YORK City Knights have signed up some of the hottest young property in the York amateur game as they look to build a competitive Academy team, writes Peter Martini.

The club today announced they have recruited 12 more players for their new Under-21s team, all but one of them being teenagers and playing for local amateur clubs.

York Acorn ARLC provide five of the new players, with New Earswick All Blacks supplying three, Heworth two and York Groves one.

The 12th player, 20-year-old Stephen Grundy, was plucked from the York Tigers university club.

Those from Acorn are utility back Matthew Embleton, 19, and 18-year-olds Tim Elliott, a half-back, forward Daryl North, who has turned down Hull to join York, loose-forward Tom Hill and utility player Chris Varley, who has recently rejoined the Thanet Road club from Heworth. Embleton, Elliott and Hill are first-team players in Acorn's National Conference side.

Acorn and Yorkshire Amateurs coach Alfie Hill - Tom Hill's dad - said if the players worked hard they had the opportunity to make the grade. But he warned it would be tough in the U21s.

"U21s is a strong level, it's not like U18s," he said. "It's a big step up to play against lads who have been in Academies for a couple of years. But I hope they do well."

The trio from All Blacks are half-back Liam Gargan, 18, prop Jack Stearman and hooker Tom Hodgson, both 17.

All three have been playing in the first team in the Pennine League, the latter having rejoined All Blacks from Heworth, and joint-coach Simon Baynes said they all had good attitudes.

"They're all good trainers and good listeners, and having that right attitude is important if you're going to make it in the pro' game," he said.

The two from Heworth - who follow club-mate Liam Watling in signing for the Academy - are half-back Leigh Rientoul and utility forward Sean Coulson.

Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes reckoned they had the ability to make it. "It's an opportunity for them, certainly," he said. "They've come a long way in pretty short time and they're both keen lads and good learners."

York Groves centre Chris Corr, who this year represented BARLA Yorkshire U18s alongside Hodgson, Watling and Hill, makes up the dozen new recruits.

All together - when added to Watling, Nathan Priestley and Tom Dunmore, whose enrolment has previously been announced by the club - it means the Knights now have 15 players signed up for their U21s as they look to build a 20-strong squad.

The Academy season starts in April and clubs are allowed to play up to eight open age players in each match.

Updated: 11:23 Friday, January 13, 2006