HEAD coach James Ford fears the longer York City Knights' off-field crisis continues the harder player recruitment will become - that's assuming the club continues beyond this season.

Ford has again pledged he is willing to "take on the challenge" at York rather than take up likely job offers elsewhere come the end of the current campaign, despite the Knights' future being up in the air.

However, with clubs now allowed to sign players for 2017 - the transfer window opening as of today - he has urged the powers that be to double any efforts to secure the team's future as soon as possible so they can "continue to progress" rather than be left scratching around.

"Obviously I've had a number of enquiries from players and I've relayed them to the owner," he said.

"Basically I've been told that decisions on those matters will be for the next owner of the club, which is certainly understandable but does not help us progress on the field like we feel we could.

"I know the majority of the squad I would like to keep, while there are one or two players' futures depending on performances over the rest of the season.

"I've highlighted a number of players I would like to bring to the club who would be in budget and add to the culture and environment we have here and improve the team.

"But as much as the progress we've made helps us attract players in terms of the culture we've created, there's a chance the off-field uncertainty could hinder that.

"The sooner we can sort that out, the less impact it would have, but it will be a challenge."

As reported, Knights owner John Guildford has declared he is leaving at the end of this season, arguing groundshare issues at York City's Bootham Crescent and with City of York Council's community stadium scheme make the current rugby league club unsustainable.

Unless there is a takeover, it therefore seems probable the club would close down, with one proposed buyout having already come to nothing - former director Gary Dickenson last week pulling out of talks saying the only viable way forward would be for York City's owners to take on a new rugby league set-up.

City supremo Jason McGill has expressed an interest in adding a rugby club to a "Team York" portfolio but The Press understands it is unlikely he and Guildford would have meaningful talks about a takeover so that route would rather involve a new club starting, should the Rugby Football League grant them membership.

Long-term, that could also depend on how the community stadium project progresses in the face of further delays and a judicial review.

In the meantime, Ford and his team continue their fight to be in the League One promotion play-offs with the visit to Bootham Crescent of London Skolars on Sunday - the first of three games in a week.

"If we're allowed to continue to build and add to what we've got, the future for this club is bright," said Ford, hailing the team's promotion challenge on the pitch despite two years of off-field strife.

"But there needs to be stability off the field. No matter how good the coach or players are, the culture is dictated from the very top.

"I'm very hopeful that it can be sorted. Rugby league in York can certainly thrive. People are going to have to roll their sleeves up and work hard, but that's the same in all walks of life.

"The sooner the situation is addressed, the quicker we can continue building and making progress.

"The longer it takes, the more of a challenge it becomes, but I'm still keen to take it on."