Richard Blakeway named as new York City Knights captain

11:15am Friday 29th January 2010

By Peter Martini

RICHARD BLAKEWAY is York City Knights’ new captain and fellow former Featherstone star Joe McLocklan the vice-skipper – with player-coach Chris Thorman saying both were standout candidates for the role.

The selections were confirmed to the Knights’ squad at training last night ahead of the 2010 opener, away to Rochdale in the Northern Rail Cup on Sunday.

Loose-forward Blakeway, 26, moved to Huntington Stadium from Post Office Road in July and played the last eight games of last term, while hooker McLocklan, 23, followed in the off-season having helped Rovers to the Championship play-off semi-finals.

Knights player-coach Chris Thorman, who has been placed in caretaker charge, said the selections were made by the entire coaching team prior to boss James Ratcliffe’s two-month suspension, which was imposed by the Rugby Football League this week.

“They have been the most obvious candidates since I walked through the door,” said the former England star, who arrived from Super League side Hull in the off-season.

“They both bring different attributes. Richard will lead by example while Joe will talk more. They’re both very good talkers and very personable.

“I’m sure the boys – if for whatever reason they don’t want to approach the coaches – could always go and speak to them. They’re very approachable.

“They’ve also applied themselves really well in pre-season, on and off the field.”

Full-back Danny Ratcliffe, who was runner-up in the Co-operative Championship Young Player of the Season awards last year, and prop Mark Applegarth, who swept the board in the Knights’ Player of the Year awards, were also candidates for the armband.

Thorman added: “Richard was here a bit last year so just gets the nod (ahead of McLocklan), but I would have no issues in whoever leads the team out if one or the other is not in there.”

Meanwhile, Thorman reckoned his own role at the club would not change drastically in the wake of Ratcliffe’s suspension.

The 29-year-old, who also works in the Knights’ community department, had already taken on Ratcliffe’s old York College coaching role and, along with fellow assistant-coach Mick Ramsden, always had a sizeable input in first-team affairs.

Thorman added: “This will give me more responsibility but we’ve got a really good senior player group and I’m sure I’ll have the support of all the players.”

When asked if Ratcliffe’s absence would affect team performance, he said: “I won’t know until we play. On game day it shouldn’t affect us too much. There’s little a head coach can do in a game. His job is more throughout the week, preparing the team.

“It’s obviously not something I expected but it’s something I have to deal with and I’ll do that as best I can.