MARK APPLEGARTH flaunted his admiration for Joe Brown, who signed a two-year contract extension on Monday.

Brown will remain a York Knights player for the next two years after agreeing a contract extension in North Yorkshire, news which pleased Head Coach Applegarth.

The York boss confessed that he had admired Brown from afar for ‘many years’, and that he was delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with the key Knights man.

Applegarth enthused: “Browny is a player that I have admired for a good five years, I first cast my eyes on him at Wigan at full-back.

“He’s a player that I have admired from afar for many years, so to actually coach him has just reaffirmed what I thought.

“He’s a real good person, I’m really pleased that he has committed to this new contract and I am genuinely really pleased to be working with him.”

Applegarth would go on to laud the efforts of York RLFC chairman Clint Goodchild, who orchestrated the move.

The Knights Head Coach was therefore allowed to focus on his coaching responsibilities, something he is grateful for.

The Knights boss continued by stating: “It’s been great that I can focus on the coaching side of it, there’s obviously Clint and the team behind-the-scenes that I can have those conversations with, so that I don’t have to worry about all of that stuff that comes with it.

“I can focus on the most important thing for me, which is coaching, so that we can be as best prepared for whoever we play on the weekend.”