YORK City Knights were today anticipating a major boost - even before a ball is thrown in the match against Doncaster.
Former Press Player of the Year Adam Sullivan was expected at Huntington Stadium to sign a deal with the Knights an hour or so before kick off.
The club were hoping that would provide a fillip for fans and players alike as they
prepare to face the unbeaten leaders in Co-operative National League Two.
Assistant-boss James Ratcliffe said: "Ideally we would have liked him to play but he's got a couple of
niggles and he needs a bit of a break. Hopefully, all being well, he will be available for the Swinton game next week."
The Press revealed last week that Sullivan was set to return to the club he served with distinction from
mid-2004 to the end of last season. He has just returned from a season in the French Elite League, being named Lyon's Player of the Year.
Fellow prop Danny Ekis - whom Sullivan roomed with a few years ago when on tour with the National League Under-21s representative side - was to return to the Knights' line-up today,
however.
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The inclusion of the former Hunslet warrior, instead of Matt Danville, is the only change to the 17 that thrashed Blackpool last week to give the Knights their first - and much-needed - win of 2008.
Centre Steve Lewis, a
substitute last week, will switch to the wing in place of Danville, with Scott Woodcock dropping to the bench. Ekis will start, while Woodcock, Andy Bailey and Adam Endersby provide prop
rotation, with Ratcliffe and player-coach Paul March
opting for size in the 17.
Ratcliffe said: "We need Danny in there. He's an out-and-out NL1 player playing in NL2. His aggression will bring us into it. Doncaster are a very physical side with a lot of aggression - that's why we're going with three props on the bench.
"We're looking to be aggressive as well."
Ratcliffe reiterated March's
opinion that Doncaster will
provide a much sterner test than Blackpool - but that they have weaknesses.
"They have a lot of Super League experience, but there are a few frailties in them," he said.
"We're quite confident going into the game on the back of last week's win. It's been good to go into a training environment where we're winning, not losing.
"That Blackpool win was only one game, but it gives us a foothold into where we want to be.
"We've trained really well and hopefully, if the players bring the things we've worked on into the game, we will do all right. This is a good opportunity to properly kick-start our season.
"We've got to match Doncaster's physical effort. We've shown we can do that with performances against Featherstone and Batley (NL1 clubs in the Northern Rail Cup).
"If we can match that, I think we've got enough football in us to do a bit of damage."
Knights: Mapals, Oakes, Esders, Spicer, Lewis, Ratcliffe, P March, Buckley, Hughes, Ekis, Divorty, Kelly, D March.
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