JAMES Cunningham is the ‘Mr Fix It guy’ for the York Knights this season, according to head coach Andrew Henderson.

The 28-year-old, who joined the club from recently-relegated Betfred Super League outfit Toulouse Olympique on Wednesday, is set to make his Knights debut in their Betfred Championship season opener against Widnes Vikings at the LNER Community Stadium on Sunday (3pm), after being named in Henderson's preliminary 21-man squad.

Cunningham initially linked up with the Knights on trial during pre-season, and Henderson has been impressed with how the versatile powerhouse has settled into his squad.

“I’m really really pleased to get James on board,” enthused Henderson.

“Once we realised that Brendan O’Hagan was going to return home I thought I needed to get a replacement in fairly quickly and it was just very fortunate that James was available.

“He did reach out to me when I first got the York job and was looking for an opportunity, which at that stage I couldn’t offer him that, but with the news of Brendan going home I was able to then facilitate that opportunity for him.

“He came in for a few weeks on trial, and I wanted to do that more for him really to make sure that he was comfortable.

“He’s been at the top level for a number of years and I know he possibly was holding out for another Super League club coming up.

“With the size of the squad we currently have I just felt that getting him in would be a real bonus for us.”

With players including Pauli Pauli, Brad Ward and Jamie Ellis all still on the treatment table, the former Championship promotion-winner looks to be just the type of player to solve the Knights’ injury woes, having played in a variety of positions across the pitch in his career.

“He can do you a job in the halves, at hooker, loose forward, centre, back row. He can do a job in any of those positions.

“He understands that that will be his role this year, he will be the ‘Mr Fix-it’ guy, so he’s going to have to go in and hold the fort for us wherever we need him to go.

“But the great thing for me and the great thing for the playing group is as they get to know James more and play with him, is that you can trust him and he is reliable.

“I’m confident that wherever I have to play him, he will do a job for the team, and the players will soon learn that about him, too, when they play with him.

“I definitely feel that it’s a good addition for us and he’s at the right age, too – he’s only 28 – and yet he’s been in a full-time system now for 10 years and played a number of Super League games.

“We’ve got him at the right time, too, he’s in the prime of his career so not only is he going to bring that versatility from a playing point of view, but he’s also got that experience that he can help to pass on to those younger players that are in our squad and are still in that development phase, which is great as well.

“I think we’ve done well to get him, and it’s a great bit of business for us.”

Henderson still has his preferred position for his newest recruit, however.

“I thought he played his best rugby for me when I coached him at nine,” he admitted.

“I liked him at hooker and I think it’s his best position personally, but I know he’s played a number of positions.

“I know he’s played Super League in the centres, he’s played Super League at loose forward, at hooker and in the halves. And he can play in the back row as well.

“I thought that nine was his best position, and that may be something that he evolves into in the future, we have got him here for this season and next season, but I’m happy with the two nines that we’ve currently got and they’re performing well.

“If other people aren’t performing, I can put him in there, and if people are injured, he can do a job and cover for them if and when needed.”