YORK City Knights have grown this year no matter what division they end up playing in next season.

That is the verdict of chief executive John Guildford, who said off-field activities had seen the Knights become a bigger and better organisation than ever before.

On the field, the Knights are set to be relegated after just one season in LHF Healthplan National League One, although they have been given a lifeline by the news Halifax are facing liquidation unless they can find £86,000 before September 11, in which case the Knights might get to stay in NL1.

But Guildford says it has been a "good year off the pitch" even though he admits the club need to find ways of improving their turnover, which is low by NL1 standards largely due to the fact the club do not own their own ground.

Said Guildford: "We've set up a charitable foundation, the Lancealotto lottery and an Under-21s Academy team.

"The club has probably grown bigger this year off the field, but we have to do because our turnover is nowhere near big enough to sustain a First Division club."

As previously reported in The Press, the club's only income streams are gate receipts, merchandise sales, sponsorship and the new lottery.

Guildford added: "We've probably got the tightest budget and we certainly have one of the smallest turnovers in Division One. That means we've got one of the smallest amounts to play with for the playing fund."

Clubs are allowed to spend up to 50 per cent of their turnover - up to a maximum of £400,000 - on players.

To underline the Knights' situation, The Press has learnt that the richest club in NL1 has a turnover of about £1.2million, while the Knights are down at about £400,000, with only one club below that mark, hovering around £375,000.

Furthermore, we understand the biggest sponsorship package in the National League this year amounted to about £200,000 - which means the richest club in NL1 must be generating at least £1million from other income streams.

Gate receipts, merchandise and lottery sales are unlikely to bring in this much money, which suggests cash generated by the ground makes a big difference - something the Knights have not got.

Indeed, we understand one NL1 club rakes in about £80,000 from bar takings alone.

The two clubs previously promoted and immediately relegated from NL1, Keighley and Barrow, have struggled to make an impact on NL2 in the following seasons.

But Guildford stressed the Knights' strict policy of spending to budget meant they would not start next season needing to recoup losses.

"We spend to our means. Every club that has gone up before us were worse off when they went back down. I don't know their circumstances, but we've made a point of not overspending, rather spending what we can afford."

This has been the case even though the average attendance at Huntington Stadium this season has fallen slightly on the back of worse results following last season's NL2 title triumph. The club had been expecting an increase given that the likes of Hull KR, Widnes and Leigh were coming to town.

"We've got to find some other avenues of increasing turn-over," added Guildford. "What we can spend on players depends on what income we generate."


ONE good thing for the Knights is that, if last Sunday is anything to go by, they should be able to rely on a hardcore of fans that are as good as they come.

The Knights faithful excelled themselves at Doncaster last week. Not only did they turn out in numbers - all wearing their Knights merchandise, of course - but they also backed the team to the hilt throughout the game.

Joy at the final hooter following a brave win turned to despair as news filtered through that Rochdale had also won and the Knights were down. But, amazingly, those supporters seemed to sing and chant even louder. "York and proud of it"? Of course they are.


IT was a case of blindly sticking a pin in the teamsheet to find a man of the match last week in the win at Doncaster.

Every player - barring the early crocks - had a case but the guy who got the nod from The Press was Jonny Liddell, who thus gets three points for his Player of the Year tally.

Half-backs Scott Rhodes (2pts) and Paul Thorman (1pt) also collected points, with a host of players unlucky not to add to the scores. Rhodes thus moves clear in second place and is now the only player who can overtake long-time leader Jason Golden.

Player of the year latest standings (leaders): Golden 21pts, Rhodes 17, Buckley 15, Bates 14, Elston 12, Fox 12, Blaymire 11, Wray 9, Law 8, Spicer 7, Sullivan 6, Blanchard 6, Paterson 6, Liddell 6, Farrell 5, Hasty 5, Spurr 5.

Get your votes in

THERE is still time to get your Player of the Month votes to us. The deadline is noon on Wednesday.

Email them to peter.martini@ycp.co.uk or send them on a postcard to Knights Player of the Month, Sportsdesk, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Remember to leave your full name, address and contact number if you want to enter the draw for two match tickets and the chance to present the award before the Rochdale game a week tomorrow.