YORK City Knights captain Tim Spears says he’s going to relish the opportunity to feature in the club’s upcoming Betfred Championship play-off campaign.

York booked their spot in the top five of the league after sealing a 22-18 victory over fellow play-off rivals Featherstone Rovers at Bootham Crescent just over a week ago.

the victory was another landmark in the club’s recent on-field success following last year’s League One title win.

For Spears and the rest of the Knights players, either three or four matches against the league’s fellow elite separate them from a place in next year’s Super League.

The York captain says it’s an experience that he’s looking forward to and something that proves a rewards for their hard-work over the course of the year.

“These matches in the play-offs are what you aspire to as players,” he said.

“I think we’re quietly confident as a group, but it’s going to be a massive challenge to get through it.

“I think it shows how far the club has come too. When I first came to York, we were nowhere near this position.

“We were losing games to poor teams in League One and the club was in a rebuilding process both on and off the field.

“As professional rugby league players, you want to play in the games like these where everything is on the line.

"It’s why you play the game and make the sacrifices that you do. It’s what the game and the sport is all about."

Two regular season games still await York, with trips to Leigh Centurions and Halifax forthcoming over the next fortnight.

Finishing higher than fourth would secure a home fixture in the play-offs, something which Spears is keen to ensure.

“The fans were great for us last year and I think they’ve been even better for us this year in the Championship,” he said.

“They’ve been right behind us from day one and we had a crowd of over 3,000 against Featherstone and 4,000 against Bradford, which are great figures.

“It’s a privilege to play in front of them. Even at times when we haven’t got it right, they’ve stuck by us and hopefully we’ve been able to reward by our finish in the play-offs.

“I think there’s a really good feel and vibe around the club and the fans have been a big part of that.

“We’ve had some big games at Bootham Crescent and I’m excited about hopefully bring one back there before the end of the season.”