TITLE-winning boss Mick Cook is staying at York City Knights next season, the Evening Press can reveal.

The 44-year-old has agreed a new deal at Huntington Stadium after taking the club to promotion to LHF National League One with Sunday's memorable win at Hunslet.

And he says the support from the fans played a part in his decision to sign up for another year.

"Everywhere we go we get a fantastic reception and Sunday's was another level again," he said. "The people are passionate about the city and the teams within it and the support they've given us makes you feel really appreciated, and that goes for the coaches and the players.

"They get behind the lads and you know you're coming into a club with a decent support base of people who genuinely feel for the game and the team.

"That had an influence in my decision."

Cook will be assisted next season by current number twos Paul Broadbent and Jason Ramshaw, with this season's coaching consultant Daryl Powell leaving due to his role with Leeds Tykes RU. Mick Ramsden, who is hanging up his playing boots, will take up a coaching role in the Knights' Scholarship, thus continuing his long association with York RL.

Cook has also decided to end his Academy job at Leeds Rhinos, although the partnership between the clubs will continue and Cook's own ties at Headingley will not be severed. His contract at York will not be entirely full-time and he may seek new work outside of rugby, either in his old trade as a joiner or in personal training.

His personal priority at the end of this season, though, is to recharge his batteries in readiness for NL1.

"I'm looking forward to a break at the end of the year," he explained. "I didn't have much of one this year or last and I'd like to freshen up and come back for the challenges that will be ready for us in 2006.

"It's been quite hard work and it's relentless - but I'm happy to do it again. The part-time environment it different to the full-time one at Leeds but I've enjoyed it at York and it's been a good experience. The lads have been great and it's been a great year for my own development.

"I'm grateful York gave me the opportunity to improve my skills as a coach and hopefully they've enjoyed having me around.

"It's been a pretty successful season. We've won the competition and got automatic promotion, which is what we quietly set out to do at the start of the year. We had the toughness, skills and work ethic to get through and the team have got the rewards for it."

Cook has set no goals for next season yet, saying he is concentrating on finishing this term and getting a squad together that will "take the club forward in NL1".

"We're trying now to bring some players in but there is a lot of competition to get the best players," he added.

Knights acting chief executive John Guildford said: "Mick has been a major success and all the professionalism he's put into the club has been second to none.

"We were obviously very happy with what he's done this year and we're delighted he has agreed to stay."

Updated: 10:43 Thursday, August 25, 2005