T'Other Side: York City Knights

  

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

You might be surprised to see a dual reg player listed in the squad. Although dual reg between professional clubs does not exist in 2021, dual reg between a professional club and a community club is permitted.

LAST TIME OUT

2021 MATCHES

Head Coach: James Ford

James Ford is widely regarded as one of the best of the younger coaches. He began his career as a head coach with York in 2015 and has remained with the club ever since.

 

In 2017 Toronto Wolfpack won all 15 of their League One Fixtures but Ford’s York team caused a huge upset beating them in the League One Super 8s.

 

In 2018 he guided them to promotion into the Championship and remarkably, whereas most promoted clubs struggle in their first year, York finished 3^rd in the Championship in 2019.

 

As a player he was usually in the backs although he did also play at fullback and half-back. His career started with Fev in 2003, making 34 appearances in 3 years. In 2005 he went on loan to Sheffield and then spent the following three years there and established himself as a regular first team member before moving to Super League with Castleford in 2009. In 2010 he joined Widnes, and in April 2011 he transferred to York where he has remained ever since and when he retired from playing at the end of 2014 moved into the head coach position.

 

Captain: Chris Clarkson

The son of former Fev player, Micky Clarkson, he made his professional début with Leeds Rhinos in 2010 and was there for 5 seasons which included a few dual reg appearances for Hunslet. In 2015 he joined Widnes and then, in 2016, moved on to Hull KR. In 2019 he signed for Castleford and joined York at the beginning of 2020.

He usually plays in the second row or at loose forward but he has also played at half back during York's problems with injuries to halfbacks.

 

Star Man: Keiran Dixon

It is remarkable that, despite the fact that York are lying 12^th in the table, Kieran Dixon is currently the leading points scorer in the Championship. He has, so far, scored 162 points with 9 tries and 63 goals. Those 63 goals came from 70 attempts giving him an excellent 90% success rate.

He was born in Hackney and his career began with London Broncos where he made his début in 2012 and also played for the England Knights that year. In 2014 he played a couple of games on dual reg with Hemel Stags. In 2015 he signed for Hull KR and whilst there he played one game on dual reg for Newcastle Thunder.

He returned to London Broncos in 2017 and moved to York this year.

Dixon is equally at home at wing or fullback.

 

Loan signings

 

Keeping track of York’s loan signings this year is no easy matter and it is compounded by many loans being for only a fortnight. They have had about a dozen players on loan so far in 2021.

York have had a problem with injuries to half-backs. Morgan Smith (grandson of Fev’s Peter Smith) is out with a long term injury and their Aussie signing Brendan O’Hagan has also been injured. As a result they have borrowed several half-backs.

Currently on loan, as far as we know, are Riley Dean (halfback, Warrington), and from Leeds Corey Hall (back) and Corey Johnson (hooker). 

 

The Fev connection

 

There have been some notable moves between York and Fev. Both Steve Quinn and Graham Steadman moved from York to Rovers and Fev’s Challenge Cup Winning Captain Mal Dixon had 2 spells at York and was also their Head Coach.