YORK City Knights boss James Ford insists he holds no grudges against Keighley Cougars as the two clubs prepare to face off again.

A brewing rivalry in recent seasons culminated last summer in red cards, on-field fights, suspensions and an off-the-field spat between the coaches, with the Cougars' media team also having an ungracious say.

York won the first meeting in the regular season, with the Cougars gaining revenge in the Super 8s, although it was the Knights who went on to reach the play-offs.

Ahead of tomorrow's re-acquaintance, Ford said: "No, there are no old scores to settle."

Controversy began last June when an injury-hit York team won 25-18 at Cougar Park - their first victory at Keighley for nine years - with the feisty contest seeing ex-Knight Josh Tonks sent off, James Feather escape a red card after a head butt, and York's Kieron Moran sin-binned.

Ford quickly cited several Keighley players for foul play, with the Rugby Football League disciplinary panel suspending Tonks for five games, Feather for one and Hamish Barnes for one, for tripping, and also fining Brad Nicholson, also for tripping.

Moran also got a two-match ban for a crusher tackle.

Cougars coach Craig Lingard moaned about Ford "telling tales" in a post-match war of words, and prior to the team's Super 8s rematch back at Cougar Park in August, he fanned the flames with another tongue-in-cheek swipe about Ford's review while also downplaying the Knights' stunning win over full-time champions-elect Toronto the week before.

Ford, for his part, said the Cougar's "disciplinary record speaks for itself".

Lingard's men won that rematch 22-20 thanks to a late try by Feather, with Ford saying he received personal stick from home ranks, including via an unsavoury tweet which has since been deleted. The tannoy man also called him out with "What's the score, James Ford?"

Nevertheless, the York boss has laughed it all off ahead of tomorrow's contest.

"One of their supporters berated me during the game for a full 80 minutes, a full 80. The sheer persistence of the fella was admirable," he joked.

"No, there are no old scores to settle. As I said at the time in reference to Craig's pops at me, I hold no grudges. It's irrelevant really isn't it.

"We probably let ourselves down a bit in terms of standards (in the second meeting) and Keighley out-played us and deserved the points.

"But this is a different season and we have different combinations and so have they. I don't see anyone carrying any of that into this week's performance."