YORK City Knights fans will know the club has to set new historic trends if they are to enjoy a gainful 2006 season - and that starts tomorrow.

Most of those trends relate to league action as every time York have been promoted in the past, they have fallen straight back down, while each of the clubs previously promoted from National League Two have also been relegated in the subsequent year.

The task of avoiding the drop was made harder this week after it was announced two teams, not one, would automatically go down - we'll discuss this more on the eve of the campaign next week.

More immediately, however, the Knights face a historical hurdle of a different kind - beating Swinton in the Challenge Cup. This fourth round tie will be the ninth meeting between the clubs in the competition, stretching back to 1906-07, and York have won only one of them, way back in 1934. And even then they needed a replay.

Coincidentally, that drawn tie attracted York's record attendance of 14,689 at Clarence Street - and there is a certain irony in the fact it ended in a rare 0-0 stalemate.

Tomorrow's tie at Sedgley Park will be lucky to attract even a tenth of that gate, and therein lies a reason, aside from the glory of a cup conquest, why victory tomorrow is very important for both clubs.

Defeat would be financially detrimental, but victory could bring about a big match against Super League opposition - as the Knights had at St Helens last year - which gleans a fair packet.

The Knights might have a decent average crowd and a host of sponsors, but, unlike many of their peers, they have few other revenue streams and a big cup match could do wonders for the budget.

PETER Fox might have mixed feelings if his latest stay at Huntington Stadium lasts only a few weeks.

The young flyer has returned to the Knights on loan from Leeds but the initial agreement is for one month and if he plays well, it could get him quickly back into the Rhinos first-team picture and thus back to Headingley.

That would be good for his career, but a rapid return to Leeds would mean he misses out of forging his old wing-centre partnership with Dan Potter, who is ruled out of April action with his broken thumb.

As some of you will know, last year's Potter-Fox combination not only yielded 42 tries but also earned an affectionate moniker among team-mates - the "Berk-Jerk Partnership".

Who was who, I don't know, but it worked well. In fact, the closeness of their companionship can be seen in this photograph, which we published earlier this week alongside the article on Fox.

It shows Knights duo Paul Clarke and Matt Blaymire (far left) celebrating a try against Fox in the pre-season friendly - and also shows Potter (right) going towards his old mucker. Either Potter was winding Fox up, or he forgot his old mate was playing for Leeds and automatically went to celebrate with him.

KNIGHTS hero Lee Jackson attended last week's game against Featherstone and, believe it or not, that match - apart from watching his sons at junior level - was the first he's been to since he hung up his boots last season.

The former GB international actually admitted that after so many years of constantly playing the game, he wasn't missing rugby much - though he hasn't ruled out getting back involved in coaching.

However, an eyewitness tells me he was looking a bit rusty.

After the crowds had gone, he went onto the Huntington Stadium track to throw a ball about with his sons and it wasn't long before they hoisted a few up for catching practice. All was going well - until Jacko booted the ball over the stand and lost it.

Updated: 11:03 Saturday, April 01, 2006