York City Knights have hit out at York City after the text row between the two clubs’ respective chiefs became public.

The Press yesterday revealed a text-message exchange between Knights supremo John Guildford and City counterpart Jason McGill over Guildford’s request to play the Knights’ big Challenge Cup tie against Hull KR at Bootham Crescent as Rovers fans were expected to pack out Huntington Stadium.

In the exchange, McGill said he might not know until late April, arguing City might have a play-off match that week, and asked for more details to work out a provisional cost, but Guildford binned the idea saying they could not wait that long for an answer.

The exchange – amid a backdrop of discontent between the clubs over plans for City to move into a redeveloped Huntington Stadium alongside the Knights – ended with Guildford saying they were “putting together an objection” to the proposed ground-share.

The club statement read: “With regard to the article in (yesterday’s) Press concerning the Knights’ request to play our fourth round Challenge Cup match at Bootham Crescent on Sunday, May 8, the Knights are extremely disappointed that Jason McGill has forwarded copies of private text messages to The Press.

“The messages were sent while John Guildford was out of the country on holiday on March 22 and he was trying to get an answer to enable the club to start marketing the game.

“The Knights could not arrange a game of this magnitude in just seven days, so giving an answer after City’s final league match on April 30 was not feasible.”