YORK Rugby Union Football Club's newly appointed coach Andy Gair takes charge of his first training session at Clifton Park tomorrow.

A former Newcastle Gosforth player, Harrogate-based Gair is a fully qualified rugby union coach with a number of years successful coaching experience. After early retirement from playing through injury he coached Newcastle team Novocastrians to promotion in successive seasons, and in 1999 coached Wallsend to promotion. He has held a number of coaching positions with Northumberland RFU.

York chairman, David Pearson said: "In this first season of the millennium the club's objective is to re-establish York RUFC as one of the leading teams in the north-east.

"The appointment of a coach with a proven track record was the first step: in Andy Gair we believe we have achieved that. We are looking forward to the first season of the newly created League Division Two North (East) with the confidence that with the commitment of the players, Andy and his coaching team will build a winning team that York's loyal supporters can be proud of."

He added "Training is the key to this and we hope to see all players established and new at training every Tuesday and Thursday at Clifton Park at 7pm."