THERE will be some familiar old faces back at Huntington Stadium tomorrow – as players from down the years gather back at their former stomping ground.
Moreover, there will also be some from the Clarence Street days, not least one of the greats of rugby league.
York City Knights have invited all players who played professionally for York Rugby League – in all the club’s various guises – to tomorrow’s game, offering free entry and a pre-match meal.
The take-up hasn’t been that huge, with generally local chaps on a list of about 30 who have signed up for the gig. But apparently among them is a certain Mick Sullivan, now 78, who previously held the record for most Great Britain/England caps, with 49 (46 for GB), later matched by Garry Schofield and overtaken by Adrian Morley. The last of Sullivan’s international appearances, in 1963, came during a 44-match spell with York, in which he scored 12 tries.
Thirty-odd is also a decent enough number considering the message only got out generally by word of mouth, notwithstanding the help from John Duck, of the ex-players’ association.
The club are now set to take contact details of players and hopefully make it an event that will grow over time.
Former Knights favourites who will be down include Mark Cain, Darren Callaghan and Craig Forsyth, along with some lads from the days of York Wasps, Ryedale- York and plain old York, including, among others, Alan Pallister, ahead of his imminent move to Australia, Chris Judge, Chris Hopcutt, Danny Sheehan, Steve Pryce, Frank Fowler, Graham Sullivan, Colin Forsyth, Craig’s dad, and the aforementioned Mick Sullivan, pictured in York action in 1963.
More may turn up on the day, too, for a bit of a get-together – and hopefully to shout the current crop of York players on to victory.
Said Knights general manager Ian Wilson: “It’s something we’d like to try every season if we can. It was just an idea we had to invite them all back – it’s always nice to see ex-players around the club.
“It’s a case of the more the merrier and hopefully it’s something we can build on and do every year and possibly again this season if it’s popular.
“It’s a decent number to start with, especially when much of it was done by word of mouth, plus with the help of John Duck, who we have to thank. Next time we can hopefully send out more personal invites.
“With a bit of luck, we can get our first win of the league season while they’re here.”
RUMOUR has it that York rock icon Rick Witter might be taking in a game soon as well.
Witter, frontman of former charttoppers Shed Seven, doesn’t necessarily class himself a huge follower of rugby league and he doesn’t really know much about football either being a Man United supporter (sorry, Rick, but I had to get that one in). But he does follow York City – and indeed recently played in the York City XI v Emmerdale XI charity match – and he does take an interest in York’s sporting scene.
He’s been invited down by the Knights’ commercial director Ross Potter, formerly of Bootham Crescent, as a guest of the club.
Cue pun: Hopefully he’ll see that things are...wait for it... Getting Better on the pitch for the Knights.
I thank you.
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