DARREN CALLAGHAN fears the big freeze will mean his York Select XIII will not be able to have a meaningful training session in preparation for the annual clash with York City Knights (match postponed).

However, he remains optimistic they can show enough spirit on the day to give the city’s professional club another run for their money – and even perhaps retain the Lee McTigue Memorial Trophy they won 12 months ago.

The Select side is made up of players from the area’s amateur clubs, but the take-up so far this year has been surprisingly low – not helped by the awful weather and the fact the match was scheduled for a Christmas Bank Holiday often reserved for families or socialising.

It has been rearranged to Bank Holiday Monday, January 3, which might mean more players put themselves forward.

Nevertheless, only six turned up for one get-together and Callaghan, himself a former Knights favourite, had only 17 definites in his squad at the last count – meaning he might have to come out of retirement himself at the age of 34, five years after hanging up his pro boots and returning to amateur club York Acorn.

He was the Select side’s player-coach last year as they won 16-6 but has not played for Acorn this season. Callaghan said: “We’ve not had good preparation and there’s not much chance of getting together, with it being Christmas and due to the weather.

“It’s not been easy to get a team together and the amateur lads haven’t played for four or five weeks anyway because of the weather, so we’ll just have to see how we go.

“We’ll try our best and try to entertain the crowd and see if we can come up with another shock.”

Callaghan – whose plans have not been helped by the possible withdrawal of top amateurs Andy Gargan and Danny Caldwell, while another Acorn lad, Nick Caldwell, is serving a ban – admitted to being surprised more players were not itching for a call-up, especially as the game is in memory of former local amateur ace and one-time Knights player McTigue.

The forthcoming encounter will be the fifth time the challenge match has taken place and the fourth time in memory of McTigue, who died of cancer in 2007, aged 29.

The trophy was shared in January 2008 after a 22-22 draw, while two late tries saw the Knights win 22-20 in 2009. The Select side gained revenge last January.

The first clash between the sides, in 2007, for local favourite Mark Cain’s testimonial, saw the Knights beat Cain’s ‘All Stars’ 38-32.

“I always liked to play in these games to see if I could still do it against the young lads coming up.

“It’s also for a great cause – raising money for charity in Lee’s memory.”

McTigue died in December 2007, and the challenge match the following month saw profits go to McTigue’s family. The contest has had a charitable theme ever since, with the Knights Foundation and St Leonard’s Hospice being this year’s recipients.

The Select side will again be led out by Lee’s brother, Martin McTigue. Former Acorn player Dan Liddell is also pencilled in to play, having returned home for Christmas from Dubai.

York Select XIII squad: from Leigh Rientoul, Jon Liddell, Tim Elliott, Martin McTigue, Mike Embleton, Andy Gargan, Danny Caldwell, Steve Mackley, Adam Endersby (all York Acorn), Dan Bent, Max Bracken, Joe Hemmings, Dan Atkinson, Danny Wright, Brian Wright, Joe Stearman (all New Earswick), Ben Potter, Chris Varley (both Heworth), Dan Liddell.