CHRIS CHATTEN, a sport, leisure and culture consultant, is the latest off-field appointment at York City Knights as matchday manager.

The York-born 37-year-old's primary role is to oversee matchday operations, liaising with staff and volunteers to improve the matchday experience.

The appointment was confirmed before last night's fans' forum at the club's plush new office and training base at York St John University's state-of-the-art sports site in Haxby Road.

The former Heworth ARLC junior, who has followed York fervently since 1989, has previously worked in the Rugby Football League's community department, and is now focusing on his own business, Tackle It Solutions Ltd.

He has previously held matchday manager roles with South Wales Scorpions (now Ironmen) in 2016, and with Gloucestershire All Golds from mid-2014 till the end of 2015, while working and living in Wiltshire.

During that time he also helped to establish two community rugby league clubs in the south west, and continues to run Bath RL.

He has missed one Knights game this season - when he was away managing a West of England Representative RL tour to Ireland.

Chatten - who also previously played rugby union with Pocklington, and in the National University RL competition for Warrington Collegiate - said: "I have been in talks with (chairman) Jon Flatman for a while regarding the role and he shares my passion for exciting matchday experiences.

"While changes might be gradual, I hope visitors on matchdays can start to see improvements to the experience. Jon has very similar ideas to mine regarding creating exciting and fun rugby league experiences."