NEW York City Knights boss James Ford has not taken long to pull off his first notable coup - bringing Doncaster threequarter Nev Morrison to Bootham Crescent.

Morrison has been troubled by an ankle injury this year but still made 19 appearances for the Dons, scoring seven tries, as they surprised the Kingstone Press Championship by finishing fourth, before bowing out of the play-offs only with defeat to new champions Leigh Centurions.

The 24-year-old now steps down a division with the aim of helping to take the Knights back up.

Ford, the former player/assistant-coach, who only took the reins five days ago, reckons he has brought a Championship standard centre to a Championship One outfit. "I'm really pleased we've got him," he said.

"Nev's a quality player. I've brought him in primarily as a centre but he can play wing very well as well.

"I see him as a Championship player and I'm delighted that, as a club, we can attract players of that calibre."

Morrison, then a player with reigning champions Sheffield, made three Championship appearances on loan at York in 2013, scoring in the win over Dewsbury Rams.

He spent two years with the Eagles, having joined from Hull's under-20s reserves, and scored 18 tries in 32 appearances. He then signed for South Yorkshire neighbours Doncaster - with whom he had a successful dual-registration spell in 2011 - ahead of the 2014 campaign, with his last appearance being the play-off semi-final defeat to the Centurions.

"I've admired him for a number of seasons," said Ford, a former Sheffield centre himself, who has seen Morrison play for both the Eagles and Doncaster.

"He's got lots of pace, he's strong and he's a good athlete. He's got a good reactive side to his game as well and is very dangerous in broken field.

"He's had a bit of an ankle problem which affected the amount of game-time he got but still played his fair share of games there," said Ford. That (the ankle problem) won't be a concern for us. He's over that and Jamie Bell and Jay Salter (conditioners) will get him in outstanding shape and I'm sure he will have a fantastic season."

The arrival of Morrison - who effectively takes retired centre Ford's place in the playing roster - lifts the number of confirmed Knights players for 2015 to four, although The Press understands several of this year's squad have agreed terms to stay, while talks are ongoing with potential newcomers too.

Those to have been confirmed are Colton Roche, who was named in the Championship One Team of the Year, and fellow prop Jack Aldous, the new Players' Player of the Year and The Press Player of the Year.

They are joined by Mark Applegarth, the former Press Player of the Year who returns to the club as Ford's new player/assistant-coach following spells in Australia and with Batley Bulldogs.

Those definitely leaving include prop Iain Morrison, who has signed for Swinton, who have been relegated to Championship One, Warrington loanee James Saltonstall, who has agreed terms with home-town club Halifax, Benn Hardcastle, who returns to Gateshead Thunder, and, of course, skipper Jack Lee, who goes to promoted Hunslet.