A new frontline officer is reporting for duty with York Rugby League Club.

Retired Army warrant officer Mick Scaife is fulfilling his post-forces ambition to make a new career in sports club administration.

And the York-born 48-year-old is taking his first steps towards that goal as general manager of the Huntington Stadium outfit.

After a series of short-stay club officials, the most recent being club secretary Sue McNichol, Scaife told the Evening Press he was eager to help the club fulfil their long-term aims.

"I have waited four years for this opportunity and it is a long-term job for me. As long as the club is here, I will be here with it," said Scaife.

"I am here to tighten up the administration side of things. But I think there is a lot I can contribute with local contacts, whatever I can do to build the club up in the local area.

"We desperately need more people to come on Sundays. The great thing is now they have got a successful team and are playing well on the field. I see it as my job to get that message out to people."

Scaife, who is married with sons aged 19 and 23, left the army in 1994 after serving 22 years, having reached the rank of warrant officer class one. The last five years of his career were spent working in the operational requirements department at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall.

On emerging from the armed forces, Scaife set about gaining a foothold in sports administration.

An "excellent" five day detachment to observe the work of York City Football Club secretary Keith Usher whetted his appetite.

"I came out raring to go but I could not get a job in that area. I tried various things, applying for everything but nothing came at that time," he said.

"I retrained in employment law and set up my own business, which I have been doing for the last four years, self-employed from home.

I have also done security management work for Harewood House, near Leeds, and Yorkshire Television on the set of Emmerdale."

However, Scaife, now living at Topcliffe, near Thirsk, learned of an opening at York Rugby League Club through the pages of the Evening Press and a report that Sue McNichol was leaving.

He said: "I saw Sue had resigned and it looked like a window of opportunity. The job is all encompassing, everything involved in the running of the club now comes under my remit.

"I think it is important to get the administration right, getting replies and returns to the Rugby Football League on time, etc.

"I plan to be in the office each day, available from 9am to 5pm, staying one night a week when the players are here, and also match days."

A rugby league supporter, Scaife, born in Tang Hall, comes from good York sporting stock.

His father, George, was an amateur rugby league referee and a founder member and secretary of the York and District Cricket Umpires' Association.

Schooled at Tang Hall Juniors and Burnholme Secondary Modern, Scaife played soccer for the York City Boys and captained the City Boys cricket side.

At Burnholme he played rugby league, soccer and cricket. After leaving school in 1965 and heading into employment with British Railways, he also had a spell in the Railway Institute sides.

Later that year Mick joined the army and began to build up a wealth of administration experience, which he is now hoping to use to the benefit of the Wasps.

Chief executive Phil Elliott said Scaife's appointment indicated the club's desire to get their house in order for next season, when they hope to be in the First Division.

"We have been woeful in our behind the scenes activities, not to say that individuals have not been doing a good job, but we have been very poorly organised," he said.

"Mick should bring some day to day business acumen to the club in the role of general manager.

"He is very keen and he has been an administrator at senior level for 25 years. The business people in the club have got their businesses to run and we have relied on admin people.

"I would suggest he will be one of our best signings of the year."

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