YORK City Knights' new benefactor Mark Campbell has admitted trying to get head coach James Ford to join Featherstone Rovers - before scrapping that plan and instead getting involved with the Minster city club himself.

Campbell, the Featherstone chairman, is the main backer behind Jon Flatman's recent takeover of the Knights, and also a key man in the rapid recruitment drive for 2017, all of which has helped to reinvigorate the League One club following the crisis and uncertainty at the end of last season.

His aim is to help York join Featherstone at the top end of the Championship, ultimately pushing for Super League - and has backed Ford as the man to take them there.

The Knights have also confirmed a dual-registration link-up with Rovers this year, though Campbell insists he has no conflict of interest.

"York have got a lot of potential," said Campbell when asked why he had got involved.

"I know the history of the club, I know a lot of ex-players who talk about the good times at York.

"It's a great city, a big city. There's a great catchment area. I love the old football ground (Bootham Crescent) and you can get crowds creating a good atmosphere.

"James Ford is a very good up-and-coming coach - I've watched his career quite closely and, having seen what he was doing at York, I tried to get him to Featherstone.

"Then when things were happening at York last year, I thought it was a good opportunity for me and Jon Flatman to work together. I've known Jon a few years and we've done some work together at Featherstone, and I asked him if he fancied coming over."

Campbell made his first public appearance as Knights' backer when he joined Ford and Flatman on the panel at Thursday night's packed fans' forum.

"We want a good side. I like building good teams," he said of their aims. "It's a bit like when I first started at Featherstone. We were in League One at that time and got promoted in the first year.

"It had been the club's lowest-ever attendance the year before but we turned that around. We took turnover from £300,000 to nearly £2million. If we can do that at Featherstone, you can do it here with a big city."

Meanwhile, on concerns over conflicts of interest given his involvement at two clubs, Campbell said: "I love rugby league. If we were playing each other, then whoever plays best would deserve to win the game.

"It does not make any difference. I want York to have a good side. I want Featherstone to have a good side. Our goal is to have York in the Championship as quickly as possible. York has so much potential."

Asked if promotion was feasible in 2017, he said: "It's a tough ask this year.

"With Toronto coming in, who you'd think will walk it, there's only one other promotion place and there are five or six clubs who have spent more than us - not that there are no funds here but because other teams could sign who they wanted earlier.

"You always get good players coming available through the year, though, and if we need to we can look at that.

"But we've got some good players here, plus the possibility of dual-reg players if James Ford wants them."