JAMES FORD says York City Knights' bid for play-off glory will not be affected by the off-the-field crisis surrounding the club.

The Knights go to Toulouse this weekend for their Kingstone Press League One play-off semi-final, the French big-guns having surprisingly lost the promotion final to Rochdale last Saturday.

Already massive underdogs against a side who had gone through the regulation season unbeaten prior to their Hornets sting, they will travel not knowing if they will be allowed promotion to the Championship in light off the uncertainty around the club's future - or even if the team will be in existence next season.

But head coach Ford said this season's goals are the chief focus regardless of what happens next year.

"We set our goals back in November and we've been working hard to achieve them ever since," said Ford.

"Things have gone on that you don't expect or want off the field, but you can say that about any walk of life. We need to overcome a couple of challenges and we're capable of doing it.

"I've got resilient, tough players - they've shown that over the last two years.

"We will go to Toulouse with the intention of winning and getting the opportunity to play Barrow or Doncaster in the play-off final."

The Knights have been officially put up for sale by owner John Guildford, who has claimed issues with City of York Council's community stadium project render the club unsustainable. They also have no ground guaranteed for next year, with the council saying any contracts to play at Bootham Crescent as part of the stadium scheme depend on the "ownership issue" being resolved, and on both the local authority and landlords York City being "satisfied as to the identity and financial viability of the Knights’ owners".

The team have won only twice during the Super 8s since Guildford first declared the club was to close, before then confirming they would see out the season.

Ford, however, says the off-field situation is immaterial to his troops on the field as they target success in adversity.

"They're fighting for each other. They want to win every game they play," he said.

"You would be naive to think that the uncertainty does not affect people. Of course it does - rugby league players are still human - and you're going to see some influence over their performances.

"But the boys are tremendously together and they work hard for each other. What a story they could write. They'll go over to France looking forward to ripping into Toulouse."