York forced to move friendly and could be left homeless

James Gordon

York have been forced to move their pre-season friendly against Hull to Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium due to a dispute with the local council.

The City Knights moved out of their Huntington Stadium home at the end of last season, with plans for a new ground to be built there which would also be home to York City football club.

As part of the plan, the rugby league team was to move to Bootham Crescent, the football club’s current home and the friendly with Hull, on Sunday January 11, was due to be the first of two pre-season games at the venue.

However, the club says it hasn’t heard off City of York Council for almost two months, and there are worries that the City Knights could be left homeless if the new stadium isn’t built on schedule ahead of the 2016/17 football season.

A spokesman from the rugby league club said: “The loss of the home game will be a cost of over £10,000 to the club.

“We are disappointed that promises and assurances have not been met by York City Council, but we will just bat on until we hear from the Council on the reasons why they have not been in Contact with the club since early November 2014. 

“We are optimistic that the issues can be resolved very quickly once the Council confirms when we can meet.

“The club have again asked the council to explain their misleading statements in the media regarding been in legal dispute and such comments are factually incorrect and does nothing but create more unnecessary confusion.”

 

The pre-season friendly with Hull will now take place at the Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday (4.45pm), as part of a double header – with Doncaster taking on Hull’s young guns at 3pm.