CHRIS THORMAN says he would love to start the season all over again after his York City Knights side were hit with another major blow for the run-in.

The Knights, second bottom of the Championship with only one win, could now be without captain James Ford for the last five games of term after the skipper’s ankle injury in Sunday’s defeat at Keighley.

‘X’-rays confirmed the 29-year-old did not break any bones but the fear now is that there is ligament damage which could take more than two months to heal.

“It’s a huge blow. He’s been very good for us on and off the pitch,” said player-boss Thorman. “He’s my captain and he does a lot of good things. The physio says to let the swelling go down and we’ll have a better idea then. There’s no break but ligament damage could be just as bad.”

Thorman, who heads for a new job with Huddersfield Giants at the end of this term, said it was another whammy in a campaign blighted by availability problems, not least those caused by the dual-registration system whereby players come to Huntington Stadium but are recalled by their parent clubs at short notice.

Additionally, Jordan Tansey, a marquee signing at the start of term, albeit without living up to the hype, will almost certainly not turn out for the club again due to his knee problem and an end-of-season return to Super League with Castleford.