Happy to return?

The Knights face amatuers Skirlaugh in the third round of the TXU Energi Challenge Cup, with Hull FC's famous old ground, which closed down at the end of the last Super League season, being reopened especially to house the clash.

Lee Jackson and Chris Smith, of course, made the close-season switch from the Airlie Birds to Huntington Stadium, while Knights player-coach Paul Broadbent and centre Graeme Hallas are also former Hull players.

Strangely enough, however, Jackson, who spent nine seasons in total at the Boulevard, claims it won't be that big a deal going back.

"I'm not really bothered about it," said the former Great Britain international, who - as reported in this column last week - has recently been promised a testimonial by Hull.

"At the end of the day it's just another ground."

Of course, Jackson's love for the place was not boosted by the fact Hull failed to offer him a new contract at the end of last season after previously promising one.

Furthermore, and perhaps more significant, Jackson was brought up a Hull KR fan, and even spending nine years with their rivals couldn't turn his red blood black and white.

TALKING of the Knights hooker, it will be interesting to see where loyalties lie in the Jackson household come kick-off tomorrow.

For Lee Jackson's sons, James and Kurtis, both play for Skirlaugh juniors, at under-13s and under-10s levels respectively.

Jackson senior said: "I don't know for sure who they will be supporting, but it will probably be York."

ANYONE who bought an early edition of Monday's Evening Press might have been surprised to note that, according to the match stats box, Knights beat Hull KR 36-26.

It was not wishful thinking on anybody'a part, but rather a typing error when the scores were inputted. It should, of course, have read 36-26 to Rovers, and the mistake was corrected for later editions. Apologies.

TALKING of howlers, there was a bit of an embarrassing blooper on BBC Yorkshire's news programme last Sunday tea-time.

Newsman Peter Levy revealed there had "not been much sport in the region that afternoon, apart from a rugby union match between Rotherham and Manchester".

Somehow they managed to forget about the start of the Arriva Trains Cup in what is predominantly a rugby league region.

The reason for the slip? Maybe it was the fact that rugby league fan Harry Gration - usual presenter of the "Look North" regional news round-up as well as the frontman for BBC's "Super League Show" - was not in the office that day. He was instead among the throngs at Huntington Stadium.

Did you enjoy your rugby league, Harry? We did.

New Earswick All Blacks proved their support for the Knights last week, as links between York's amateur outfits and the city's professional club look to be strong.

Following the cancellation of the Knights' two friendlies, the All Blacks gave the pro outfit two much-needed run-outs ahead of last week's match.

And they got behind the lads in force at the Knights v Hull KR match after being given free tickets as a thank you.

THE New Earswick club were also represented in the curtain-raisers to the big match, with junior teams from York Acorn and Heworth also involved.

All Blacks under-9s played their Acorn counterparts, winning 3 tries to 0, while the under-8s match saw another close tussle between Acorn and Heworth, the former taking the honours.

As regards the under-9s match, many fans might have recognised the referee, as it was ex-Wasps player and coach Gary Atkins, who also played for Hull KR.

The coach of that Acorn team is Gary's brother, Stuart, whose son, Danny, is team captain.

Of the day, Stuart said: "The kids thought it was brilliant. They loved it and were all in awe.

"When we started there was about 1,000 fans already in and when the lads did a lap of honour after the match they gave us a good reception, especially the Hull KR fans."

A BIG well done goes to stadium chiefs for doing their bit to make sure last week's game was on.

Not only was the pitch in good condition but, unbeknown to many fans, 400 new seats were put in the main stand to make sure the ground was in tip-top condition. But it didn't go without a hitch.

Those seats were meant to be in place by Friday, but come that evening there were still huge gaps in the stand.

Apparently, there had been a delivery fault, which not only delayed things by 24 hours, but also saw operations manager Colin Molloy in a bit of a panic as the clock ticked down to the big kick-off.

But fair play to him and his five-man team, they were ready to work into the night to make sure everything was right and when the correct delivery finally came, they got everything in place by 5.30pm on Saturday.

"It was a bit nail-biting when we were waiting for the delivery but everything was done and dusted in time," said Colin. "We were one day behind schedule but we achieved target date."

THE bumper 3,105 crowd at Huntington Stadium last week - the second highest of the day behind the Salford v Swinton derby - helped to increase the average gate for Arriva Trains Cup matches by 19 per cent compared to the first day of the Buddies Cup last year. The average gate last week was 1,698.

FORMER York Wasps full-back Jamie Benn was the main reason why the Knights' fellow league newcomers, London Skolars, were unable to cap their professional debut with a win last week.

Benn scored a try and five goals for a personal tally of 14 points as Dewsbury Rams won 22-10 at New River Stadium.

The Knights will welcome Benn back to Huntington Stadium on February 23, when they play their next home game in the Arriva Trains Cup. Dewsbury, from the Central Section, are the Knights' cross-section opponents in the group stage of the competition.

THE supporters' club bus to the Boulevard tomorrow is nearly full.

The pick-up points and strict times of departure are:

Haxby Memorial Hall 10.45;

Huntington Stadium 11.00 (leaving 11.10 latest);

New Lane (opposite Anthea Drive) 11.15;

Dodsworth Avenue (near No 109) 11.20;

Clarence Street (opposite vets) 11.25;

Hull Road (opposite Kwik Save) 11.35.

Cost is £5 per person. For the last remaining seats contact Mike Miller on 01904 750500, leaving a name and contact number.

The supporters' club will also run a bus to the Arriva Trains Cup match at Doncaster next week. To book a seat, contact the Knights office on 01905 656105.

Back to the future

IT might seem a lot longer, but it is only five and a half years since York last played at the Boulevard - and fans will be hoping for a better result this time.

The old York Wasps club faced Hull, then nicknamed the Sharks, in the last game of the 1997 season and were hammered 52-6, hooker Alan Pallister getting York's only try.

Current Knights skipper Rich Hayes was on the bench for York that day while stand-off Mark Cain played at full-back.

In the Division Two title-winning Hull squad that season was current Knights centre Graeme Hallas, who was among the scorers when the Sharks won 50-12 at Huntington Stadium, just four weeks before the aforementioned return clash at the Boulevard.

Former York hero Leigh Deakin played for both teams that year and indeed scored one of two York tries in the home clash between the sides.

LEIGH Deakin, by the way, was back at Huntington Stadium last Sunday along with fellow ex-York rugby league stalwart Andy Precious.

The pair came to watch the Knights make their debut and later mingled in the bar with players - many of them old team-mates - and fans.

Prop Precious, who retired from the pro game after York Wasps folded, confirmed that he - unlike old mate Mick Ramsden, who quit at the same time only to return - was happy to stay in retirement. "I'm not as fit as Rammo," he pointed out.

First Knights of York

Updated: 16:52 Friday, January 24, 2003