KNIGHTS boss James Ford had no hesitation whatsoever in endorsing the first Player of the Month result of the new season - in fact he guessed the name of the winner before it was read out.

“Is it Ed Smith?” asked Ford as we were about the tell him the 22-year-old had got the verdict just ahead of the likes of James Haynes, Kriss Brining and Nev Morrison.

The gong - his first such award in what is, believe it or not, his sixth season in the first-team picture - is another indicator of Smith’s continued rise to increasing prominence in his home-town club’s ranks over the past 18 months.

The second-row, having had his best season yet when helping the team to the 2014 Championship One title, seems to have kicked on again this term, already being the early leader in The Press Player of the Year standings - and now moving further clear of the rest thanks to the three bonus points this monthly award adds to his tally.

“He deserves it,” said Ford. “He turns up week in week out and delivers consistent performances.

“He’s a tough cookie is Ed. He works hard and is really unselfish, and I’m pleased to see his confidence growing with the ball - we’re seeing things we’re not accustomed to seeing him do.

“I’ve asked him to play a bit more football and that right edge is looking solid and cohesive. He’s a big part of our team.”

Smith and Ryan Mallinder, to many people, formed arguably the most consistent back row in the division last year.

Ford said: “They’re two good players. They’re similar in their outlook - both enjoy the physical side of the game, both are hard-working and both put the team first.

“I haven’t seen all the back rows so can’t say if they were the best but they’ll be up there.”

Smith’s progress at his home-town club has not gone unnoticed by Ford, either, who first arrived at Huntington Stadium as a player in 2011, a year after the former York Acorn ARLC junior made his first- team debut.

Having come through the old scholarship system, Smith at that point became the youngest-ever Knight aged 17 years and 236 days, a record since broken by Kriss Brining, in 2011, and Tim Stubbs and Liam Ellis, both in 2012.

Of that quartet, only Smith and Brining remain, both becoming increasingly key figures. The latter has 45 appearances to his name to date, at the age of 21, while Smith, a year his senior, has 73, a fair number in the modern era for someone his age.

Said Ford: “He probably still counts as ‘inexperienced’.

“Come the play-offs, though, and he will be an experienced member of our team and I think he’ll be someone we look to at difficult times, someone who can give us boosters and leadership.”

Meanwhile, six more players have got themselves onto the The Press Player of the Year leaderboard after their performances in the past three games.

Greg Minikin was our man of the match last time out in the Kingstone Press League One opening-day defeat to Keighley, so picks up three Player of the Year points to get onto the ladder.

Jonny Presley had been the standout player in the first half, capped by a super solo try, so was our second-best player (2pts).

Josh Tonks also boosted his claims to regularly start in the second-row as our third-best player on the day (1pt).

Kriss Brining was our top man (3pts) in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup win over amateurs Featherstone Lions, with a fine display which included the first two tries that set the ball rolling towards a comfortable win. Colton Roche also got onto the leaderboard, being deemed our third best player (1pt).

In the previous week’s iPro Sport Cup defeat to Newcastle, winger Nev Morrison likewise got off the mark (1pt) as he was deemed our third best player that day.

However, Ed Smith, James Haynes and Liam Cunningham have continued to be the prime movers so far this term, all again adding to their early tallies.

Skipper Haynes was our man of the match (3pts) against Newcastle, while leader Smith collected points for the third straight game as our second-best performer that day (2pts).

Cunningham, meanwhile, carried on his good start to life at York with a hat-trick and second-best player rating (2pts) at Featherstone, which took him into joint second with Haynes.

The Press Player of the Year standings: E Smith 7pts, Cunningham 5, Haynes 5, Brining 3, Minikin 3, Presley 2, Roche 1, Morrison 1, Aspinall 1, Applegarth 1, Tonks 1.

FORMER Knights hero Dan ny Brough is closing in on a notable career milestone - a century of touchdowns.

His total of 97 has been scored as follows: four for Dewsbury (2002-2003), 20 for York (2003-2004), three for Hull FC (2005-2006), 12 for Castleford (2006-2007), 19 for Wakefield (2008-2010), 35 for Huddersfield (2010-present) and four for Scotland (2004-2008, 2010 and 2013-2014).