YORK City Knights director Neil Jennings declared head coach James Ford a deserving champion – even though the rookie boss missed out on the Kingstone Press League One Coach of the Year accolade.

Ford, who has led the Knights to fourth in the table despite a year of homelessness and off-the-field strife caused by the community stadium saga, was pipped to the gong by Scott Naylor, whose Oldham team have topped the table.

Knights prodigy Greg Minikin – who heads The Press Player of the Year leaderboard – was also edged out in the League One Young Player of the Year category, with Matty Beharrell of Newcastle a surprise recipient of that gong.

Yet Jennings hailed both Knights nominees at the plush Kingstone Press Championships awards ceremony held at the Midland Hotel in Manchester.

"It's not a surprise that Scott Naylor has got Coach of the Year, due to how consistently well Oldham have played all season and the fact they topped the table. You can't say he doesn't deserve it, can you," said Jennings.

"I'd just say that, with everything James has had to go through all year with the off-field issues – which we've thankfully now resolved – I really did think he had a great chance.

"We've finished safely in the play-offs and a lot higher than many people predicted, which says a lot even before considering the trials and tribulations that he's had to deal with.

"To think this is his first year as a rookie head coach, he has done outstandingly well and has been a credit to the club.

"The way he's held the team together with everything that's happened has been brilliant and the team have been brilliant as well, which again is a credit to James.

"He should be proud of what he's achieved and I'm sure he will go from strength to strength next season."

On Minikin, who is almost certainly set to join Castleford Tigers next year, Jennings said: "Greg has been outstanding for us. Again, I thought he deserved the award.

"It's no surprise he's received a lot of interest from Super League clubs and I'm sure he will go from strength to strength and continue to improve and impress higher up the leagues.

"He's been a credit to this club and also to the youth system we've had, which James Ford was heavily involved in. Greg is an outstanding talent and he's been an integral part of our season."

Jennings added: "We're proud of them both for what they and the team as a whole have achieved and they should all be proud of themselves."

Naylor won the coach prize ahead of Ford and John Duffy of Swinton, who the Knights face in the play-off semi-finals in a fortnight, while Oldham made it a double on the night when Lewis Palfrey was named League One Player of the Year.

Minikin was a nominee in his category alongside Beharrell and Swinton's Ben White.

Championship table-toppers Leigh surprisingly missed out in that division's awards, with Bradford's Lee Gaskell and Halifax's Richard Marshall picking up the Player and Coach of the Year awards respectively.

FULL LIST OF AWARDS

Championship Player of the Year: Lee Gaskell (Bradford Bulls)

Championship Young Player of the Year: Jordan Baldwinson (Featherstone Rovers)

Championship Coach of the Year: Richard Marshall (Halifax)

League One Player of the Year: Lewis Palfrey (Oldham)

League One Young Player of the Year: Matty Beharrell (Newcastle Thunder)

League One Coach of the Year: Scott Naylor (Oldham)

Championship Club of the Year: Dewsbury Rams

League One Club of the Year: Keighley Cougars

Championship Project of the Year: Bradford Bulls

League One Project of the Year: Coventry Bears

Foundation of the Year: Leigh Community Trust

Supporters Direct Community Champion: Laura Dimberline