THE widow of one of York City Knight’s biggest fans says her late husband must have been ‘cheering from above’ after the rugby club’s promotion to the Championship.

June Chappell said her husband Neville, who died of cancer in the spring, had supported the club since he was about 18 and would have been ‘over the moon’ after its stunning recent victory over Whitehaven in the final match of the 2018 season to win the League One crown.

“How he would have loved to have been at the last match and how proud he would have been with their huge success,” she said. “Our daughters, Kathleen, Maureen and Julie, were all at the game, each wearing one of Neville’s club shirts. They said he must have been cheering from above.”

Mrs Chappell, of Osbaldwick, said she had filled Neville’s favourite armchair, from which he watched sport on TV, with club memorabilia, including a scarf, shirt, flag and the back page of The Press reporting on the club’s triumph last month.

The widow was speaking out to thank the club for ensuring that Neville, while unable to attend the final match, was at least able to attend its opening game of the season as a VIP, with a seat in the directors’ box, just after he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and felt he would be unable to get to the game.

She said the day had provided a huge boost to his spirits at a difficult time. “He was absolutely delighted and like a different man.”

Osbaldwick councillor Mark Warters praised the efforts of Jon Flatman and Darren Crake at York City Knights in making sure Neville and family could attend YCK games for as long as he possibly could, adding: “I know just how much the special arrangements YCK made to get Neville to games meant to June, with pictures of Neville and his daughters sat in the stand taking pride of place in her hallway.”