DEPARTING York City Knights boss Paul Broadbent has spoken at length about his decision to quit Huntington Stadium.

The Evening Press revealed yesterday that Broadbent had resigned as player-coach of the Knights, three days after the end of the club's first-ever season, in order to spend more time with his family.

And today the 35-year-old former Great Britain international spoke in detail to the Press about his decision to leave the club and end his 16-year professional career in rugby league.

"It's been a very difficult decision because half of me really wants to do it but the other half of me is saying I've got to do the right thing by my family," he said.

"I've made the decision purely for family reasons. I've got young kids and over these last 12 months I've hardly seen them because I'm working full-time, I'm coaching three nights a week and I'm looking at match videos other nights. On Sundays we play and my wife works on Saturdays so it didn't make much time for us to spend time as a family together."

Broadbent, married to Cindy, has two children, Blake, aged four, and Kayla, two.

"I can't do my job half-hearted because that's what pays your way, and I can't do rugby half-hearted, so there's only one thing that can give and that's my family, and it's unfair on them that they're missing out.

"The thing that brought it home to me was when I was taking my little lad swimming. He was coming on alright just prior to me starting coaching but when I took him again eight months later he could hardly do it. That hit home that it was down to my neglect and I don't want my kids to miss out.

"You get pretty emotional about it all. There's a good bunch of people at York and when I looked at it I thought, 'What am I doing leaving?' But then I looked at my kids and it put things in perspective and I know exactly why I'm doing it."

Broadbent, whose playing career was already in the balance after he suffered knee ligament damage in July, also confirmed he would be hanging up his boots for good.

"I will not be playing again," he said. "I spoke to the specialist and he said I would be able to play but the knee is very worn and if I did play I might be on crutches in ten years.

"I'm coming away from the game altogether. I really don't know where I'm going to go from here. I love being involved in the game and I've made a lot of friends over at York.

"They've got something special over there and in six months I might turn around and think I've made the biggest mistake of my life. I won't rule out returning to the game though if I jump off now I know I might never be able to get back on - but I have to take that risk because I don't want to get ten years down the line and through pursuing my own interests find that my kids have grown up and I don't know them.

"My parents were always very supportive of me, always 100 per cent behind me, and I want to be the same with my kids. You could soon let the years pass and you can't get the time back and you might live to regret it for a long time.

"You can only do what you think is right."

He added: "I've been involved in the game professionally for 16 years and I've been involved in the game as a whole for 24 years. I've had my opportunity and I've lived my dream. It's gone further than I dreamt and I've had a great time, but my family must now come first."

Broadbent will return to Huntington Stadium for Knights skipper Rich Hayes' testimonial match - a date for that match has yet to be confirmed - and will also attend the club's presentation night on October 17. He also said he would go to matches next season.

"I've enjoyed my time at York immensely and I've every intention of coming down and having a look at how they're going," he said. "I do feel I've made quite a few friends and I hope I can come over and catch up, but I will be able to come over with my kids and spend time with them."

Updated: 11:33 Thursday, September 18, 2003