CRAIG Farrell has called for York City Knights fans to get behind the team and coach Mick Cook more than ever as they try to overcome probably the hardest period in the club's existence.

Farrell joined the lengthy list on the long-term treatment table after suffering knee ligament damage in Sunday's defeat at Batley, a result which meant the Knights suffered their fifth straight defeat a record since the club was formed in 2002 and fell four points from safety at the foot of National League One.

But he has described calls for Cook to go as "ludicrous" and instead demanded that all in the camp stick together to help the club overcome their terrible luck with injuries and climb the table.

"Fans are entitled to their own opinion they've paid their hard-earned money but it's not good for players to hear or read negative stuff," said Farrell in response to heckling by some fans.

"It's hard to tell if this is a fair or unfair reflection on the general consensus as it appears to be a small minority attempting to represent the majority of supportive fans. I would ask those fans to support us.

"I don't think anybody is under any illusions that this season would be difficult.

"The team that gets promoted has always been relegated and we know it will be hard to change that trend.

"We're four points adrift but there are 12 games left and we're capable of winning enough points to get up the table.

"We need the fans to stay positive, stay behind us and stay behind Mick Cook especially. Asking for him to go is ludicrous. I've played under a lot of excellent coaches, all well-respected, and Mick Cook is right up there. He's quality.

"If there's division between supporters and the club, it won't help anybody.

"It's the same if there was division in the team. The players are sticking together and we ask the fans to stick together as well and stick with us and help us win the four, five, six games that we need to win."

The 24-year-old is looking at a two-month absence from action Cook has already lost well over half a first-choice team and Farrell said his personal injury situation this term had mirrored the team's.

"I've never felt pain like it, but the doctor said the knee is stable and I've not torn a ligament, so it's not as bad as I first feared," he said of this latest blow. "It's damaged though, and I'll have to go back next week, have a scan and see exactly what's wrong.

"I've been pretty unlucky this year. I dislocated a thumb against Widnes and played with it strapped up and that was killing me for three or four weeks. I then pulled a hamstring, though the silver lining was the fact those weeks out gave the thumb time to heal properly," he said.

"I came back and felt good, really looking forward to playing in the back-row after Mick Cook moved me from the wing and then this happens.

"I'm normally all right with injuries. I broke a leg about four years ago but other than that I've had nothing serious. I must be using up all my quota this season.

"It's been the same for the team. I've never seen so many team-mates stretchered off in one season.

"It's not good for the team or the fans. If you can't get your best players on the park, it makes everything more difficult. There are a lot of lads out and it's frustrating for everybody."