David Boyd, who began his career with Chatham Cundle in the Taree and District Junior League, was one of the club’s major signings when Newcastle joined the then-Winfield Cup in 1988.

Boyd, an Australian Schoolboy representative from Chatham High, was a member of Canterbury’s 1986 grand final side.

Front rower Brett Shore, like Boyd, a Chatham Cundle junior, was also at the Knights in the club’s formative years.

One of the club and code’s greatest players, hooker Danny Buderus, is a Taree junior who moved to the Knights in 1995 while still at school.

Wingham’s Matt Bartlett played minor grades with Newcastle before switching to Melbourne and North Queensland.

Mitch Steel, also from Wingham, was in the Newcastle system.

Five-eighth Jarrod Mullen played junior football with Taree Panthers and has strong family connections with the Manning.

There are three Group Three products currently in the Knights’ junior system.

Old Bar’s Kurtis Dark and Matt Croker, who captained Taree City’s premiership winning under 18 side last season and 2016 NSW Combined High School under 15 representative, Harry Croker.

Now organisers of the Our Knights One Chance are looking to support from regional areas, including the Manning and Great Lakes.

The group has announced a business model that would involve selling up to 40,000 shares at $500 apiece to raise between $15 and $20 million in capital, the Newcastle Herald reports.

If that’s achieved they’ll ask the NRL to hand control to a board of directors elected by shareholders.

Our Knights group spokesman Mike Rabbit told the Herald the catchment would need to extend ‘further afield, beyond the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Hunter region.’

“We need to get a gauge from places like Taree, Coffs Harbour, Tamworth and the Central Coast,’’ he said.

“Those towns are all in our area, in close proximity and we’re hopeful we can draw support.’’