"I won't be a really vocal captain but will lead by example" - York City Knights skipper Jack Aldous won't change his style when he leads out his club

With Haynes sidelined long-term after a knee reconstruction and last year's team skipper Pat Smith away a lot with work, Aldous was promoted to captain at the age of 24 by boss James Ford in December.

It's another notch for the Hull-born prop, a two-time Press Player of the Year and former Players' Player of the Year who last season surpassed a century of appearances in his fourth full season with York.

But it isn't likely to change his style of leading by example rather than ranting and raving.

Aldous said: "I'm not really the biggest speaker but I try to lead by example through my normal game and I speak when I think it's necessary.

"I said that to James Ford - that I won't be a really vocal captain but will lead by example - and he said that's what he wanted.

"We've got plenty of good talkers through the team, like Mike Emmett, Pat Smith, Ryan Mallinder and a few others. I will speak when I think it's most needed."

On taking the armband from Haynes, Aldous - nicknamed Mr Duracell for his ability to play big minutes up front - added: "It's hard with James. You want him on the field but he's had really bad luck with injuries, and that's putting it mildly.

"James is our captain and if he was injury-free everyone would want him to have the armband."

Aldous will begin his new role in earnest in Sunday's big Bootham Crescent friendly against his old club Hull - assuming the pitch passes a likely pitch inspection after the recent floods.

"We're really looking forward to it, so fingers crossed it's on," said Aldous, as the club finally get set to make their bow at Bootham Crescent a year later than planned.

"We were getting promises (about playing there) every week last season but it kept getting pushed back and in the end it didn't happen at all.

"To finally get in and to know we'll be playing there for the season is great.

"We're hoping a lot of fans turn out.

"I spoke to Mick Ramsden (York RL stalwart and former assistant coach) about it and he spoke a lot about how the fans have often said when we get back in the city centre we'll hopefully get big crowds."

The Knights were seen off 62-0 by Hull in a corresponding friendly last year. It is unclear what side the Airlie Birds will field this weekend after a flu virus swept through the club, but they are again expected to start with a Super League line-up.

"Either way is fine by us," said Aldous when asked strength side he'd prefer to face. "We tasted it a year ago when we played a very strong Hull team, and it was quite a big score.

"For the club it's better if all their big stars come over as we get a bigger gate. For the team I don't think it makes much difference - we will play the same and do the things we're looking to do.

"As a team it's a case of practising the stuff we've done in pre-season.

"Individually, it's like when we played St Helens in the Challenge Cup last season. We said then we wanted to hold our own and earn respect and I think we did that, and this weekend we want to enhance that even more. We want to get their respect.

"We want to concentrate on our own game. We'd like the score to be as close as possible. If it doesn't happen, then it's not one where the score really matters as long as we give a good account of ourselves and show things we've been practising and have worked on for the eight weeks we've been in pre-season. If we do that, we'll be happy."

The Knights are expected to field the bulk of their new signings, including Emmett, Rich Wilkinson, Russ Spiers, Brett Turner and Brett Waller.

Said Aldous of all the new boys: "They've fitted in really well. It's like they've been here for years.

"It's on of our policies - everyone comes in and buys into how we do things. Everyone gets along, there are no egos and everyone helps each other out. We've had that a couple of seasons now. Every year I've had at York, the bonding just gets better and better."