YORK City Knights owner John Guildford is still seeking assurances that the community stadium will be completed on schedule before fully committing to the project.

Guildford claims the terms of the Knights’ move to Bootham Crescent, while a new arena is built on the vacated Huntington Stadium site that has been their base for 25 years, have been changed by City of York Council.

He insists the original plan was for the Knights to move to the home of football neighbours York City “until the new stadium is built” but he now understands that arrangement is only guaranteed for two years.

City of York Council maintain that the community stadium will be ready for use by the start of the 2016/17 football season.

But, with the project suffering a history of protracted delays, Guildford fears that further unforeseen problems could leave the Knights homeless in two years’ time.

Despite repeatedly being asked by The Press whether a change to the original agreement had been made and, if so, why, the City of York Council have as yet offered no clarification, with Guildford claiming: “The council only want to give us two years security of tenure at Bootham Crescent.

“What this tells me is that the council are nervous about the planning application going in and I can't sign those terms. I would be signing the club away.

“If something went wrong, people would say 'what did you do that for?'. If I sign, the club is at risk.

“The council are moving away from what they have agreed with us."

Knights have legally agreed to leave Huntington Stadium on December 31 but no arrangements have yet been made for their first pre-season friendly against Super League Hull, which is due to be played at Bootham Crescent on January 11.

The notice period required for a change of use clause in the ground’s safety certificate to stage rugby league matches has passed, which The Press now understands does not mean the game cannot take place, but would probably lead to larger stewarding costs than necessary.

According to the Knights’ website, the Hull match is set to be staged at Huntington Stadium but Guildford said that was an “error” and the pitch is believed to be not fit for purpose.

The Rugby Football League, meanwhile, have expressed no concerns over the continued uncertainty regarding the Knights’ home for next season and added that it will be imposing no timescale on the club and the council to resolve any differences before the start of the League One campaign in April.

RFL communications manager John Ledger also stressed that the organisation places no demands on clubs in terms of their security of tenure at temporary bases or their permanent homes.

“There’s no deadline set by us in terms of York letting us know where they will be playing their home games next season,” Ledger explained. “It’s not being flagged up as an issue as yet and it’s up to York to resolve their problems locally.

“Ideally, any governing body would want their clubs to have security of tenure but Sheffield Eagles have had their problems finding somewhere to play after moving out of the Don Valley stadium. They played at Sheffield University for a few games and will be playing home matches at Doncaster during 2015 until they move to a new stadium in 2016.

“Every club is a separate business and we do not dictate to them. There are no stringent conditions and we do not tell clubs they must have a 25-year lease on a stadium or anything like that.”

Should the Knights’ fixture against Hull go ahead, The Press has also learned that the Pitchside Bar’s current alcohol licence would mean drinks can be served at the match but not taken into the ground.

A City of York Council spokesman said the authority were still in dispute with Guildford.

A statement read: “We still await the court's determination on the matter of the consent order for the redevelopment of Huntingdon Stadium as part of the York community stadium project.

"The council is also in legal discussion on numerous other litigious claims Mr Guildford has made towards the authority.

"The council therefore remains in legal dispute with Mr Guildford, chair of the York City Knights, and has withdrawn from negotiations with him with regard to the York community stadium."