It's that time of year at the end of the season when the awards for the teams and players of the year are picked.

All the coaches at our level are asked by sections of the media to pick a hypothetical team of the year - minus any players from your own club.

Based on this selection, and those by other teams and the media, a team of the year is chosen.

I have spoken to some of the players and to Steve Ferres (Knights' chief executive) and we decided that we wouldn't take into account things that have been in the media, but we would only go on performances against us and what we have seen on preview tapes.

Over a 30-game season, obviously you're only seeing players two or three times so selections generally might not seem to be that accurate but we thought that was the best way to do it.

This is what we came up with: Andy Poynter (Sheffield Eagles), Adam Pate (Barrow Raiders), Chris May (Swinton Lions), Paul Jones (Barrow), Chris Irwin (Swinton Lions), Paul Thorman (Gateshead Thunder), Tane Manihera (Workington Town), Ian Parry (Chorley Lynx), Johnny Limmer (Workington Town), Matt Tunstall (Workington Town), Andy Raleigh (Sheffield Eagles), Shaun Ibbetson (Hunslet Hawks), Steven Bradley (Gateshead Thunder).

There were other players that came into consideration, including Jermaine Wray at Hunslet, Deon McFadyen and Mark Cantoni at London Skolars, Darren Hall and Barry Pugh at Barrow, Michael Coates and Wayne English at Swinton and Jordan James at Sheffield, but they didn't quite make it.

We felt that if we were allowed to select our own players, and no, I'm not saying which ones, but I would easily manage to select six of them - but then I'm biased.

The Super League relegation race is still wide open.

While the media are saying Castleford have definitely blown it and are now doomed for the drop, I think they are closer to escaping it than they ever have been.

Because of Widnes' heavy 40-6 defeat on Sunday by Wakefield, Cas are now closer to Widnes than they have been in a long time.

If they beat them on Saturday, they will have to beat Wakefield in the last game to go above Widnes, while Widnes travel to Headingley and it's hard to see them getting a result there.

As far as relegation goes, I am sure both teams will be hoping Whitehaven win National League One, because, as yet, they have not got the go-ahead for the minimum criteria for Super League.

Jason Ramshaw and Gary Divorty were out and about watching young junior players at the weekend with a view to speaking to them this week about entering our scholarship programme.

We are also hoping to tie a start date down, which will hopefully be around the last weekend in September. So keep your eyes peeled for more details in the Press soon.

I'm not sure of the exact figures but the average attendance has done the club proud this season.

We have got figures that are enviable and would easily compare to, if not beat, those for National League One.

It was our last home game on Saturday and it gave the players a good lift going into the last few matches.

We hope that somewhere along the line we will be able to give the fans a big day out in return for all their support.

Myself and all the players would like to thank them for the support they have given us this season.

And finally, well done to little Reece Turnbull who's a very special little boy who is about to start his final course of treatment against cancer this week.

Some of the players, especially Craig Forsyth and Chris Langley, undertook some fund-raising events for him including having their heads shaved, and he was our mascot on Saturday.

He's a very brave young man and we hope he enjoyed his day and myself and all the lads wish him the best of luck.

Updated: 08:35 Wednesday, September 08, 2004