WHILE one York sporting code looks forward to a weekend of hope and new life, the future of the city's football team is still clouded in doubt.

As York City Knights prepare to kick off a new era at Huntington Stadium and York City battle for survival, we look back at pictures of the past from both clubs.

The main picture shows the former York Rugby League Club side in action at its old home in Clarence Street.

The picture, taken in November 1978, shows just how bright a set of portable floodlights were at the club's former home. The lights, consisting of eight pylons - each holding eight 1,000 watt, amps were powered by a portable generator. They were provided by HB Raylors and Co Ltd.

The second picture, taken in September 1976, shows the directors box at a rugby league match. Given the solemn looks, we can take it that things were not going well on the pitch.

Switching sports, we turn to echoes of York City's past. The next two pictures are both taken from the York versus Huddersfield FA Cup sixth round clash on March 5, 1938.

While today's attendance figures have been a cause for concern, terrace numbers were not a problem 65 years ago when Bootham Crescent was packed to the rafters as 28,123 watched the match - a club record attendance that will probably never be broken.

Finally, the balloon went up at Bootham Crescent for this last picture, taken before the start of City's clash against Colchester in April 1983.

Evening Press chief photographer Jim Brownbill took the shot, from 1,000ft up, in a hot-air balloon sponsored by K Cars, of Walmgate, York.

Taken before the David Longhurst Stand was built, the picture shows the ground's main entrance in the upper left with Shipton Street School at the bottom.

Updated: 11:28 Friday, January 17, 2003