YORK City Knights might have to look outside English rugby league to come up with a replacement for the crocked Chris Spurr.

The LHF Healthplan National League Two club have accelerated their search for new blood after the centre broke an ankle playing for Great Britain and Ireland Academic Lions against Australia Students last week, which could rule him out for the season.

But the supply of players still on the market at this stage of pre-season is low, leaving the Knights pondering a delve into rugby union or a move into foreign fields.

Chief executive Steve Ferres explained: "We are looking for a centre/winger to replace Chris Spurr but there's not much available at the moment.

"There are one or two options outside the game and we might have to look abroad. We have to explore more avenues to come up with what we want."

No names have been put forward by the club but one player who fits the bill who would be high on the supporters' wish-list is Neil Law. The powerful former Wakefield Trinity centre scored 11 tries in 12 games for the Knights in 2003 before returning to Otley RUFC.

However, the Evening Press believes that with the money now available in rugby union since it turned professional, clubs below Super League can find it difficult to financially entice such players from the 15-a-side code into rugby league, regardless of the relative standards, especially midway through the union season.

But Ferres added: "We're looking at a few options and we're pretty keen to have somebody on board hopefully before January 3 when we face Leeds Rhinos in a friendly."

The Knights chief said the club were also looking to boost their options at prop, with only four out-and-out front-rowers at the club.

He added: "We're concerned with the search for a prop. It's a situation we've probably been looking at ever since Richie Hayes retired. We've lost Rich Wilson since then and we still feel we need another prop."

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, December 22, 2004