YORK City Knights have rubbished suggestions that head coach James Ratcliffe was set for the chop this week.

Instead, they hope to bolster his playing options with a number of recruitments – starting with an extended, permanent deal for in-form hooker Jack Lee.

Rumours have abounded that Ratcliffe’s ten-month tenure as head coach was in jeopardy after a poor run of results saw his side tumble to seventh in Co-operative Championship One, and potentially even out of the play-off zone should Swinton win their two games in hand.

There was even talk that defeat at Rochdale on Sunday – the Knights lost 44-34 – would signal the 40-year-old’s departure and the end of his two-and-half-year spell at the club.

However, Ratcliffe has since backed himself to turn around the club’s fortunes – starting with a cull of players not doing the business – and Knights general manager Ian Wilson has also now told The Press there were no moves afoot to axe him.

“As far as we’re concerned, James Ratcliffe is still head coach,” said Wilson.

“Obviously performances on the field have been inconsistent and we will be looking for big improvements – but so is James.”

Rumours surrounding Ratcliffe’s position began when Australian Dave Woods – who took both Castleford and minnows Gateshead to promotion to Super League and the Championship respectively in his two previous coaching roles in England – joined the club as director of rugby a month and a half ago.

Woods, though, has said the coaching partnership was “working okay” and Ratcliffe yesterday told The Press he was “positive” that what he was doing was right.

The Knights, meanwhile, were today hoping to sign Lee on for the rest of the season and potentially for 2011.

The hooker arrived on loan from Featherstone on Woods’ advice a month ago and has been a standout player in the four games he has played.

The initial agreement was to keep him here until the end of May but the club are now close to making the move permanent and hope to tie him down for next season too.