FANS are set to get a potential say in player recruitment at York City Knights via the new squadbuilder' scheme.

As revealed by The Press last month, the Knights have launched a new fund whereby all money raised in its name will be entirely ring-fenced for team building.

The first cash injections have come from fans buying vice-presidents packages, while the Supporters' Club have also begun fundraising events specifically in aid of this scheme.

It has now been proposed that the fund will be taken on by a new fans' body independent of both the rugby club and Supporters' Club, and this society, should it get off the ground, will have a voice in which players it pays for. It is hoped this will entice more supporters to sign up.

The plan is for it to be run along similar lines to the successful squadbuilder schemes administered by fans at fellow National League clubs Feather-stone, Batley and Hunslet.

Named Friends of Featherstone', BISSA (Batley Independent Supporters' Squadbuilder Association) and HISSA respectively, they effectively pay for several players per season, and potentially a big chunk of the squad.

These bodies, run by a committee elected by members, raise much of their money through monthly subscriptions from fans, as well as fundraising events and donations. In return, they have a power of veto as regards which players are signed through this scheme and whether the money being demanded is worth it.

Chief executive John Guild-ford explained: "The club or the coach would go to this fans' committee and say, We have player X who wants to be paid Y, and we think he is worth it. Will you be prepared to pay for him?' They can agree or disagree, and we go from there."

The Featherstone organisation, headed by a group of businessmen who each put in substantial amounts, was particularly prominent this year as it brought in several highly-rated players, with Rovers going on to win promotion from NL2.

HISSA, meanwhile, have more than 100 members, each paying a minimum of £5 per month, and all listed in a public roll of honour'. Last year, they paid for seven key members of the Hawks squad, including ace prop Danny Ekis, who has agreed to move to Huntington Stadium for 2008.

Guildford has already contacted some supporters who could potentially run the new body. They include former Knights director Dave Gorwood and another big supporter, Chris Hearld, who is an accountant at KPMG.

No targets have been set as regards the amount of cash this scheme could bring in, but Guildford, who has long argued that the club needed more investment, said it could play a major role in the strength of the Knights' team.

"We've seen at Featherstone what it can do, and it's been very important for teams like Hunslet." he added.

"Other clubs have made it work and we hope we can as well. The idea is to raise money for team building and this way means the fans who contribute, and are on this roll of honour, will have added influence."