HEAD coach James Ford paid tribute to York City Knights stalwart Mick Ramsden following tonight’s big win over South Wales Scorpions – after it was announced the York rugby league legend was leaving the club.

Ramsden played the bulk of his career with his home-town club – both York Wasps and the Knights – before retiring after the 2005 National League Two title success, since when he has been a popular member of the boot room.

He has latterly been reserves coach and a first-team assistant - being inaugurated into the York RL Hall of Fame this year - but he now departs, saying he needs to spend more time with his family.

Ford reckoned the 70-0 thrashing of the Scorpions was a fitting send-off for one of his right-hand men.

“He’s an outstanding man is Mick Ramsden with a whole heap of integrity,” said Ford.

“Clubs like York are built around people like Mick.

“I never saw him play but if he’s anything like he is as a coach he would have been hard-working and loyal and with a lot of ability.”

Ramsden was given a half-time presentation by first-team hooker Kriss Brining, one of the players he helped to develop, initially through the scholarship as a young teenager.

“I’m gutted he’s leaving,” added Ford. “The players adore him and he’s certainly the more likeable one out of me and him.”

Ford, meanwhile, said the game – played at Featherstone Rovers due to the club’s homelessness - was not a walk in the park like the scoreline suggested.

“South Wales looked pretty good for 20 minutes and were probably the better team in that period. Their coach should take positivity from that, even though the scoreline got away from them in the end," he said.

“They deserve credit for that, especially after travelling up from South Wales on a Friday.

“I was very pleased with our defence. That’s two games now – Gloucestershire away and now South Wales – where we haven’t conceded a single line break.

“The systems we’ve got are working really well and I’m really happy we’ve defended in that manner.”

The Knights, despite missing ten crocked first-teamers, bagged 13 tries in all, including a hat-trick for Greg Minikin, as they rose to fifth in League One.

Ford said: “Tempo is key in rugby league – the faster you do things, the harder it is to defend.

"As a spectacle, rugby league is much more enjoyable when you play at the pace we try to play at. It’s quite exciting and I’m sure the supporters really enjoyed it.”

The game saw eye-catching debuts for Scott Glassell and, in particular, dual-reg starlet Jordan Howden, who quickly gelled with his new side.

Said Ford: “Jordan was excellent. He seems really happy with how we play. For someone on his debut, he looked like he had been with us for a number of weeks.”

One downer of the night was the fact only 246 fans made the trip to Featherstone for the match – a result of all the off-field strife – and Ford reckoned his team deserved more.

“I’d like to thank all the supporters who travelled across – I absolutely understand their frustrations," he said.

“But with the entertaining brand of rugby league we play and the character they show, I just want the players to get the credit and the backing they deserve.”