
York City Knights have announced that the club has a new-look Board of Directors that is designed to enable the club to realise its ambitions in 2015 and beyond.
Four new directors have joined the board to work alongside Chairman John Guildford.
The new directors are local lawyer Stephen Knowles, Dave Baldwin, the managing director of a York-based furniture company, Neil Jennings, the managing director of Centurion Rugby and Gary Dickenson, the chief executive of a cosmetic dentistry company.
The directors met as a board for the first time on Wednesday evening, when they also unanimously agreed to a Deed of Undertaking which limits the power of any one individual at the club to appoint or remove a director.
The directors now hope that they will be able to re-open a dialogue with York Council about the club’s involvement in the proposed new community stadium.
To facilitate progress on that front, Mr Guildford has agreed to step back and a new negotiating team has been appointed.
John Guildford said: “This is a fantastic development for both the club and Rugby League in York and it gives me great pleasure to welcome Stephen, Dave, Neil and Gary to the Board.
“They are all successful businessmen and, just as importantly, they are people that care about York; their presence on the board will be invaluable in the months and years to come as we strive to make York City Knights a club the whole city can be proud of.
“I would also like to place on record my thanks to the RFL for the important role they have played in making this exciting move happen.”
RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer said: “We have spoken with all parties over the last ten days, and throughout it has been clear that everyone involved has the interests of York City Knights and York at heart.
“I attended the meeting on Wednesday night and was hugely impressed by the level of commitment shown by both John and also the new board members.
“The importance of the next steps for the club and the stadium are not lost on anyone with whom I have spoken, and this sense of urgency has been demonstrated by the pace at which all involved have worked.”