CLUB chairman Jon Flatman has hailed the vibrancy from top to bottom at York City Knights after a “most brilliant start” to the Betfred Championship season.

Flatman rarely comments publicly on the level of performances on the field but, following the team’s five wins from six second division outings, he has made a point of lauding the work of head coach James Ford and the squad so far this term.

They need only one more win to equal the Knights’ best-ever tally of victories at this level of rugby league since the club re-formed in 2002 – when they finished with six in their 2013 relegation campaign. They have already equalled the next best tally of five, achieved in 2006 and 2011.

Flatman added that the club’s ambition remained high and they still had “distance to travel”.

The comments will feature in the chairman's programme notes for Sunday's home game against Sheffield Eagles, which have been forwarded to The Press.

Flatman said: “I try and leave the talk of the squad and of the performances to others.

“However now is the right time to publicly congratulate James, his performance staff and the players on a most brilliant start.

“The victories have been excellent and the ethos is first class.

“Let everyone be assured that we are under no illusions as to the distance we still have to travel, but we are clearly moving forward."

Flatman took over the Knights at the end of 2016 when the club’s very survival was in doubt, with he and Ford having to quickly put a squad together following a mass player exodus.

An enterprising maiden season ended in agonising play-off semi-final defeat at Whitehaven - a drop goal sealing their fate following a world record amount of golden-point extra time - but Ford's troops followed that up by beating odds-on title favourites Bradford Bulls to the League One crown in 2018 after a remarkable run.

They have continued to ride a crest of a wave in the higher tier, with former World Club champions Bradford, as well as Championship big guns Leigh and Halifax, among the teams defeated so far. Ford’s men currently sit joint-second on points with a game in hand on moneybags leaders Toronto Wolfpack.

Attendances have also risen markedly.

Flatman added: “Every game is tough and every week presents a different but exciting challenge on and off the field.

“Our ambition is high as are our standards whilst importantly we know what it takes to be successful.

“Everyone on this journey, and that's everyone involved in the club, plays their part with energy and vibrancy.”

Flatman will be in attendance at the Knights' upcoming fans' forum, which will take place on Tuesday, April 2 at their York St John University sports campus base in Haxby Road. It starts at 7pm.

Ford and his squad will also attend after training, while new merchandise will be on sale. Admission is free.

Meanwhile, the man behind the bid to establish a professional rugby league club in New York is confident he can win the support of clubs.

Huddersfield entrepreneur Ricky Wilby, who represents a consortium of UK and US-based businessmen, lodged a business plan with the Rugby Football League 18 months ago and that will now be put to Championship and League One clubs.

The RFL is also considering a move by Toronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez to relocate Hemel Stags to Ottawa in Canada following his successful takeover of the former League One club.

"We're grateful to the board of the RFL for considering our application and thankful it is deemed strong enough to present to the clubs," Wilby said.

"Hopefully this will be the first step towards getting the franchise off the ground."

Both Wilby and Perez have ambitions to reach Super League with their clubs but are content to enter at League One level, as Toronto did so successfully in 2017, and hope to make the start line in 2020.

A statement from the governing body said: "Both applications are judged to have the potential to help deliver the RFL's strategic vision.

"They are at different stages but a degree of further due diligence and assessment is required on both to ensure that the financial and business plans presented are deliverable.

"In addition, the board recognises the importance of further expansion having the support of the other clubs.

"Accordingly, the board has asked each of the consortia to present to, and take questions from, the existing Betfred Championship and League One clubs, after which the RFL will gauge support."

An RFL delegation, led by former chief executive Nigel Wood, visited New York in January 2018 and submitted reports to the governing body.

New York intend to stage matches at the Red Bull Arena, home of Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls, and have promised to cover all travel and hotel costs of the away teams.

Wilby says the consortium has received pledges of support from the mayor of Harrison, the district of New Jersey which includes the Red Bull Arena, and have lucrative sponsorship deals lined up.

He revealed the first task on getting the green light would be to appoint a head coach who has already been lined up.

Bob Brown, Hemel's founder and chairman, confirmed that ownership of Hemel Stags (2016) Ltd has been acquired by a Canadian consortium but will not impact on the Stags' community club at Pennine Way.

Perez remains a shareholder of Toronto but no longer has any involvement and has spent the last 18 months on his next project.