Columnist

So, how much does a team change over the course of five years?

It’s hard to say because sometimes a new coach can arrive at a club and make immediate wholesale changes in personnel. Others bide their time before wielding the axe.

The question was prompted by the presence in the York squad versus Halifax this week of Connor Robinson, Ben Johnston and Will Sharp.

Robinson came to the Shay on loan from Hull KR in the summer of 2015.

Up until the Summer Bash at the end of May Richard Marshall was basically working with a squad assembled by the predecessor Karl Harrison with the only addition being hooker Ryan Maneely.

Whether or not injuries and suspensions began to bite or he began to suspect that the team needed strengthening is unknown but in came temporary signings such as Robinson, Ed Barber from Swinton, Jake Eccleston from Warrington, Tyler Dickinson and Mikey

Wood from Huddersfield, Luke Menzies, Jordan Cox and Clement Boyer from Toulouse.

Results certainly picked up after defeat to Bradford at Blackpool with a win at Workington (32-6) and an impressive 44-20 success at Featherstone.

Widnes recalled Danny Craven from his loan spell at the Shay and Maneely was injured which made signing a pivot imperative.

Robinson’s debut after arriving on loan from Hull KR was a Friday night game at Hunslet on 12th June

2015 in which Fax narrowly squeaked home 14-8.

Marshall’s side that evening was James Saltonstall, Gareth Potts, Eccleston, Steve Tyrer, Tommy Saxton, Scott Murrell, Johnston, Adam Tangata, Ben Kaye, Mitch Cahalane, Ross Divorty, Dane Manning and Richard Moore.

The substitutes were Andy Bracek, Barber, Dickinson and Robinson.