FORMER Great Britain boss Brian Noble has warned York City Knights might lack the strength in depth needed to sustain a long-lasting impact on the Betfred Championship this year.

A three-time World Club champion while in charge of Bradford Bulls in the early 2000s, and an MBE to boot, Noble is now director of rugby at Toronto Wolfpack, who kick off the new Championship season away to York on Sunday (February 3).

And while acclaiming the Knights as a rugby league “success story” following their rise from the brink of extinction in 2016 to League One champions in 2018, he reckons they now face a big new challenge as they look to make strides in the second tier – not helped by the cessation of their dual-registration partnership with Super League club Hull KR.

“It’s a step up in this division,” he reasoned.

“I think they’ve recruited pretty well but I believe they’ve lost their partnership with Hull KR and that might stifle them a bit because I don’t think they’ve got the deepest squad.

“It’s a good squad and James (Ford) is a very good coach. That’s what we’ve got to guard against. What York have to guard against will be that they don’t carry the biggest squad and the middle and back end of the season is when you need to be at your strongest.

“Most teams will get off to a decent start – the weather players a part, the conditions play a part – but they don’t hand out trophies in February and March.”

Noble - who was in the stands for York’s pre-season game at Batley Bulldogs, which the hosts edged 22-18 – nevertheless had high praise for the Minster city club’s work both on and off the field, and expects a bumper attendance for the season opener at Bootham Crescent, which will be played out in front of Sky Sport cameras.

The 57-year-old said: “I think York are one of the success stories of recent times. I have a lot of respect for James Ford and I watched their game against Batley and they were really well organised.

“They’ve had a good off-season and at the start of the season everyone tries to show their best and we’re expecting that from York.

“However, we’re a pretty decent outfit ourselves and we’ve got some new players. We recognise the nature of the event - York put on a good event - and we like that. I think it will be a great game.”

Big-spending Toronto preceded York as League One winners – their only league defeat in their maiden 2017 season coming in a humdinger at Bootham Crescent - and topped the Championship last year only to lose the Million Pound promotion game to London Broncos.

Having brought in four-time Super League-winning coach Brian McDermott, plus several more stellar players from around the world, they start as clear favourites to top the standings again - and this time win a place in Super League.

On favouritism, Noble said: “Everyone writes about us and our ambitions and you have to take what comes with that.

“It fires up every other team. People have given us the plaudits but you better believe it can be a real dagger because they want you to fall.

“That’s professional sport, it’s life in many respects. You have to live with the pressure and we have the right people in place to do that.”

Asked if he expected to face a big Knights crowd on the opening weekend, Noble – who attended the season launch at the De Grey Rooms in York, not far from Bootham Crescent - said: “I hope so.

“I hope York bang the drum (for the game). It was a great event last time (Toronto played York) and hopefully it will be even better this time. Everyone wants to come to an event.”

He added: “I think the Championship this year has top billing. There are six or seven clubs who could be up there. I’m excited. At the launch event I saw a lot of people, a lot of combatants, and I was thinking, ‘Let’s get it on!’”