YORK City Knights captain Tim Spears has signed a new one-year contract with the club for the 2021 season.

The deal will see Spears enter his fifth year at York, having joined ahead of the 2017 season from Featherstone Rovers, where he captained the West Yorkshire club and played almost 197 times.

Since then, the former Castleford Tigers, Dewsbury Rams and Batley Bulldogs forward has been a vital part of the Knights’ recent success.

The back-rower has made 77 appearances for the Knights and has been a vital part of the sides which have won the 2018 Betfred League 1 title and ensured a third-placed finish in the Betfred Championship last year.

He also took his total number of career appearances to 400 in his last game in the 70-12 Coral Challenge Cup victory over Rochdale Hornets.

2021 will also see Spears take an off-field position at the club too. The 36-year-old’s role will be to “create more links between the Knights’ players and the fans and the work of the Foundation,” York have said.

Knights head coach James Ford said: “Tim is a very driven and focused young man who sets and upholds the highest standards.

“He’s been key to our progress and will be central to the direction we’re aspiring to go in.

“Tim will also be picking up some off-field duties which I believe will really help us continue to grow.

“Tim’s mental qualities and experience will be vastly important for us in 2021.”

Spears said: “I’m delighted. I’m really looking forward to getting my head down and working as hard as I possibly can to be the best I can be in 2021,” he said.

“The club is in such a healthy place. You look at the stadium, the calibre of players we’ve signed and the calibre of players we’ve retained as well – it’s the place you want to be.”

Of his off-pitch role, he added: “Looking back at my time with the club, the fans welcomed me with open arms and have always been great with my family and me.

“To have that role to improve people’s experience around the Knights, either from a player or fan perspective, is an exciting one and something I’m really looking forward to.”