RYAN ESDERS turned down some of the leading clubs in the Championship to instead return to York City Knights – and he wants his new club to join them in the division’s upper echelons.

The back-row enforcer is to sign a new permanent contract at Huntington Stadium on Monday, following a successful stint on loan from Harlequins at the end of this season, which ended with the Knights winning the Champion-ship One play-offs.

Championship Grand Finalists Halifax and Featherstone both made offers to whisk him away, as did the Knights’ arch-rivals Hunslet, who won the Championship One title, but he instead chose to continue his career at York.

There will be a clause in his contract allowing him to go back to Super League should that chance arise, but he said he was otherwise happy to be at the club that first plucked him from the amateur game – with the quality of coaching one of the reasons behind the decision.

“Obviously I’d like to get back to Super League, but I’m signing for York and I’m happy to do that,” said the Hullensian.

“I could have gone to a handful of other Championship clubs but York is only 40 minutes up the road and I’ve been happy there.

“The coaching from Dave Woods is no different to what you get in Super League with the way he explains things and wants you to do things.

“He’s done well himself – he’s won three promotions including getting Castleford promoted to Super League. That’s one of the reasons I’m signing.”

Esders admitted he probably would not be signing at York had they not won the play-offs. But now they are in the higher tier, he wants them not only to achieve the first goal of consolidation in that division but also to push higher.

“I want to play at the highest level I can so without that promotion I might not have stayed,” he said.

“They’ve only just gone up but I think they will be a decent side in that division, especially with Dave Woods there. He will bring some good players in and provide good coaching.

“I now just want to make my contributions to the team. I think we can stay up, but I don’t just want to stay up – I want to be pushing for the play-offs.”

The 23-year-old – he turns 24 next week – starred for the Knights in 2007 and 2008 after being signed from National Conference amateurs Hull Dockers.

He then moved to Super League, having one season at Hull KR and spending the last two at Harlequins, where he made 20 Super League appearances. He was loaned out to York at the end of July when it became apparent Quins would not reach the play-offs and was released by the Londoners at the end of the season.

The return to part-time rugby might be a culture shock, but Esders was ready for it.

He added: “It (the time in Super League) has brought me on a lot as a player, with my ability and with knowing more about the game.

“The full-time environment is totally different and it might be difficult to go back to being part-time, but it’s something I’ve got to do, and, if I play well, you don’t know what’s around the corner.”