YORK City Knights boss James Ford says his team have “never shied away from challenges” – as he considers how to plot a way through arguably the toughest Easter period of any Championship club next year.

The Knights also face a hard run-in to the regular season, with only one home game in their last five fixtures and only two in their last eight - but Ford has shrugged this off too.

As revealed by The Press, the League One champions have been handed a mouthwatering start to the 2019 season, at home to moneybags title favourites Toronto Wolfpack.

They will also host former World Club champions – and new big rivals – Bradford Bulls in what will be the first game at York’s new Community Stadium, on Saturday, July 20.

However, the fixture list hands Ford and his charges an apparent Easter from hell, with a trip to Featherstone Rovers on the evening of Good Friday, April 19, being followed by the visit of Widnes Vikings on Bank Holiday Monday, April 22.

They will then have to pack their bags and fly to southern France for their fixture against Toulouse Olympique on Saturday, April 27.

That makes three games in eight days against sides with real play-off ambitions, plus a day's travel in between.

“It’s not ideal to go to Toulouse after the Easter period," said Ford.

“It will be our first Easter double-header for a number of years (League One has recently had only one fixture at Easter), and then having to back up playing two games in four days by flying to France for a game five days later – that’s not ideal.

“But we’ve never shied away from challenges. Rugby league is the toughest sport in the world played by the toughest people. We will manage it.”

The Knights' last game at Bootham Crescent before the move to the new ground is against Dewsbury Rams on Sunday, June 30.

Only two home fixtures will follow at the Community Stadium in the final two-and-a-half months of the regular season - against Bradford and Featherstone - with the other six games in that time all being on the road, culminating in back-to-back trips to Leigh and Halifax, the latter on September 8.

But asked if that run-in was a concern, Ford quipped: "The good news is that means we will have more home games before then.

“We’ve won big games away from home. I won’t bat an eyelid at that.”

On the fixture list as a whole, Ford said: “All of it excites me.

"It will be a huge challenge, facing some top coaches and top teams, but we’re looking forward to playing our part in what will be a really enthralling Championship season.”