Club Statement: Club Ownership

York RLFC can confirm that a new, locally based ownership group has reached an agreement to acquire majority shares in the club.

The transfer of ownership is currently progressing through the official channels and is subject to formal approval from the Rugby Football League (RFL).

The group is headed by David Dickson and his family with Richard Larking remaining on the board as a Director.

The club would like to put on record their appreciation and thanks to Clint Goodchild for his time as custodian of the club. His vision, ambition and drive saw the club progress during his tenure at an incredible pace.

Following a successful re-brand of the club, unprecedented on field success followed with York Valkyrie securing back-to-back Betfred Women's Super League titles and York Knights not only winning the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup at Wembley, but also gaining promotion to the Betfred Super League in 2026 for the very first time in their history.

The rapid growth and recent successes of the club has brought immense pride to the city, with the incoming ownership group being fully committed to enhancing the club’s future, building on these strong foundations, and unlocking York Knights' true potential.

Over the coming weeks the club will outline their strategic plans and vision as the 2026 season reaches its climax and preparations for 2027 begin.

Current general manager, Neil Gulliver will take the role of Chief Executive. As a part of this transition, Clint Goodchild has stepped down as Chairman and CEO.

Daily operations, player welfare, and match day preparations across both the Knights and the Valkyrie remain entirely unaffected.

On the transfer of ownership Clint Goodchild said: “I brought ambition. I leave with enough friendships and memories to last a lifetime.

"On arrival I knew York was a proud rugby league city, but I didn’t know then how much this place, this club and its people would come to mean to me.

"To the players who sacrifice their bodies. The coaches who demand more. The staff who care far beyond their job descriptions. The volunteers who give their time. The sponsors and partners who believe. And the supporters who keep turning up. Thank you for believing. Together we made history.

“The club is in safe hands and has a very bright future. The club is lucky to have such a wonderful Yorkshire family involved and I am excited for this next York RLFC chapter.”

The unwavering support of our partners, loyal fans, and the wider York community remains the lifeblood of this club. We look forward to engaging with you closely as we begin this exciting new chapter together.

#OurEra | #ThisIsYork ⚔