York City Knights have today announced that plans for 2010 continue to take shape with news that the following players have agreed to sign for the 2010 season;

 *   Danny Ratcliffe

 *   Chris Clough

 *   Ian Bell

 *   Lee waterman

 *   Brett Waller

 *   Tom Lineham

 *   Jonathan Schofield

 *   Tom Stancliffe

 *   Kris Peacock

 *   Mike Mitchell

 *   Chris Williams.

Others will follow in the next few weeks. As previously announced James Ratcliffe and Mick Ramsden will coach the team.

Also the new kit has been ordered and the away shirt will be in the old York Wasps colours (amber, black and white), in memory of the great ex York player Vic Yorke who sadly passed away last month. The home strip will be the traditional blue and white colours.

In other news John Guildford will be leaving the club on the 5th October 2009, the end of the 2009 season. Guildford stated; “I believe now is the time to step down and give others the opportunity to take the club forward. I have always put the club first and now is the time to put my family first. Some of the insults they take is unwarranted and I am not prepared to let this go on. My family and I have worked full time 7 days a week for the club for no remuneration what so ever. Initially I was asked to invest £55,000 to help the club raise the £75,000 it needed to get back into the rugby league, but circumstances changed very quickly and I then was involved full-time and the time and money put in over the last 7 years amounts to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The club is in a better position than most of the other clubs in Rugby League and I hope this will carry on. I have spoken to Gary Hall (Supporters Club Chairman) and he is to join the board and ensure the club moves forward. Ian Wilson and his team, who are fantastic assets to the club, will continue and ensure the club moves forward.

My shares will be put up for sale to those who either want to help or run the club and I hope people will come forward. Any profit from the sale will go to the York City Knights Foundation. I still have the club at heart and will help the new owners if required to ensure it survives and prospers but I have taken the club as far as I can its now up to others to move it forward.

Over the years there have been highs and lows I would have to say the last minute defeat at the hands of Halifax 2004 in the final of the play off was the low. The high was winning promotion into Division 1 in 2005 season, followed by a low when we failed to stay up the following year, which to this day I believe would have seen the future of the club completely change as the support in the first division is considerably more. Even when we were not winning we had a average near to 2,000 fans every week.

I am sure that not everyone will mourn my departure, as the Blackpool game will confirm, but I can look back at the last seven years and Rugby League in York has benefited from when the club was first formed and the rugby scene in York is in a far better shape than what we found it in, in 2002. This makes me proud of what the club has achieved over the last seven years and I now wish to focus on getting the club promotion.”

Knights General Manager Ian Wilson said; “Having worked with John on a daily basis for the past five years I no how much time and effort he and his family have given to this club. It has been a pleasure to work with him during that time and I no that deciding to leave was not an easy decision. I am sure that the cub will continue to prosper and we now, more than ever, need the supporters to do what they do best and support the club. I also urge any interested parties or individuals to contact the club should they wish to become involved”.

Further news will be announced at Fridays question and answer session which takes place in Bar 13 at the Huntington Stadium on Friday evening (14th August), 7:30pm start.