CAPTAIN Jack Aldous has quit York City Knights to join Newcastle – saying the uncertainty around the club's future left him no choice.

The popular 25-year-old prop, an almost permanent fixture in the line-up for five seasons, says he wanted to stay after enjoying "the best years of my career" in the Minster city and is "gutted" to leave.

But he feared a solution would not be found soon to the club's "draining" off-field crisis and reckoned he "wasn't in a position to turn down" the contract offer from the Tynesiders.

As regards the Knights' future, under-fire owner John Guildford has said this week there are two parties interested in taking over and that due diligence has been carried out.

He has reiterated he is "standing down as a director whatever happens" and is "hopeful a deal will be done".

However, Aldous believes more players will leave if the uncertainty – whether the club will continue next year, how it will be set up and where they will play – is not sorted quickly.

Aldous explained: "Newcastle got in touch with me a while ago. James Ford (Knights boss) knew the situation and I made it clear I wanted to stay at York.

"At that time we'd heard promising news about a possible takeover and I thought it would be sorted by now but nothing came of it.

"Newcastle asked me again and it came to the point where I thought, with the deal that was on offer, I wasn't in a position to turn them down. It seemed like it was going nowhere at York.

"I'm gutted about that. It's not as if I snapped at it (Newcastle's offer). I waited as long as I thought was possible but it got to the point where we had to see what was happening and I didn't see the situation at York sorting itself out soon.

"I'm gutted to leave. My best years have been at York and I have mates for life. I can't speak highly enough of the players and staff and James Ford is the best coach I've ever had."

The move – on a one-year deal – affords Hull-based Aldous the chance to play alongside younger brother Harry, with whom he will share the journeys to the north east along with the likes of former Knights trio Peter Fox, Benn Hardcastle and Lee Paterson.

"My brother's had his first year there and loved it and that made my decision easier," said Aldous.

"It's a long journey but I'll get used to it, especially travelling with Harry. There'll be a few of us going up. I'm going to enjoy this six or seven weeks off and then give everything at Newcastle."

Aldous, nicknamed 'Mr Duracell' for his ability to play long stints in the engine room, won two Press Player of the Year awards in his five seasons with York, in 2012 and 2014, and is in the running for a third this term.

He was also voted Players' Player and was named in a League One Team of the Year in 2014, when the Knights topped the old Championship One. He has also won seven Press Player of the Month awards.

Aldous, the Under-20s Player of the Year at previous club Hull in 2011 prior to his switch to Huntington Stadium, had played three games on loan for the Knights that year before joining the club permanently.

In all, Aldous has played 128 times for York and in these five years sat out only 11 matches – a remarkable record for a front-rower. He had to wait until half-way through his second season to notch his first try, ending with 11 in all.

He said: "It's been great. When I first came I didn't know what to expect but everybody has been great and each year it's got better and better in and around the team.

"I've done some things at York I didn't think I would – I've won four trophies and I've got to be captain and captain in a cup final (this year's iPro Sports Cup final). My years at York have been brilliant, the best of my career."

It all finished on a downer, though, with Aldous missing last weekend's play-off semi-final in Toulouse due to work commitments – one of several players unable to travel at short notice, leaving the team down to only 12 men.

That low note also came on the back of the latest off-field uncertainty which began ahead of the Super 8s section of the season, when Guildford said he was to close the club, claiming it was unsustainable due to City of York Council's community stadium plan and the groundshare at York City.

All the players were initially told they would be free agents before Guildford said he would see out the season. Of all that, Aldous said: "It's been draining.

"There's been a lot of phone calls and a lot of worry. We stuck together so well but there are a lot of tired people out there.

"I wanted the team to stay together but I had to think of myself. Newcastle weren't pushy, they had to wait, but I knew if I left it too long they could have made offers to other people and I would've been mad at myself if I ended up missing out."

Asked if he expected an exodus from York, Aldous said: "There are a few rumours. There will be a few lads in a similar position to me and it's about how long they're willing to leave it. The quicker a solution is found, the better it'll be for the club."