BIG Brett Waller reckons York City Knights and Doncaster are set to forge a fierce new rivalry, given the strong links between the clubs – but it will be only a side issue in an extensive League One promotion race.

The two teams are likely to be gunning for each other as well as a place in the Championship this year, with no fewer than five players – including Waller – having switched from South to North Yorkshire in the off-season and with ex-York boss Gary Thornton now in charge of the Dons.

However, the promotion battle could feature up to nine clubs and while Waller is well aware of the challenge afoot, he can see no reason why the Knights cannot top the lot and make up for the agony of 2015 when, after a year of off-field turmoil, they lost their play-off semi-final against Swinton to an extra-time drop-goal.

"I don't see why we can't win it," said the 28-year-old man mountain, whose pro career began at York in their 2010 promotion season prior to spells at Gateshead and Doncaster.

"Donny, Hunslet, Toulouse, Keighley – there will be a lot of tough teams.

"But York came up just one point short against Swinton last year and have added to the squad with the likes of Austin Buchanan, Russ Spiers, Mike Emmett and Richard Wilkinson.

"There's no reason why we can't push for promotion if we keep the team on the field and click. I think we've got a really good chance."

The number of 2015 Doncaster players at the Knights rose to five just before Christmas when Danny Nicklas agreed terms. He had been released from the Keepmoat last summer by Thornton, who also saw Waller, Wilkinson and Spiers leave for York in the off-season amid a major clear-out.

Emmett – one of the players Thornton had wanted to keep – made the same move.

Former Knights trio Matt Nicholson, Tom Carr and Jordan Howden, meanwhile, are on Donny's books – with Thornton recently intimating he was happy for Wilkinson to go, given fellow half-back Howden was signed up.

There is also the small matter of Thornton, whose job at York was taken by Ford 17 months ago, maybe having a point to prove to his old employers, not least when the sides meet for the first time in an Easter cracker on Good Friday, March 25.

Waller said: "Donny have made some good signings but young Rich Wilkinson was our star player there before he got injured – when he's on form he's really good – and Mike Emmett and Russ Spiers have been stalwarts in their pack.

"I was a bit surprised Mike signed, to be fair, as quite a few Championship clubs were after him.

"There's more of a rivalry with Donny now. There's no sour note from me but I think they will be good games against them."

Doncaster came down from the Championship last year alongside Hunslet.

Waller, who earned the nickname the 'Wrecking Ball' during his last spell at the Knights, said: "Everyone seems to think that the teams that come down are probably the favourites to go up, but that's not usually how things go.

"Hunslet have a good squad, Doncaster as well, but there's Keighley, Rochdale, Newcastle, Toulouse, Barrow – and ourselves.

"There will be a lot of tight games but there's no reason why we can't be up there with them and top the lot. I think we've got to push for promotion, without a doubt."