BEING rushed to an A&E department to receive 26 stitches on a Sunday evening sounds like a grim prospect to most people.

But, as York City Knights’ Marcus Stock describes it, this is merely a rite of passage for a part-time rugby league player.

In York’s 20-14 defeat to Sheffield Eagles last month, Stock clashed heads with fellow forward Joe Porter and was soon taken off the field to receive further medical treatment.

“ It was lucky that we did because I got there and the staff were quite shocked at the state of my face,” Stock laughed.

“I was with the plastic surgeon for a while and I think I got around 26 stitches overall. But the wound seems to have healed now.

“I am wearing a head guard now too, which I’ve got a bit of stick from the boys for, but I’m just glad to be back.

“I went through all of the concussion protocols and there were no signs of that. So it was just like a facial injury and it was nothing serious.

“I think that spending your Sunday night in an A&E department is like a rite of passage for part-time rugby league players.

“I’m sure that a lot of part-time players will have spent the evening in A&E and then headed off to work in the morning.

“We’re lucky enough to be able to play the game, so they’re the kind of things that we’re used to.”

In the aftermath, Ford described Stock as possessing a scar similar to that of Harry Potter.

“There is a bit of scarring but I wouldn’t call it a Harry Potter scar,” responded Stock.

“I know that Fordy is a die-hard Harry Potter fan so that’s probably why he decided to go with that.”

Over recent weeks, Stock has established himself as an integral part of the York forward pack, which has been bolstered over the off-season by the signings of Betfred Super League veterans Adam Cuthbertson and Danny Kirmond.

“Those kind of seasoned, senior and experienced players are brilliant,” enthused Stock.

“People can see what they bring on the field but it’s also what they bring off the field, in terms of the preparation for a game in the week running up to it.

“Having that experience and those leadership qualities, which people may not be able to see, is an amazing thing to have in the dressing room.

“Those players have trained at a (higher) standard and they’re aware of what standards are needed in a winning team.

“And those standards apply on the day of the game and in training and you’ve got to uphold them day in and day out.

“That accountability that they bring is brilliant.”

Next up for the Knights is a home clash against the current Betfred Championship leaders Featherstone Rovers on Sunday evening (7.30pm).

York will be hoping to end the Rovers’ 100 per cent winning start to the year at the LNER Community Stadium.

“You will always get a good team out of Featherstone,” said Stock.

“Back in 2019, we had a couple of good close games where we beat them and then they got us in the play-offs.

“They’re real tough opposition but we’re really excited and these are the kind of games that the players love to play in and I love to play in as well, if selected.

“I’d like to think that we’re well into the season now. We’ve had a few games now and we’re into the weekly swing of things now.

“All those excuses of being rusty before because we hadn’t played for a year, all those are out of the window now.”