YORK City Knights are disregarding rumours that former Great Britain star Barrie McDermott could be on his way to Huntington Stadium.

The Knights are set to strengthen the squad in the aftermath of their promotion to LHF National League One and, as such, talk has surfaced that the soon-to-be-crowned NL2 champions could make a bold bid for the experienced Leeds prop.

However, the Rhinos hero has gone on record saying he is to hang up his boots at the end of this season and join the backroom staff at Headingley. And Knights' acting chief executive, John Guildford, today told the Evening Press: "It would be nice to think he was (coming to York) but it's news to me.

"From what I've read in the papers, he's retiring and is doing development work at Leeds."

McDermott is in his final year at Headingley and has previously stated the only club he would finish his career at other than Leeds would be NL1 outfit Oldham, his home-town side.

The Knights, however, might be an enticing option given their recent success and ongoing partnership with the Rhinos. McDermott has signed up to work with Leeds' development schemes but, given the link between the clubs, there may be a possibility that he could continue his playing career with York.

The 33-year-old's hopes of ending his Super League career with a Challenge Cup triumph ended in anguish on Saturday as he was controversially left out of the Rhinos' 17 to face Hull as boss Tony Smith opted to play Keith Senior, despite the centre's ankle injury the previous week.

Leeds went on to lose the final 25-24 as Hull's former Knights star, Danny Brough, booted a decisive drop goal and the match-winning conversion in the dying minutes.

McDermott is the only survivor from the Rhinos' last Cup-winning team of 1999 and is one of five players either bowing out or moving on from Headingley in two months' time.

Meanwhile, Knights fans are urged to email in your votes for the Knights' Player of the Month for August.

This will be the last such award this season, with the winning player being presented ahead of the final home game of the season against Workington this Sunday, ko 3pm.

Everyone who sends in a vote will go into a hat to win two VIP tickets to the game plus the chance to make the pitch-side presentation. The deadline for votes is noon on Thursday. Email them to peter.martini@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 10:52 Wednesday, August 31, 2005