YORK City Football Club fear that York City Knights' showpiece friendly against Hull next month is being placed in jeopardy.

Super League Hull are due to play the Knights on Sunday, January 11 to mark the first match of the rugby league club's temporary relocation to the Bootham Crescent.

But unless Knights chairman John Guildford signs all the necessary agreements with the City of York Council over the club's two-year move from Huntington Stadium within the next week, the Minstermen's communications and community director Sophie McGill warned that the prestigious pre-season friendly will need to be hosted at another venue.

The City of York Council have confirmed that 20 working days are needed to secure a change in Bootham Crescent's stadium safety certificate to allow rugby league to be staged at the football club's home ground and, with the Christmas and New Year holiday period beckoning, that leaves little scope for further delays in that process.

Knights are due to play at Bootham Crescent for the next two seasons while their current base, owned by the council, is redeveloped before both clubs move into a new community stadium on the site in 2016.

But, on the potential repercussions of Guildford stalling further on contractual matters, McGill said: “York City Football Club are absolutely committed to the York City Knights playing at Bootham Crescent while the new community stadium is developed and we are looking forward to welcoming the club and their supporters to our home.

"This move is, however, reliant on John Guildford signing all the necessary agreements with the City of York Council, as they will hold the lease for the Knights to occupy our ground. To the best of our knowledge, this has yet to be done.

"Without the agreements being signed by the Knights, we are unable to move forward with the necessary preparations for their arrival, which includes a formal change to our stadium safety certificate in order to host their matches in addition to our own. Clearly, there is time pressure as their season will be commencing in January, but we have done all we can do at this stage.”

In order to meet the 20 working-days deadline, Guildford has until early next week to put his signature on the safety certificate document and the consent order, which gives his blessing to the Knights' temporary relocation to Bootham Crescent and the overall community stadium project.

An alcohol license, meanwhile, takes two months to issue and it is the council's understanding that only soft and hot drinks will be on sale in the Pitchside Bar if next month's match against Hull does go ahead at the football club's home.

The council also remain in legal dispute with Guildford after he filed notice to the County Court of the Knights' intention to contest the application to redevelop Huntington Stadium.

Guildford was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, the City of York Athletic Club, who also operate from Huntington Stadium, have announced on their website that they will stay at their current base until April due to delays in their proposed move to the University of York.