ALL-TIME great Lee Crooks has been handed the task of rebuilding York Wasps into a rugby league force.

The former Great Britain forward was today named as the new coach of the Wasps, with Garry Atkins his possible assistant.

The announcement ends a long wait for a permanent successor to Dean Robinson, who left the club in March.

Crooks, 36, has signed a one-season contract with an option of a further season if the appointment proves a success.

It offers Crooks the chance to revive his coaching career which ended at the start of the 1999 season after just a year in charge of Keighley Cougars.

Chief executive Ann Garvey said today: "We think that Lee has learnt a lot from his experience at Keighley and he feels very ambitious about doing a good job at York."

Crooks is thrilled to get a second chance in coaching and told the Evening Press: "It's been no secret I've been trying to get back involved in the game since leaving Keighley.

"Although it's been a long time I'm very pleased Ann and the York board have got the confidence in me to give me the job.

"Although my track record as a coach maybe isn't as great as some other people - although I thought I did a reasonably good job at Keighley but didn't have enough time - I hope that having a higher profile person at the club will help attract new sponsors and players."

Garvey added: "He had another job offer which he put on hold. The reason he wanted to come here was because he wanted to put York back where he thought it should be, and we all think it should be, and he sold himself well.

"He's got the experience of playing and was an exceptionally good player, and he just had that coaching experience which we wanted.

"Quite a few of the players were in favour of Lee although they didn't know he was in the running."

The board are keen for Atkins, who has been in caretaker charge since Robinson's departure, to stay on as assistant and were planning to speak to him today.

Garvey believes he will make a head coach in the future and is keen for him to learn his trade at York.

"We would very much like to keep Garry involved in the club," explained Garvey. "We have spoken to Lee about it and he has no objections. He will be speaking to Garry to see if they can work together.

"I have got a lot of feelings for Garry. He has done a lot for the club as a player and a coach. I feel we need to keep him here. It will help him to become a head coach here or elsewhere one day."

The board will be holding a meeting with Crooks tonight to discuss players for next season. He will immediately begin the task of speaking to the current crop of players and bringing in new faces, with the aim of beginning pre-season training later this month.

Crooks was capped 19 times for Great Britain in a glittering playing career which started in his teens at Hull FC and later took him to Leeds and Castleford.

He is still based in Castleford where he runs the Britannia pub. As well as having contacts in the game to bring some top players to Huntington Stadium, he also believes his professional contacts can attract sponsors to the club.

Garvey would not reveal the other main contenders for the coaching job but added that it had been a difficult choice.

"We've taken our time on this one. I feel sorry for the others that applied because they were all of good character and had a lot to give us but we just felt that Lee Crooks was the man."

CROOKS FACTFILE

Born: Hull 18.9.63

Clubs: Hull, Leeds, Castleford

Great Britain caps: 19

Challenge Cup finals: 4

Coaching career: Keighley Cougars March 1998 - April 1999; York Wasps August 2000