EVER since 2017, York City Knights have won huge plaudits for their rise on and off the field and, following an under-par 2021, a history-making 2022 put the club firmly back on course.

Having dropped from third in 2019 to ninth last year, York returned to the play-offs via a sixth-placed finish.

Such a standing in and of itself is an achievement worthy of great praise, particularly given the 12-point margin established over their nearest top six contenders, Sheffield Eagles and Widnes Vikings.

An incredible first half of the season meant that a top-six spot was never in any doubt and left one season-defining question: could York produce their best for the play-offs?

The regular term closed out with just five wins from their last 11 contests, a run which contained the 100-4 embarrassment at Leigh Centurions.

Combine that sluggish form with a piling injury list and the season looked set to end with a whimper.

No-one could have expected what would follow.

Third-placed Halifax Panthers lived up to their pre-season hype and the Knights headed to The Shay to face a side on a staggering run of 19 victories from their past 22.

Somehow, a 17 containing four teenagers, without six regular starters and featuring back-rower Chris Clarkson at half-back for the majority of the contest managed to pull off a shock 26-24 victory.

A halfway-line goal from the year’s one ever-present James Glover secured a first Championship play-off win in the club’s 20-year history since reformation as the Knights. As a stand-alone result, it is arguably the greatest of the past two decades.

In the end, a trip to the Leigh Sports Village would prove a step too far for York (and every other Championship club).

Leigh, with their £1.6m budget to York’s believed £350,000, ran out as 70-10 winners, a week before beating Batley Bulldogs 44-12 to win promotion in the Championship Grand Final.

That the season was ended only by big-spending Leigh, one of the best Championship sides ever seen, is a further indication of the progress being made by York.

Such strides, it should not be forgotten, were begun by Ford and former chairman Jon Flatman five years ago and perhaps 2022's biggest story came before competitive action even began.

In January, Australian businessman Clint Goodchild purchased the club from Flatman, beginning a new era off the field.

There was significant change on the pitch too as 14 players arrived and 14 departed in a transitional off-season following the disappointment of 2021.

The headline signing was of Salford Red Devils' powerhouse forward Pauli Pauli, who quickly became a fans favourite.

Liam Harris and Jamie Ellis returned, adding some much-needed greater depth at half-back alongside Brendan O’Hagan.

The new group faced a daunting start as pre-season promotion favourites Featherstone and Leigh awaited in the opening four rounds, York losing both 30-12 and 40-4 respectively.

The Knights responded from the latter by beating London Broncos 26-24, their first league win at the capital club since 1994.

That followed a first win at Batley in 22 years as York prevailed 10-4 in a mud bath at Mount Pleasant, a result made even more impressive by the Bulldogs’ end-of-season accomplishments.

The Knights were however dumped out of the Betfred Challenge Cup 38-12 at Whitehaven, missing out on a lucrative home tie against St Helens in the process.

Ford later explained that the league form was his priority and league form was certainly delivered as his side won six on the bounce.

By margin of victory, the peak of that sequence came in April’s 38-6 win over Newcastle Thunder, in which Will Jubb racked up his 100th York appearance.

Jubb enjoyed an outstanding 2022 and stood up to the plate following the departures of fellow hookers Kriss Brining and Sam Davis over the next couple of months, the former, another club centurion, retiring and the latter returning to London on loan.

The Newcastle victory also saw a first league start of the season for then-18-year-old AJ Towse. Amid injuries to Will Oakes, Towse scored eight tries from 18 appearances in a breakthrough year which ended with a Championship young player of the year nomination.

In May, the Knights delivered arguably their best display of the regular season, battling through 20 minutes of all-out goal-line defence in the second half to overcome eventual fourth-placed Barrow Raiders 30-18 at Craven Park.

At the end of May, then third-placed York were given a reality check as to their ambitions for a best-of-the-rest finish behind Leigh and Fev.

Leading 24-22 at home to Halifax, the Panthers reeled off three unanswered tries to run out as 40-24 winners.

York won four of four in June but needed late tries to edge past bottom-half sides London and Widnes, 36-34 and 16-14 respectively.

The month finished with a 40-16 triumph at Whitehaven, the club’s first win at the Recreation Ground in 30 years. That left the Knights third after 16 rounds, during which time they had lost just thrice.

Six defeats from their next eight however seemed to leave ambitions in the play-offs in tatters.

Successive defeats to Barrow (24-16), Halifax (36-10), Batley (32-16) and Featherstone (30-22) saw York drop to sixth and most worryingly look a level short of their top six rivals.

Much worse was still to come. Leigh humiliated York in a 100-4 club record defeat that Ford labelled as an “utter disgrace”.

The Knights recovered to win their final three regular season matches, finishing with a 74-12 thrashing of relegated Workington Town.

Not even a season-best win though could prepare supporters for what would follow at The Shay though and the jubilant moment ex-Fax man and the season’s top try-scorer Harris kicked the ball into the South Stand as the final hooter sounded, securing an historic and season-defining victory.