Former York captain joins Oldham promotion push

Former York captain Ed Smith is hoping to rekindle his career at Oldham, two years after suffering a serious knee injury.

Smith, 26, played nearly 130 games for the City Knights and has agreed a deal to join the League 1 promotion chasers until the end of the year, with a view to a longer deal.

He said: “I’ve been out of the game a long time and life hasn’t been the same since. I can’t wait to get back.

“Oldham have been very good to me. I’ve been there for several months and a few weeks ago I moved on from rehab and physio and started training flat out with the squad.

“I’ve come through well, I feel fine and I can’t wait to start playing again.”

The back-rower had a knee reconstruction but then broke down and needed a second operation, which put his career in jeopardy.

His day-job in banking took him from York to Manchester, and Oldham showed an interest and offered to help him with rehab and physio.

Coach Scott Naylor said: “He had his second operation last November and he’s been with us since January. He’s worked extremely hard and he’s now available to play.

“We’ve five crucial league games left and then the play-offs in all probability, so the timing of his all-clear is absolutely perfect for us.

“He’s a good player, very experienced, and he’s played at a good level. The next step for him is to regain his confidence and get back into the routine of training and playing, but he’s determined he’s going to do it.”