YORK City Knights chief executive Steve Ferres has warned the squad he is willing to get rid of players who aren't prepared to put their bodies on the line for the club.

Ferres' admonishment comes in the wake of the Knights hugely disappointing 16-16 draw with fellow National League newcomers London Skolars - the first point the Skolars have won since turning professional this year.

The Knights had lost their previous two matches in Division Two and a clearly disgruntled Ferres told the Evening Press: "We've got a team out there that's not playing to its potential and that's disappointing. Performances like that aren't acceptable.

"If some of the players aren't prepared to put their bodies on the line or work to the ethos of the rest of the club, then I'm prepared to look for somebody else who will.

"I will be speaking to (player-coach) Paul Broadbent tomorrow and we will be reviewing everything. He's working very hard and he believes in what he's doing and we will assess where we're at and where to take it from here."

Ferres revealed he took some verbal abuse from irate supporters at yesterday's match but conceded that was understandable.

"They've paid their money and they're entitled to be upset," he said. "It was not pleasant but I can understand the fans' frustration. We will work hard to try to put it right for them.

"We're all naturally upset, but with Gateshead also beating Swinton it shows everything (in Division Two) is tougher and stronger then a lot of people thought."

The Knights, despite their win-less start to the league campaign, drew another four-figure crowd, which again was the biggest of the day in the Second Division. Ferres added: "The fact people are turning up in numbers is testament to them and we recognise their support."

Broadbent himself was downbeat after a late rally saw the Skolars snatch a point and nearly win the game. "We were pretty ordinary," he said.

"We started reasonably solidly but ten minutes before half-time we started to lose our control and, in the second half when we said we wanted to win field position, every time we got there we kept turning possession over.

"Our enthusiasm levels were reasonable but as soon as we started to surrender the ball their enthusiasm levels grew and they probably finished the game more enthusiastic than us - as soon as they got within a sniff they started coming at us as if it was the first ten minutes.

"We've got to play the game in the right areas of the field but at the moment we're giving teams piggy-backs up the field and a springboard to launch attacks. We knew the Skolars would come with enthusiasm and a good off-load game - we knew what they had in their armoury - but we did not address it properly."

Broadbent said the Knights had overcome a shaky start to the Arriva Trains Cup campaign to get some good results, including wins over Division One opposition, and they needed to bounce back again.

"It's hard to find positives when it's such a disappointing performance, but we've been here before. We had a disappointing start to the season but we then got some consistency together and we've got to sort it out again.

"It's going to have to be a team effort. It's a case of playing as a team and working as a team.

"We've got the ability in the squad to turn it round but it won't happen unless we make it happen."

Updated: 10:47 Monday, May 05, 2003