Legend lauds record player

As all fans must now know, Danny Brough toppled Yorke's goals-in-a-season record of 146 last month, and to mark the occasion, the former hero was made guest of honour at the last home game of the regular season, against Workington.

And while some people might be upset to see their name replaced in the record books, Yorke was of the opinion his mark was there to be broken.

"I'm not sorry to see the record go," he told the Evening Press. "I've held it long enough.

"You have a lot more chances nowadays as it's a more high-scoring game than what it used to be. We were lucky to get 25 points but they get 50s and 60s all the time at York now."

Yorke, who received a long ovation from the Knights faithful when he was introduced to the fans before the game, was also on hand to help present Brough with his Player of the Month award for August, as voted for by Evening Press readers.

He said: "I just congratulated him and told him to carry on with the good work."

Yorke, who still lives in the city, remains a keen fan of the club but had a word of warning ahead of their likely assault on the promotion play-offs.

"I don't go down as much as I could, being in a wheelchair, but I've always followed the results and the write-ups," he explained.

"I really hope they go up but they're dicey these play-offs."

PRESENT met not only past but future too when Brough picked up his award.

The current scrum-half received his award in the centre of the Huntington Stadium pitch alongside the legendary Yorke.

And presenting it was young Jordan Martin, of Malton, who represents the future of the club.

Everyone who submitted man of the match nominations during each month gets the chance to win VIP tickets and present the award, and Jordan's name was first out of the hat.

AS mentioned above by the man himself, Yorke's record of 146 goals in a season is probably under-valued in these days of high-scoring matches, which makes the fact it lasted so long all the more remarkable.

Granted, Yorke took 44 matches to hit the mark while Brough toppled it in 31 games for the free-scoring Knights this year, but the fact is many more tries are scored these days under the ten-metre off-side rule compared to the old days of five and three-metres, so it is not surprising that several points-scoring records have been set throughout the game in recent years.

COINCIDENTALLY, it was this week in 1958 that Yorke set his first club records of 11 goals and 22 points in a match.

He did it against Whitehaven at Clarence Street when Great Britain star Basil Watts scored a hat-trick in a remarkable 37-24 win but was overshadowed by Yorke's feats with the boot.

That points-scoring record was equalled a couple of times before Graham Steadman broke it with a 24-point haul against Carlisle in 1984, the year that brought the stand-off star his club points-in-a-season record of 318 (which has also now been beaten by Brough), while Yorke's goals-in-a-match record was topped in 1992 when Gary Pearce landed 12 against Nottingham City.

Both goals and points-in-a-match records have since been upped to 13 and 30 respectively by Jamie Benn against Oldham in 1999.

A tireless prop forward, Yorke went on to amass a tremendous 1,081 goals and 2,201 points for York in a 13-year career spanning from 1954 to 1967. Truly a York RL legend.

Sheffield Eagles' play-off hopes have not been helped by the news that World Cup star Tom O'Reilly will not be rejoining them this year.

The Papua New Guinean former Warrington centre was to return to the Eagles for the promotion run-in, just as he did last year, after playing out his season in France, but he has not been able to recover from a knee injury.

Rhodes clear ahead in standings

SCOTT Rhodes has taken a clear lead in the Evening Press/Collier Plant Hire player of the year stakes following his man of the match display against Workington last week.

The stand-off began the day level with skipper Lee Jackson at the top but his three-point haul for man of the match, plus the bonus point for topping the readers' vote, opened up a healthy gap with potentially only one game to go (though more probably at least another two, if not three).

Full-back Chris Smith, who was in the running for last year's award before injury curtailed his season, has finally got on the scoreboard this year, which for him only began in earnest in July after more injuries.

The former Wales international, who has probably already deserved to pick up his first points, finally got off the mark with two after being deemed the Knights' second-best player against Town.

The remaining point went to the ever-consistent Richard Wilson in the pack.

Standings: Rhodes 32pts, Jackson 28, Brough 25, Ball 21, Langley 18, Friend 17, Callaghan 13, Elston 11, Sozi 9, Wilson 8, Graham 7, Cain 6, Forsyth 6, Buchanan 6, J Smith 6, Godfrey 5, Stewart 5, C Smith 2, Briggs 2, Farrell 2, Ramsden 2, Wood 2, Walker 2, Hayes 1, Andrews 1.

Nations prepare for Euro Cup

AS revealed by the Evening Press last week, the 2004 European Nations Cup final will not be coming to York, but instead will be played at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium.

For those of you proud Yorkies still interested, the final is on Sunday, November 7, kick off 1.45pm, and will be screened live by Sky Sports (which was one of the reasons the RFL chose Warrington because they have more experience of hosting TV matches than Bootham Crescent).

The tournament will employ the same format as last year with two pools of three nations, the winners of which qualify for the final.

The fast-improving Russia will play both their Pool Two matches against France and England at Moscow's Olympic Stadium on Saturday, October

16, and Sunday, October 24, respectively. England then play France in Avignon on Saturday, October 30.

Pool One sees Wales face Ireland at Aberavon on Sunday, October 17; Scotland entertain Wales at Glasgow Hawks RUFC on Sunday, October 24; and Ireland host Scotland at Navan RFC on Friday, October 29.

Knights' stand-off Scott Rhodes could be in line for a recall to the Scotland squad, especially if he continues his good form.

TALKING of televised rugby league, the Knights could find themselves on terrestrial TV soon as award-winning programme Rugby League Raw returns to our screens with coverage of the upcoming National League play-offs.

Should automatic promotion evade Richard Agar's men, then the silver lining is not only the chance to go up via the play-offs but also the opportunity to rake in a bit more cash from probable healthy gate receipts plus TV coverage, and to benefit from more TV exposure.

In addition, the National League Grand Finals will be screened by Sky Sports from Widnes' Halton Stadium.

That said, it would still be much better to go up automatically. So come on, Dewsbury, do us a favour.

YORK City Knights Supporters' Club will be running buses to tomorrow's last game of the regular season away to Chorley.

The price, depending on numbers, is £8 adults, £5 concessions and 12-16-year-olds, and £1 under-12s. Bookings can be made on 07860 105399 before 11am tomorrow.

It is planned that the coach will stay for about an hour after the game so fans can have a drink and perhaps mingle with the players - unless results go so well that the Knights achieve automatic promotion, in which case anything could happen.

The pick-up places and times are: Haxby (Holly Tree Lane) 11.45am; Huntington Stadium (rear of building) noon; New Lane (opposite Anthea Drive) 12.05pm; Dodsworth Avenue (opposite shops) 12.10; Clarence Street (opposite vets) 12.15; Exhibition Square (outside Theatre) 12.20; Blossom Street (opposite Odeon) 12.25; Tadcaster Road (Marriott Hotel) 12.30.

Updated: 10:35 Saturday, September 11, 2004