FAN favourite Kriss Brining says he is delighted to be back at York City Knights - and is looking to help the team "go up a level".

The Scarborough-born 25-year-old hooker, who came through the old scholarship at York, has spent the last two years with Salford Red Devils but has now returned home to North Yorkshire and agreed a one-year deal with his former team.

And, while his promising time in Super League was curtailed by a serious neck problem which sidelined him for all of 2018, he insists he feels no cynicism about that and only excitement at his chance to get his career back on track in familiar surroundings.

“It’s really good to be back, and it’s been nice to see a few familiar faces," said Brining, who left the Knights in late 2016 amid the club's off-field crisis - a few months prior to the takeover by Jon Flatman and resurgence on and off the field.

"Obviously there’s been a lot of changes since I was last here but the fans have been really welcoming and seem to be happy to have me back."

Asked if the move was tinged with a little disappointment that his stay in Super League was cut short, he said: “It’s one of those things. I’m not disappointed. I’m excited to be able to be in a position to play again.

“I haven’t really thought too far ahead. I just want to see how this year goes and hopefully get back to playing to a decent standard, and helping York to progress as a club.”

Brining made his York debut as a 17-year-old against Widnes in April 2011 and became a regular towards the end of 2012 while still only 18.

The Knights were in the Championship back then, before being relegated in 2013. After five seasons in League One they return to the second tier again this year under head coach James Ford, beginning with the "Transatlantic Tussle" against moneybags Canadian outfit Toronto Wolfpack at Bootham Crescent on February 3.

Asked about York’s hopes of consolidating in the second tier this year, Brining said: “I haven’t been training with the lads yet but they’ve kept the bulk of the players from last year and their success in 2018 speaks for itself.

“The quality is there and we will be looking to take it to another level. The players have definitely got it in them and I will do my best to help us be where we want to be.”

Brining's 45 tries in 45 appearances in 2015 and 2016 helped Ford’s underdogs reach the League One play-offs both times, prior to his switch to Salford.

On his aims for this year, he said: “I just want to play as many games as I can and help the team as best I can.”

Having spent 2018 in the treatment room, Brining, helped by expert treatment by medics in Cheadle, returned to full training with Salford before his contract expired and passed medicals with York before penning terms back home.

He conceded "the injury was frustrating and not knowing if I was going to be staying at Salford was frustrating". But he countered: "I consider myself lucky to have been able to recover from such a serious injury in a professional environment. I’ve just been patient.

“I went back to training for a week at Salford before my contract ran out to see how everything felt and I felt good. I got the all-clear from some really good doctors.”

On his time in Greater Manchester, Brining, who notched five tries in 24 appearances in 2017, said: “It was a bit of a contrast between the first year and the second.

“The first year I loved it. I have some great memories, especially when we were winning for a long period until we picked up a few injuries and started to struggle. It was one of the more successful seasons they’d had in recent years and I was privileged to be part of it.”