BOTH York City and York City Knights have pleaded with fans to back them to the hilt.

City were keeping their fingers crossed for a big crowd as they took on Rochdale at Bootham Crescent this afternoon. Victory would keep them right in the promotion pack.

City Supporters' Trust chairman Richard Snowball wants to break through two barriers - a Trust membership of 2,000 and 100,000 fans through the Bootham Crescent turnstiles by the end of the season.

Knights player-coach coach Paul Broadbent has urged the York public to get behind his team tomorrow and continue that support in the forthcoming National League campaign.

Featherstone Rovers are expected to bring a big contingent to Huntington Stadium for the vital Arriva Trains Cup group match tomorrow, and Broadbent wants his side to receive excellent backing as well.

Looking beyond that, he is also wary of the fact Division Two opponents are unlikely to bring massive support to games once the league season starts, so he has called on home fans to provide the atmosphere to aid his players in their promotion push.

"In the Arriva Trains Cup the likes of Hull KR and Doncaster (Division One clubs) have fetched good away support and we can expect the same tomorrow when Featherstone come," he said.

"In the league campaign it's not going to be the same. We need to work very hard to bring in bigger crowds because a lot of the teams we will be playing in the league aren't going to fetch a big support.

"We are going to be relying almost purely on the York contingent and they will be the ones helping to keep the club in good shape."

Broadbent's comments have been echoed by chief executive Steve Ferres, who said: "This is the last game before the start of the league campaign and although we haven't qualified to progress in this competition, we still have a lot to play for and we are hoping to see a bumper crowd.

"We are urging the people of York to come down and see how things have changed. Things are completely different from before and we have a competitive side, so people should come down, and fetch a friend, to get behind the lads."

The ATC East Section sees Featherstone, Doncaster and Hull KR all on the same points going into the last set of group matches this weekend, so Sunday's clash at York will be vital.

Updated: 10:34 Saturday, April 12, 2003