FORMER York Knights half-back Jamie Ellis has announced his retirement from rugby aged 35.

Ellis, who helped Oldham clinch the League One title last season, racked up 247 appearances across his career, scoring 85 tries and 498 goals.

He turned out for six Super League teams – Castleford, Huddersfield, Leigh, Hull FC, St Helens and Hull KR – alongside two spells with the Knights from 2021 to 2022.

The half-back made 19 appearances for James Ford’s side, scoring three tries and 40 goals as they claimed their first-ever Championship play-off win against Halifax Panthers in 2022.

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Ellis announced his retirement on Instagram, writing: “Today I am calling time on my rugby career.

“For the past 15 years I am proud to say I have lived out my childhood dream.

“Ever since I started playing rugby at 7 years old all I wanted to do was be a rugby player. I wouldn’t have been able to do this if it wasn’t for my mum and dad taking me up and down the country. All the late nights and early mornings, nothing would have been possible without them two and they have always been my number one supporters!

“All I wanted to do was to make them and my family proud, especially my grandad Tommy who would travel all over with my dad! Since my kids came along, everything I did was for them, and nothing made me prouder than to see their faces in the stand and I am so grateful that I got to walk out with them!

“Gutted my wife only caught a snippet of my career, but again grateful she got to see me play.”

Ellis scored three tries and 40 goals for the Knights. (Image: SWpix.com) The 35-year-old began his career with hometown club St Helens before moving to Leigh, where he won the Championship Player of the Year award in 2011.

He then returned to the top-flight with Hull FC, but it was at Castleford where he made his mark as a part of the side that reached the 2014 Challenge Cup final – their first since 1992.

Ellis joined Huddersfield Giants the following year, where he spent three seasons. The last saw him loaned out to Hull KR, where he was a part of the Robins’ Championship promotion-winning side.

After second spells at Castleford, Hull KR and Leigh, and two appearances for the Knights, he made the permanent move to North Yorkshire ahead of the 2022 season.

But, after injuring himself during the aforementioned play-off win against Halifax, he saw opportunities limited under new head coach Andrew Henderson and instead had a short loan spell with Swinton Lions before joining Oldham.

He went on to make 16 appearances for the Roughyeds, the last of which came in a 72-0 thrashing of Cornwall in August.

“I will be forever proud to have played in a Challenge Cup final at Wembley, travelling to Australia with St Helens and England Academy, getting promoted with Hull KR, winning the Northern Rail Cup final with Leigh and just having some of the best times of my life and memories playing rugby,” Ellis continued.

“Just want to say a massive thank you to everybody I met in rugby league – all the teams (can’t mention them all, there’s too many), players, staff and fans… I really have made some friends for life and got some of the best memories that I will remember forever!

“Looking forward to the next chapter of my life and spending everyday with my beautiful wife and kids and hopefully I can guide my babies towards their own dreams in the future! Signing out.”