YORK City Knights have announced that teenagers AJ Towse and Myles Harrison have signed professional deals with the club until the end of the 2023 season.

The duo joined the Knights ahead of the 2020 season and have since appeared in pre-season friendlies against Featherstone Rovers, in 2020, and Hull FC, earlier this year.

Having previously been on community dual-registration from Heworth, the pair, both 17, have now penned permanent deals and are set to debut against Wigan Warriors tonight.

York head coach James Ford said: "They've impressed everybody at the club with their approach to their own development.

"They have both worked really hard at all aspects of their game and I've seen significant improvement from both of them and, if they continue to work hard, I have no doubt they will continue to do so."

He added: "I'm really proud to be able to give them their debuts. I wouldn't be giving them it if they didn't deserve it and I'm excited to see them compete against what is an elite set of players at an elite club. It will be a great challenge for them."

Towse said: "It's taken a lot of hard work to get here. It means everything, really, and I'm just excited about this season.

"I've been working hard for this and for them to turn around and the club say that they want me for three years, it's really good."

Harrison said: "Signing a new deal means a lot to me and my family, especially being a third-generation York fan. It gives me heaps of confidence, knowing that they have that trust in me."

Scott Rhodes, former Knights player and current head coach of Heworth, said: "It's brilliant for both of them. They've got really good attitudes to work hard and have shown that at Heworth in the past.

"They're both talented lads and I think that the coaches at Heworth deserve big raps because they've done a fantastic job with them.

"They've obviously got great potential, James wouldn't have taken them if they didn't, and we wish them all the best."