PROP star Colton Roche has sent an emotional message to York City Knights after confirming he is to leave the club - revealing that the team helped him through "troubled times".

The 22-year-old former Sheffield forward signed for York in May last year after a brief spell out of the game, and went on to be voted The Press Player of the Month for July and win the Magic Moment award at the club's end-of-season ceremony for his try at arch-rivals Hunslet that sealed the League One Leaders Shield.

He has endured a stop-start season this year due to injuries but has recently been named in the Ireland squad for the forthcoming European Championship.

He played 27 times in all for the club, but is now set to join Championship big guns Featherstone.

"I just want to thank the players and staff at York for these past two seasons," Roche wrote on Twitter.

"We did it tough this year but still made the semi-final.

"Rarely do you meet a set of people who help you get back up in life. I quit playing last year and was going through some troubled times. If it wasn't for my family, girlfriend, friends and this set of boys then I'd have given up on something I worked for since I was 11 years old.

 

"I have met some unbelievable people in these past two years.

"I just want the players, staff (2014/15), John (Guildford) and the directors, my friend/agent Craig to know what they have done for me this past year. I won't forget it."