YORK City Knights have seen “record-breaking uptakes on season tickets to date” chairman Jon Flatman has said.

York put their season tickets on sale last Monday ahead of the 2021 season, which it is now known will be played in the Betfred Championship following this week’s decision to promote Leigh Centurions to Betfred Super League.

The Knights offered a range of packages for season tickets and memberships ahead of their first season playing at the LNER Community Stadium.

And it looks like the Knights will be well supported by their ever-growing fan base ahead of the 2021 season, which is due to begin in March.

“The planning process is going very, very well,” said Flatman, looking ahead to 2021.

“We’ve had record-breaking uptakes on season tickets to date – a huge number of new season ticket holders and old and current partners coming forward.

“The boys are back in training and they took the first opportunity available to get back into training.

“It’s a positive environment, an exciting environment and we’re already all guns blazing for 2021.”

Despite not having played since March amid the coronavirus pandemic, there has been huge positivity around the Knights on social media following their bid for Super League.

Local businesses, community clubs and former players are among the many parties to have publicly shown their support for York’s ‘#HeartlandExpansion’ (as it appears on Twitter) campaign.

“Heart-warming, reassuring and exciting. That’s how I sum up the bid,” chairman Flatman reflected.

“The outpouring of support, emotion and advice was on a scale that was fantastic for all parties and everybody involved.

“Rugby league is traditionally known as the best-kept secret but we want to make it the worst-kept secret and we want everyone to know about it.

“We’ll get some feedback in due course (from the independent panel led by Lord Jonathan Caine) and when we get that, we’ll take that on board and we’ll continue to make this club and this sport bigger and stronger in the area.”