AS THE curtain is brought down on another season, encores are richly deserved.

The players, staff and fans of York City Football Club should lap up the acclaim and take a bow, for the fact the club is still alive and kicking is a feat in itself.

History and its damned statistics - most notably the final Division Three table - will suggest City's 2001-2002 campaign was nothing special.

Indeed, it could quite easily be claimed this season was all too similar to previous crusades.

An indifferent start, a free-fall down the table, a morale-boosting FA Cup run, relegation casting its dark shadow before an end of season upturn in form and fortune generates renewed hope and optimism. It does sound eerily similar.

But sometimes statistics are just not enough.

They might provide the analytical data which divides the special from the also-ran but they can never convey the full spectacle.

They certainly cannot do justice to the most tumultuous season in the club's history, when not only was the abyss of Conference football looking a possibility but oblivion for the club too.

Indeed, had the Save City campaign not proved so successful, had the fans not responded so magnificently - the night of the Trust launch in February will live long in the memory - had John Batchelor not clambered aboard his white steed then this article would not be so much a review of the season but an obituary.

Caution and doubts remain in some quarters over Batchelor but while his plans, dreams and aspirations will take time to become reality at least there is hope, optimism and excitement now where previously there was none.

And while the City chief may be the saviour could he not also be the Messiah?

Prior to Batchelor's take-over in mid-March, City had accrued just 38 points from 35 games.

Since then, the Minstermen boast a record of 19 from 11 - and that's promotion form.

True enough, City's end of season flourish could be treated with cynicism given that we've seen it all before.

And end of season matches with little at stake can often be as combative as changing of the guard. The bayonets may gleam, the boots may shine but any blood spilt is purely accidental.

However, there is little doubt the standard of football has shown a marked improvement on the previous two years, when it was more often than not of the lump it and like it variety.

It may not have always flowed freely, but at least the intention to have the ball zig-zagging the turf rather than orbiting the skies above Bootham Crescent was there.

The FA Cup run and the dispatching of Colchester, Reading and then Grimsby, the game and performance of the season, before a gallant brush with the big-time and money-bags Fulham merely showed the capabilities.

Furthermore, whereas in previous seasons' run-ins City have scrapped and scratched for the stalest of stalemates or bitty 1-0 wins, this time around the goals have flowed and wins, not draws, have largely been the end result. Next season, City must start as they've finished.

The biggest plus point must be however the emergence of so much young talent to add a youthful buzz on the pitch to Batchelor's feelgood factor off it.

For Saturday's last game of the season, the City squad featured 12 players aged 22 or under.

Injuries may have forced their inclusion but once in they've rarely looked out of place and it is difficult to draw anything but positives from the blossoming of potential.

Whether the optimism can be maintained over the summer months could largely depend on the future of Michael Proctor.

If he stays at Sunderland or moves elsewhere then a replacement for City's top goal-scorer will be manager Terry Dolan's top priority.

But perhaps now is not the time to be looking to far ahead.

As the sun goes down on this season, City and their fans should simply bask in it's warming after-glow, happy and safe in the knowledge it will rise again.