EX-YORK City Knights player-boss Paul March has insisted his team selection for Sunday’s friendly back at his old stomping ground is not a way at getting back at his former club.

March, who moved to Hunslet Hawks last summer following an acrimonious departure from the Knights, returns to Huntington Stadium for a pre-season fixture which was arranged as part of the deal that took Scott Woodcock and Wayne McHugh to Hunslet in August – with the Knights keeping all of the gate receipts.

But, while York are to field a strong side, March is only bringing a reserve team, with neither himself nor any of the ten players who controversially followed him from the Knights to the Hawks involved.

It is a move which could affect the attendance.

March, however, says the game was arranged as a reserve friendly – something the Knights refute – and also said he “didn’t think it was the time for the ex-York players to go back there and start proving things”.

He told The Press: “When it first got arranged and they said we would be playing a fixture against York, it was agreed it would be a reserve-grade friendly. We decided when we first started pre-season who will be playing and who won’t be.

“If York are going to play a strong first team it will give my lads a good opportunity to play experienced players and give them something to aim for.”

As for the ten who followed him to Hunslet – namely Danny Ekis, Woodcock, McHugh, David March, Adam Sullivan, John Oakes, Dave Clayton, Danny Grimshaw, Rob Kelly and Richard Knight – March said: “They might think they have to prove something to fans, but I don’t think they have to at this moment. They can do that when we play them in the league. I don’t want anything flaring over on the field.”

One former Knight who will be involved, however, is big prop Joe Helme, who left Huntington Stadium in 2007.

He will be the old head in a predominantly young squad of reserves and fringe first-teamers.

March said: “Joe is not on the fringes – he’s a first-teamer – but he’s missed a bit of training due to work commitments and it will be good to get him in there.”

Hunslet – whose squad also contains Neil Lowe and Darren Robinson to make a full complement of 13 ex-Knights – saw their Christmas run-out against Keighley called off because of the weather, but they have further friendlies against Rochdale, Wakefield and Leeds.

Knights general manager Ian Wilson said Sunday’s match was classed as a first-team friendly with the Rugby Football League so only professionally contracted players – not anyone on academy terms – were permitted to play.

He added: “It’s up to Hunslet what team they put out.”

The two clubs, meanwhile, have discussed potential dates for a rearrangement in case Sunday’s match is called off – with Thursday, January 21 pencilled in.

The pitch is snowbound and potentially frosted underneath so the game is in doubt. An inspection is likely to be held on Saturday.