CAPTAIN Richard Blakeway reckons York City Knights can only get better now that James Ratcliffe is back at the helm.

Head coach Ratcliffe returns to training tonight at the end of his two-month suspension imposed by the Rugby Football League on the eve of the 2010 season.

And while Blakeway has lauded the work done by assistant coaches Chris Thorman – who was player/caretaker-boss – and Mick Ramsden, he says it will be best for everyone to have Ratcliffe retaking the reins.

He also acknowledges the team have yet to fire on all cylinders, but he believes a record of six wins from eight games, with the club top of Championship One after three league matches and in the quarter-finals of the Northern Rail Cup – in which last night’s draw pitted them against Keighley Cougars – is not a bad situation for Ratcliffe to come back to.

“It’s going to be better now,” said Blakeway. “Rammo has done really well, and Chris the same. They’ve done a great job especially as it all got dropped on their toes.

“I think Chris is looking forward to James coming back so he can relax a bit more and be one of the players again rather than the coach. It will mean he can get involved more in training rather than coaching.

“It will settle us all down as well. We’ve done well with James being out but we’re not playing at our best.

“Chris can concentrate more on his playing role now at half-back, and James will bring that bit extra to training and coaching.

“He will be able to help on the training field and be able to sit down with us at video sessions and let us know where we’re going right or wrong.”

The Knights’ only defeat in the Northern Rail Cup group section was away to Championship side Sheffield, though more disappointing was the Championship One loss at Workington 11 days ago, the club having wanted to start the league campaign with straight wins.

Notwithstanding that result, Blakeway says the Knights’ season aims are the same as they always were.

“Our main goal at the beginning of the season was promotion, and we’ve had short-term goals in the meantime. Our season goal has not changed,” said the 26-year-old.

“That Sheffield game has long gone but it was a big disappointment at Workington. That said, six wins out of eight is not too bad.”

Blakeway reckons the Knights now need to find better form when in possession to remain in the title hunt, starting with Sunday’s match at Doncaster – and that is something Ratcliffe’s input can have a positive effect on in training and on game-day.

“We just need to be a bit more patient in attack,” said the former Featherstone loose-forward. “Our attack needs to improve a lot more.

“It’s still early days in the season, though. Every club had a disruptive pre-season because of the bad weather. A lot of teams aren’t quite firing on all cylinders.

“But that will come with time. We’ve got a lot of new players and people will get used to each other’s style of play, and, when people get to know each other’s habits, that’s when it all comes together and there’s a bit more fluency.”

Blakeway also praised his fellow players for their reaction during Ratcliffe’s enforced absence.

“We had a word together when we found out about James getting suspended,” he explained. “We said we all had to dig in that bit extra and the senior players had to pull the younger guys through, and we’ve done that to some extent.”