EX-Gateshead and Jamaica head coach Dean Thomas and fellow former York player Mick Hagan are to take over as York Lokomotive ARLC's new coaching team.

Ex-York winger Thomas, also a former conditioner at Salford and Sheffield Eagles, and Hagan, a local rugby league stalwart, have taken pre-season training sessions at the Yorkshire Men's League club but had previously been unable to commit to the role for the year.

Now, though, the Lokos have announced the pair will officially take the reins from Simon Moat, who stepped down over the winter to concentrate on his duties as chairman.

A club statement said: "They plan to share the coaching duties and have already made massive inroads in the winter circuit sessions and game prep sessions at Bustardthorpe on Sunday mornings.

"Pre-season training really steps up from this week onwards."

Sessions now also take place on Wednesday nights under floodlights at Manor School, from 8pm to 9pm, in addition to the Sunday runs on Knavesmire. The midweek sessions will also switch to Bustardthorpe on March 16.

New and old players are welcome to attend and trial for the two open age teams.

The Lokos, meanwhile, have been placed in division two of the YML this year, with the campaign starting on Saturday, April 30.

Their first competitive fixture, though, will be in the preceding Forty20 Cup competition, pencilled in for Saturday, March 5.