FLYING winger Johnny Waldron has been urged to break the York City Knights try-scoring record - by the man who set it.

The 24-year-old already holds the National Conference scoring record, having smashed the previous best of 35 when notching 41 touchdowns in 22 games for York Acorn ARLC in 2004-05.

Now, he has been told to take that form into the National League arena by his old friend, Peter Fox, a fellow Acorn product.

Fox, who has now signed for Super League club Wakefield, set the Knights' record with 25 tries in their 2005 promotion season.

Waldron said: "He told me the other day he would like to see if I could break his record. I see him quite a bit and he said to me to go down (to the Knights) and give it a go.

"If I play I would like to break the record. I broke it in the amateurs and if I can break York's, that would be brilliant.

"But my first aim is to get into the first team and to help them push for NL1 - that's what we're all trying to do."

As revealed by The Press, Acomb-based Waldron - whose feats for Acorn led to his being named the BARLA open age Player of the Year in 2005, as well as BARLA Great Britain honours - put pen to paper with the Knights last week.

He had been tracked by NL2 rivals Hunslet, and he revealed he also considered signing for Featherstone 12 months ago.

But he said: "I decided to come close to home. The travelling and stuff was not right and, anyway, I would rather play for my home-town club.

"They seem to be going places again. The people they've got on the coaching staff, Mick Cook and Jason Ramshaw, and the new conditioning coach, are all good and it's a good set-up."

Waldron's progress at Huntington Stadium might be hampered as he awaits surgery to mend shoulder ligaments. He could play through the pain but is hoping to have an operation in January, which would mean he'd be fit by late March.

He is nevertheless confident of making the step up to semi-professional level, although he did admit it was a difficult decision to turn pro, not least because it means he will be ineligible for BARLA Great Britain's summer tour to South Africa.

"I'll have to make it so they have to pick me," he said, when asked about his chances of claiming a first-team shirt.

"It's up to me to get in that team by training and playing well. I have to prove myself so they can't leave me out.

"I've played since I was seven and turning pro was always what I wanted to do. Now I've got that chance with my home-town team, I'm going to take it.

"I will miss all the lads at Acorn and I'm disappointed I'll miss the GB tour, but this is a chance of a lifetime and if I don't take it now I might not get another chance.

"I would love to go on tour but if stepping up to pro means I can't then that's that."