Applegarth takes his place among the unheralded ‘All Stars’ (From York Press)

Applegarth takes his place among the unheralded ‘All Stars’

10:53am Saturday 12th September 2009 in

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IT was a bit of a rum do over at Leigh this week when the Co-operative Championships officially unveiled their ‘All Stars’ dream teams for 2009.

Firstly, York City Knights only had one player in the 13 selected for Championship One (okay, I might be biased on this point), but moreover the efforts of all the players and coaches there were not particularly heralded at the event.

As reported in The Press, Knights prop Mark Applegarth was named in a team of the year in which, unsurprisingly, runaway league winners Dewsbury had almost half the players selected.

Applegarth was there at the plush new Leigh Sporting Village complex, as was team captain Paul Hughes and head coach James Ratcliffe.

But there didn’t seem to be anyone present from sponsor The Co-operative, there were no bigwigs from the Rugby Football League, and, as far as I’m aware, there was no presentation to the posse of journalists in attendance or for the players and coaches present – which was a bit surprising, if not shoddy, considering this event doubled up as the launch of the Championships’ play-offs.

Still, the All Stars should get another proper mention, and due applause, at the Championships’ end-of-season awards ceremony, at which the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year, as voted for by the clubs themselves, will be announced.

Applegarth lined up for photos in his Co-operative Championship One All Stars strip, while Hughes did likewise as York’s representative in the pictures to promote the play-offs.

But Ratcliffe, it’s probably fair to say, didn’t particularly relish making the long journey to sit around and “eat a couple of nice sandwiches”, when he could have been getting on with other work.

Still, he was able to have an informal chinwag sat at a table with Featherstone boss and former York director of coaching Daryl Powell, Oldham coach Tony Benson, and old mate Paul March, who, of course, is his former cohort at Huntington Stadium and now player-coach at Hunslet.

Anyone else sat round that table was also lucky enough to hear Powell regale a few comic tales of Great Britain tours to Papua New Guinea.

Ratcliffe, happy to be there or not, was nonetheless delighted for Applegarth, saying he was a worthy pick for a select XIII which is decided by ratings in trade paper League Weekly. He also reckoned the Knights could have had a few other players selected.

“Mash (Applegarth) has been consistent throughout the season and has not missed a game. He deserves it with the way he’s played all year,” he said.

Applegarth, the former Wakefield forward, told The Press only last week that he had enjoyed a better campaign following his debut year at Huntington Stadium last season. He added, on receiving his ‘All Stars’ accolade, that the whole pack as a unit had played a big part in his personal achievements.

Ratcliffe said: “By his own admission he did not have the most consistent season last time but he’s enjoying his rugby this year and that’s why he he’s been so good and why he’s been happy to sign for next year.”

He added: “Maybe we could have had a few others in there. I think Danny Ratcliffe would have been close at full-back, and Paul (Hughes, hooker) has probably been unlucky – he’s been pretty consistent.”

Asked what he thought of his making a rather pointless trip all the way to Leigh, before then having to rush back for training that night, he simply stated: “It’s good that the players get recognised for their efforts.”

DEWSBURY had six out of the 13 players named in the Championship One ‘All Stars’ line-up, which is probably fair enough given they became only the second team in history to complete a 100 per cent record throughout a league campaign at professional level.

They won all 18 Championship One matches to match Hull’s 100 per cent success record of 26 wins in the old Division Two of 1978/79. (Huddersfield – a side featuring Paul March – remained unbeaten in 28 Northern Ford Premiership matches in 2001/02, but included one draw.) The Rams also equalled their club record of 18 successive league victories set when Dewsbury won their last 17 matches of 1904/05 to win the old Division Two and their first in the following season when there was only one division.

Dewsbury also won all four of their Northern Rail Cup group matches, and their only defeats in 25 matches this season were 20-18 at Barrow in a Northern Rail Cup knockout tie and 28-18 at Sheffield in a the Challenge Cup. Keighley, who finished as runners-up, had two players named in the select 13, with York, Oldham, Blackpool, Hunslet and Rochdale having one each.

AS an aside, if a town like Leigh can get a splendid new stadium complex like the one that staged this ‘All Stars’ photo call, then why on earth can’t a supposedly high class city like York??

GOING back to 2009 statisics, stand-off Danny Jones, of the Knights’ play-off opponents Keighley Cougars, is the only player to have scored in each of his club’s league and cup matches this season, covering 24 matches.

He will no doubt be a danger when the Knights go to Cougar Park for their qualifying semi-final on Sunday, September 20.

TALKING about that play-off tie, the Knights are urging all supporters travelling to Keighley to show their support by having a sea of Knights flags on the terraces.

The club are selling red and blue flags at just £4 available from their new offices at Huntington Stadium during the week from 9-5pm.

Any supporter who sends the club a photo of themselves waving a flag at Cougar Park will also go into a special prize draw where the winner will win two boardroom tickets to a pre-season friendly of their choice.

The Supporters’ Club will be running coaches to Keighley, price at £8 for adults and £4 for under-16s. They will pick up at the Ainsty, Boroughbridge Road, at noon, Clarence Street at 12.15pm and Huntington Stadium at 12.30pm.

To book, phone the Supporters’ Club hotline on 07958 569266.

THE winner of the signed Knights shirt competition run by The Press in conjunction with Championships sponsor The Co-operative, was James O’Neill, of Bramley Garth, York.