PROP Lee McTigue (above) has been released by York City Knights to return to neighbouring amateurs York Acorn.

The 24-year-old former Great Britain amateur international, who has featured in only one of the Knights' seven games so far, was in the reckoning to play for Acorn today in their National Conference League clash with Cottingham.

Knights chief executive Steve Ferres explained McTigue could return to Huntington Stadium. "We will monitor how things go," he said.

"He just feels at this moment in time, and with Paul Broadbent coming back to fitness, his chances have lessened. We're wary of the fact he needs game-time."

Fellow forward Carl Stannard was back in light training this week after seeing a specialist about his knee injury.

There had been fears that ligament damage could rule him out for the season but he was given the all-clear to resume running on it. The 23-year-old is still out indefinitely, though, with player-coach Broadbent saying: "The big test will be when he starts playing a bit more. He will have to take things week by week."

Updated: 09:06 Saturday, March 15, 2003