York Knights fans excited for inaugural Super League season

As York Knights prepare to play their first ever Super League match the club's fans say they have been counting down the days in anticipation.

York were promoted to the top flight in October, after the Super League's 12 current clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 teams.

The Knights will kick off their season by welcoming reigning champions Hull KR to the LNER Community Stadium later, with swarms of supporters expected to cheer them on.

In advance of kick-off fans have been telling the BBC about their love for the team and the mixture of excitement and trepidation for the season ahead.

Lenka Rushby-Medd has followed the York rugby club since they played at Clarence Street, when she was just seven years old.

"The crowd and the fans afterwards used to stop the traffic going down the street, it was absolutely amazing," she recalls.

"I love the new stadium and we've been season ticket holders since our third season and I'm really, really excited for Super League.

"I am literally the woman that shouts the loudest in the stands, I'm proper passionate and do tend to deafen people."

For Lenka, the atmosphere begins long before the game starts, with drinks in the bar mingling with other supporters.

She admits she is "slightly nervous" because the Super League is uncharted territory for the club.

"But, we've got a great squad, and I'm sure that this year we might not end up right in the middle of the pack, but I'm sure we won't end up at the bottom either," she says.

Richard Fairley has been a Knights supporter for about 20 years and five years ago bought season tickets for himself and his son Warren before his wife decided to join them as well.

"Now we're home and away every single week," he says.

"It's our family day out, we plan our lives around it really and just absolutely love it, everything about it."

He remembers tougher times at the club, when there was little money and the players were mostly local lads.

"Then eventually, over time, it's just built up, there's been investment coming in and they got themselves sorted out on the pitch," Richard says.

"What's happening now is a million miles off, you wouldn't have thought it at all."

Richard's son Warren is somewhat of a celebrity at the club, as he is in charge of banging the drum at games.

Warren says he "loves the feeling" of getting the crowd going.

"When the fixtures come out, we sit down and we plan our whole year around it," Richard says.

Nigel Howard has spent 10 years following the Knights and says he is "hooked".

"Last year was fantastic for us to be the league winners and 1895 Cup winners as well," he says.

"It was a shame that we just didn't get the final game to win the Championship play-off but we're in Super League and we just can't believe it.

"We'll be here against Hull KR and there will be a full house absolutely."

Nigel has been a volunteer on match day for the past three years.

"This year I wanted to be in the crowd, mixing with the crowd before the games, in the pubs as well, having a few drinks and then getting into the West Stand and making the noise," he adds.

"We've got young Wozza who turns up every week with his drum, he leads all the songs, I just can't wait.

"When the players cross that line and we start, absolutely unbelievable."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.