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PASSIONATE ABOUT COACH’S CORNER...

Hello and welcome to Twitter I simply cannot hide my delight kicker. Chris Spurr spent the for the inaugural Imaginary at taking charge of my first week reminding me, in great Chris Spurr Cup. I’d like to firstly game as Head Coach of York detail, of each and every try he send well wishes on behalf of City Knights, however, it has scored during his professional to our fans certainly been a challenging career. Both were reminded to and the wider RL community, as week. put the team first. well as sending our thanks to for the James Ford presented the A special part of the day is part they will play in today’s biggest challenge as he floated being able to hand a debut to game. the idea of playing stand off as my younger Brother George; well as being first choice goal he’ll add some ball-playing ability to our middle and is very excited to be involved today. I’m also expecting the returning Ben Cockayne and Graeme Steadman to add some creativity. Enjoy the game, Will

3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT...

York City Knights are pleased to announce that financially by purchasing items they usually would the club are introducing a series of measures to at such as a Pie & Pint, and keep engaging with our community, and will be have a bit of fun ahead of a series of planned out and about where possible to help those in Twitter events to help keep you in touch with us. most need amid the current Coronvirus pandemic. It is a concerning time for everyone Plus there is a chance for you to get creative as right now, but if we all pull together we will get well. Fans young and old can send us their each other through it. articles for the club website. If you are thinking what you can do whilst in self isolation, why not The Knights off field staff are on stand by with relive that favourite moment from your time at the Foundation van supplied by Autohorn, and are the club or tell us about your hero and the time ready and waiting to help out our community you met them. We know we have some of the where we can, while respecting the Coronavirus most passionate fans in the country, who have social distancing/self isolating guidelines advised seen it all, good and bad, down the years and we by the NHS. know fellow fans would love to hear and discuss your views. The hugely successful Fish & Chip Friday event which is run every month by the Knights We are looking for articles around 500 words in Foundation in conjunction with the award winning length but can be longer, feel free to send a Miller’s of Haxby will continue this week (27th photo of yourself as well if you would like to March), but as a delivery service where we take include one. How about picking your all time York food to the people, instead of getting them to RL Dream Team and tell us why each man got come together. your pick? Whatever it is you want to write about, email it to [email protected] and we’ll If you or someone you know needs our help or have a look. We will try our best to find and would like to place an order for Fish & Chip Friday, upload some classic matches and other content please call the Knights office on 01904 876527 to our YouTube channel Knights TV, so keep an or email [email protected] and we eye on that too! will do our best to be at your service. Please note that the Knights office premises are closed to Please take care, stay safe and look out for one visitors until further notice. another. Let’s get each other through these tough times and hopefully soon we’ll have some We will be lunching a very special ‘Virtual Match rugby to look forward to again. Up the Kneets! Day’ at our online shop YCKStore.co.uk, where Knights fans can continue to support the club 4 Isaac poad advert.qxp_Layout 1 12/04/2018 12:48 Page 1

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YorkProject5_Layout 1 13/02/2018 16:05 Page 1 City Knights Man of the Match isaacpoadbrewing.co.uk FORDY’S THOUGHTS...

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to players behind the ball ‘ready to play’. Why do we our virtual game against Featherstone Rovers – prefer this to kicking the ball out? Simple – our fittingly named the Chris Spurr trophy. Chris opposition gets a rest, have all 13 players behind came through the junior system at Featherstone the ball ‘ready to play’ and play 2 will be from a and has told thousands of stories about his time central area where its much easier to make there. Well a couple, over and over again. metres. It’s a very strange time at the minute but I’ll stick Moving onto todays contest – when the idea was with some continuity and start by discussing our put to me I was imagining the scene from performance against . In the first half I Demolition Man where Sandra Bullock and thought we produced a very strong performance. Sylvester Stallone are attempting ‘virtual High completions, corner finish’s and some relations’ – the only difference was in my head it strong defending that lead to us dominating the was Davi & Jon! The pressures of coaching get to rest of the contest. We had worked in the week us all eventually. at getting shaped up both sides of the ball quicker in exit, midfield and goodball territory. We You might be wondering why Spurry and I are in did this consistently to a good level, and were the starting 13 but a rugby league legend like rewarded with ruck speed, numbers, big spaces – is on the bench. I have no idea generally good opportunities to score. I should other than we’re looking to lull Featherstone into also point out that our edges held better depth a false sense of security then Steady will come and our halves & executed to the levels on and rip them to pieces. Yes – he was my they’re capable of. childhood hero. The second half we conceded 12 points – in large Enjoy the game – if it’s anything like real life down to a less disciplined approach. Five errors in Spurry will score and not shut up about it, I’ll miss exit or midfield and some really loose play fives a few tackles and pull a hammy and Steady will which lead to Rochdale getting a little bit of save the day with a miraculous individual try. tempo and territory and ultimately two scores. Stay safe and show some of that famous York What is a loose transition? When we turn the ball resilience in these testing times. See you all over and don’t control the tempo of play 1 (this soon, should never be a 1 on 1 tackle). Why is this so important? So we can be in good aggressive defensive start points on play 2 – usually much James tighter as the opposition will only have 2 or 3 6 Proud to be associated with the York City Knights

DESIGN I PROJECT MANAGEMENT I MANUFACTURE I INSTALLATION

www.harrisonsigns.co.uk For more information please call: 01904 699600 or email: [email protected] Harrisons Signs Ltd I Link House I Green Lane Ind Estate I Clifton I York I YO30 5PY Photos: Lexy Ilsley 2020 FIXTURES & RESULTS...

Opponent Date Comp Venue Result Attendance

Featherstone Rovers 5 January - 3:00 pm Friendly LD Nutrition Stadium D 12-12 Halifax 19 January - 3:00 pm Friendly Bootham Crescent L 6-16 Bulls 26 January - 3:00 pm Friendly Tetley's Stadium L 6-4 1 February - 6:00 pm Championship Stade Ernest Wallon L 22-10 16 February - 3:00 pm Championship L34-0 Broncos 23 February - 3.00pm Coral CC Trailfinders W24-22 Halifax 1 March - 3:00 pm Championship Shay Stadium L28-4 8 March - 3:00 pm Championship Bootham Crescent L18-12 15 March - 3.00pm Coral CC Millenium Stadium, Fev W70-12 Featherstone Rovers 22 March - 3.00 pm Chris Spurr Cup Virtual Oldham 29 March - 3:00 pm Championship P-P Whitehaven 10 April - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Rams 15 April - 7:30 pm Championship Tetley's Stadium Sheffield Eagles 19 April - 3:00 pm Championship TBC 26 April - 3:00 pm Championship Vikings 3 May - 6:15 pm Championship TBC Bulldogs 17 May - 3:00 pm Championship Fox's Biscuits Stadium Oldham 24 May - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Halifax 30 May - 5:15 pm Championship Bloomfield Road 9 February - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Sheffield Eagles 14 June - 3:00 pm Championship Toulouse Olympique 20 June - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Featherstone Rovers 28 June - 3:00 pm Championship LD Nutrition Stadium Halifax 5 July - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Leigh Centurions 12 July - 3:00 pm Championship TBC London Broncos 19 July - 1:00 pm Championship Trailfinders 2 August - 3:00 pm Championship TBC 9 August - 3:00 pm Championship Halton Stadium Swinton Lions 16 August - 3:00 pm Championship TBC Bradford Bulls 23 August - 3:00 pm Championship Tetley's Stadium Whitehaven 30 August - 3:00 pm Championship The Recreation Ground 6 September - 3:00 pm Championship TBC

9 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Matty Marsh Perry Whiteley Jimmy Kienhorst Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sancus The White The Telford Utilities Family Family

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Ben Johnston Connor Robinson Ronan Dixon Will Jubb Jack Teanby Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by:

Brown’s Clinical Bootham Tavern Plasterers EYS Technologies (York) Knights Social Club

11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Danny Washbrook Kriss Brining James Green Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Humber St Cllr Mark Pickled Postie PLB Projects Distillary Warters Events and Catering

16. 17. 19. 20. 21.

Chris Clarkson Joe Porter Jordan Baldwinson Marcus Stock Jason Bass Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: John Stabler

(Textiles) Ltd CONSTRUCTION

10 22.

Brad Hey Josh Jordan-Roberts Elliot Wallis AJ Towse MElyliolets W Haalrlirs ison Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: Sponsored by: SpSopnosonrseodre bdy :by: KSS PMJ Masonry PMJ Masonry

THE COACHING TEAM...

James Ford Chris Spurr Will Leatt Mark Helme Iain Fairbank Head Coach Assistant Coach Team Manager Head of Strength Sports Medicine Sponsored by: and Conditioning

OUR SPONSORS... Main Club Sponsor

CONSTRUCTION

For further information regarding commercial and sponsorship packages, please contact [email protected] 11

A LEAGUE FOR ALL...

Children from local Elsewhere, over a hundred secondary school girls primary schools in York competed in the North Girls Rugby were left in disbelief League festival this past week. Our Rugby when York City Knights League World Cup 2021 schools programme has star Jimmy Keinhorst now started to run alongside our existing Sky Try joined forces with the schools offer to primary schools in the area. The Knights Foundation to aim is to showcase our sport and inspire future explain what life is like as a generations to play the game. To support this professional Rugby League. The development, we have our Thursday evening girls 29-year-old signed for the Knights at community session run at YSJ Haxby Road 6:30- the start of this season having made 131 Super 7:30pm, suitable for girls aged 11-16 years. League appearances. He started his rugby league career at Rhinos in 2012 and won all three Finally, we are delighted to be one of the first major trophies during his time at the club. Foundations in the country to launch of a new Already Jimmy has made quite an impact on the form of touch rugby called X-League (Cross- field and having him speak to youngsters is a real League). The sessions will run on a weekly basis asset. as from Monday 9th March 7-8pm, again held at YSJ Haxby road. This toned-down version of conventional rugby is an exciting sport that appeals to the masses and can play regardless of their experience, gender, or age. In the past, we have had families take to the pitch, ex-players, current players, and new players coming together to play on the same pitch. The key difference between X-League and other variants is that the Tackle is effected by making a touch on the ball. The game is easy to learn and to play with new participants welcomed. Sessions are priced at £4 per person with discounted block bookings available. For more information please contact [email protected] or visit www.yorkcityknights.com/foundation

13 LAST TIME WE MET...

Featherstone Rovers 12 York City Knights 12 Four trialists were included too with Alwyn Towse Pre-Season Fiendly starting on the wing and Myles Harrison, Lewis 5th January 2020 Brown and Harry Bardle featuring from the Report By Jacob Kilbride - York Press bench.

YORK City Knights kicked off their 2020 pre- It was Featherstone who were the quickest out season campaign with a hard-fought 12-12 draw of the blocks and they led after just over 10 at Featherstone Rovers. minutes, following a series of attacks on the York line. The Knights had the edge of a 6-4 half-time lead after a solo Connor Robinson try and extended New addition was the scorer that through a fine debut finish from Elliot Wallis. down the left wing – diving over by the flag – with the Rovers constantly targeting that area But Featherstone dug in and scored twice in the throughout the opening dozen minutes. final four minutes to salvage a draw. took the conversion from the The result will be deemed as secondary to the touchline but his kick fell well short in both height performance by York and the Knights fans got to and length. witness the majority of their new additions for the first time in proper match action. The score seemed to kick York into life having not threatened Featherstone up until that point. REACTION: Result 'secondary to performance' says Ford Sharp and Johnston were both tackled when looking narrowly close to making significant Of the seven new signings, six featured here, with breaks, with the end of the set in which Johnston only the injured Jimmy Keinhorst missing. threatened culminating in his half-back partner Robinson being stopped metres short of the line. Former Halifax pair Will Sharp and Ben Johnston were given starts while forward trio Danny That chance was as close as either came to Washbrook, James Green and as adding to the scoreboard by the mid-point of the well as Hull KR loanee Elliot Wallis all began the half. match on the bench.

14 A dropped ball from Dale Ferguson from the line before applying the conversion – leaving Chisholm’s flat pass from close range was the the scores at 6-4 to York at the interval. best of the few chances. Featherstone errors had been their undoing in By the quarter-mark of the match, the loudest the first half, with numerous passes going to cheer from the York fans came when Matty ground for the Rovers. Marsh smashed into Chisholm, with the Rovers scrum-half dawdling on the ball from 15m out And they could so nearly have been ahead had a before knocking on. pass to a touchdown in the corner not been forward. The York full-back was one of the stand-out players in the opening 40 minutes and is akin to a By contrast, York’s wingers were proving to be third half-back for the Knights, such is his their best route towards the line. adeptness in the kicking department. A stunning break came through the middle from After half an hour, Will Jubb was held up though Wallis and he did well to hold onto the return pass later in the set his pass saw the ball knocked on as he linked up with Marsh. after hitting a team-mate. The Hull KR loanee showed his powers of York began to dominate the territory from then finishing too as he took a flick pass by Robinson onwards and managed to strike in the final before grounding in the corner in the face of seconds of the half. pressure from three Rovers defenders.

Johnston and Sharp made significant metres off Robinson landed a brilliant kick from the their own line after Featherstone lost the ball in touchline to take the score to 12-4. attack though the attack seemed to fizzle out when the ball went to ground close to the Rovers The number seven continued to cause problems line. as his kick created a goal-line drop-out and in the game’s latter stages seemingly another try as he The referee ruled the scrum in the Knights’ laid on a touchdown for Joe Porter, though the favour and Robinson seized on the decision, referee saw an offence somewhere in the score. cleverly side-stepping his way through a gap in

15 Before that, the Rovers had their own glaring York: Marsh, Sharp, Salter, Bass, Towse, chance go awry. Sam Ottewell ran the ball into Johnston, Robinson, Teanby, Jubb, Baldwinson, the corner but was incredibly denied by two Porter, Scott, Spears. Knights defenders. Subs (all used): Washbrook, Green, Clarkson, With four minutes left, Featherstone got their Stock, Wallis, Harrison, Brown, Bardle. score down the right side. James Beckett made a strong break cutting in from the left and Fev kept Tries: Robinson (40), Wallis (54) the ball alive for Ottewell to ground. Goals: Robinson (2/2) Minutes later, they were over again. After conceding a penalty from the restart, Man of the Match: Connor Robinson. Provided the Featherstone raced down the right side once moments of quality with a neat try and a flicked more, this time Jouffret was the scorer. assist for Elliot Wallis.

The game was level at 12-12 with Jouffret Referee: Kevin Moore. Penalty count: 3-2 needing to land the kick, but, fortunately for the Knights, it drifted wide of the sticks.

Featherstone: Hall, Blackmore, Hardcastle, Worthington, Gale, Jouffret, Chisholm, Dupree, Bussey, Susino, Harrison, O’Connor, Ferguson.

Subs (all used): Sweeting, Wright, Ottewell, Beckett, Spence, Richardson, French, Lockwood, Whitton, McConnell, Wright, Waite-Pullan.

Tries: Blackmore (11), Ottewell (76), Jouffret (78)

Goals: Chisholm (0/1), Jouffret (0/2)

16

FACTS & FIGURES...

Last League Match: Betfred Championship Table 2020 TEAM P W D L DIFF PTS 1 Toulouse Olympique 4 4 0 0 112 8 2 Leigh Centurions 3 3 0 0 108 6 3 Featherstone Rovers 3 3 0 0 52 6 4 London Broncos 3 3 0 1 22 6 5 Halifax RLFC 3 2 0 1 23 4 6 Widnes Vikings 4 2 0 2 12 4 7 Dewsbury Rams 4 2 0 2 -12 4 8 Swinton Lions 2 1 0 1 4 2 9 Bradford Bulls 3 1 0 2 2 2 Sun 1st March v Halifax RLFC at 10 Batley Bulldogs 4 1 0 3 -31 2 11 Sheffield Eagles 4 1 0 4 -60 2 Lost 28-4 Att: 1430 12 Oldham RLFC 4 1 0 3 -94 2 13 Whitehaven RLFC 4 0 0 4 -68 0 Fullback: Marsh 14 YORK CITY KNIGHTS 3 0 0 3 -70 0 Right Wing: Wallis Right Centre: Keinhorst (1T) Championship Average Attendances Left Centre: Salter TEAM 2019 2018 Left Wing: Carr Toronto 6637 (5781) Stand Off: Johnston Bradford 4430 (3574) Widnes 4321 (4931) Scrum Half: Robinson Leigh 3241 (3539) Prop: Clarkson Toulouse 2472 (2437) : Jubb Featherstone 2304 (2316) Prop: Scott York 2125 (1624) +31% Halifax 1760 (1752) Second Row: Washbrook Barrow 1338 (1239) Second Row: Scott Dewsbury 1231 (1001) Loose Forward: Spears Batley 1170 (1082) Swinton 1078 (840) Sub: Teanby Sheffield 943 (704) Sub: Brining Rochdale 773 (549) Sub: Green Sub: Baldwinson 18

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Official sponsor of Marcus Stock for the 2020 season At York St John University, we’re proud of the part we play in our city. WE’RE Across 177 years we’ve started or helped the careers of thousands of York’s teachers, health workers, business people and entrepreneurs. ON We host over 100 public events annually, we’ve provided free learning opportunities to more than 1000 YOUR mental health service users and we work in partnership with the Knights on a variety of community projects. Our wide range of courses and TEAM. training are attracting record numbers of students from all ages and backgrounds. To explore the ways that we could make new possibilities happen for you, visit our website or come and see us on our friendly city centre campus.

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