take on the unbeaten full-time League One leaders Toulouse, but frustratingly they have had to travel with only 15 players, one of whom, James Haynes, is unlikely to play more than ten minutes as he returns from a year out following a knee reconstruction.

Furthermore, they will don the shirts just a week after thinking their push for promotion, their season and their time together at York were all over, having been told they were free to leave with the club being wound up.

To Presley, however, this game gives the lads a chance to prove themselves yet again in adversity.

“It’s going to be a tough ask against the best team in the competition,” he conceded.

“But the mentality of the group this year has been to never give in, never say die, and this gives us an opportunity to prove again we’ve got great spirit.

“Regardless of the result this weekend, it will stand us in good stead moving forward.”

On the enormous odds of them now actually winning, Presley added: “It’s important we try to get a result but it’s more important that we’re playing, that the club is carrying on.

“Rather than focus on the result, we have to focus on putting a good performance in, and we’ll see where that takes us.

“You never know, we might shock a few people with our display.”

Given the major doubts over whether today’s game would go ahead, five players could not get time off at late notice in order to travel.

Top-scorer Kriss Brining stayed home for a funeral, while Harry Tyson-Wilson was recalled by parent club Hull in midweek. Brandon Westerman, set for his debut on loan from Castleford, was an even later withdrawal, seemingly of his own accord.

Several were also ruled out through injury, hence only 15 available. Free-scoring Toulouse are set to field a full-strength 17.

However, the entire York squad had a full training session together on Thursday night before the travelling party set off, and Presley hailed the togetherness among them.

“That was a really big statement,” he said of the players’ decision to stick around rather than seek other clubs once told they were free to go. Many of them had also been approached.

“It shows how together the group is, how much they think of the coaching staff and each other. No-one has jumped ship despite all the adversity.

“Lads have mortgages and families to feed, but we decided to stick together even though we didn’t know what would happen.

“That’s how much success this year with this team means to this group.”

News came through on Thursday night that the club were now set to see out the season, with a takeover bid in process, but veteran half-back Presley has called on the powers that be to resolve the club’s future as soon as possible.

“It’s been frustrating," he said of the off-field saga. “Everyone involved wants it to be resolved as quickly as possible so we can plan moving forward.

“The latest news gives us some stability for the run-in, which is great obviously. It hopefully also means promotion is possible again for us.

“But the long-term future of the club still needs to be resolved as quickly as possible so people can plan and get structures in place to take us forward.”