HEAD coach James Ford reckons the supporters can have a "huge part to play" when York City Knights kick off their new season on Sunday.

The League One champions, back in the Championship for the first time since 2013, face a Bootham Crescent humdinger against odds-on title favourites Toronto Wolfpack, the box office full-time team who, with a wealth of Super League and NRL talent and now with Brian McDermott at the helm, are intent on reaching the top flight.

Such is the anticipation for the Sky Sports-televised game that the Knights are to open the David Longhurst Stand and could well open the Pop Stand too, in addition to the Main Stand.

And while few pundits are giving the Knights a hope of repeating their shock win over the otherwise unbeaten Canadians in 2017, Ford says a noisy bumper following could make a key difference.

"They've got a huge part to play, like they have done on numerous occasions," Ford said.

"For other big games for us at York, the club and the crowd have turned them into big events and really got behind us.

"They've helped us find extra energy and influenced our performance, and I'm looking forward to the same this weekend."

McDermott, the four-time Super League-winning coach with Leeds Rhinos, took over at Toronto this winter from Paul Rowley, who made way after the Wolfpack lost the Million Pound Game against London Broncos last season.

He’s been joined by six high-profile new signings in Ricky Leutele, Jon Wilkin, Gadwin Springer, Bodene Thompson, Joe Mellor and Tom Olbison - adding to an already stellar squad.

Ford said: "Toronto Wolfpack are a fantastic side with a coach whose track record speaks for itself. It will be an enormous challenge.

"I've used the 'underdogs' tag before but this week I don't think that phrase even remotely does it justice regarding the task we face.

"But it's a task we're looking forward to and one we're excited by, and we're quietly confident we're capable of surprising one or two people."

Asked if this game was effectively a "free hit" with nothing to lose, Ford said: "I'm not sure - I've not thought about that.

"What we're focusing on is our performance. Our preparation has been good. We need to make sure there's lots of clarity about what we're doing."

Either way, Ford believes this is probably the best time to take on the Wolfpack.

"They're only going to get better," he reasoned. "They've got a new coach and the more times they play the more clarity they will have as regards what Brian wants them to do.

"Ultimately - and I don't mean this to be inflammatory in any way - if they're not top of the league at the half-way point, they will just go out and buy a new team.

"That might irritate one or two people but it's not their (Toronto's) fault that they've got an unlimited budget. It's a challenge for the rest of us."

As for the new season as a whole, Ford, who was made full-time at the end of last term, added: "I love rugby league and I'm aware I'm fortunate to be in the position I'm in.

"I'm excited by the job and I'm looking forward to helping York continue to grow and build on the momentum we started two years ago."

He would not, however, make public any of the team's targets for 2019.

Asked if he'd laid any down for this squad, he said: "I haven't. The playing group have got their own (goals) as individuals and as a group."