York City boss Billy McEwan has told teenage goalkeeper David Stockdale that cash considerations should be of secondary importance in any decision over his KitKat Crescent future.

Bryan Stewart, Graeme Law and Stephen Baynes have all agreed terms on contract extensions offered at the end of last season, leaving Stockdale, Dave Merris and Lev Yalcin as the three players stalling on new deals.

But McEwan admitted that it is Stockdale's decision not to accept first-year professional terms, as yet, that represents his "biggest disappointment".

With the club counting the costs of a second season in the Conference and the beginning of payments towards their £2million Football Foundation loan, Stockdale's terms for next season are unlikely to be very lucrative but McEwan believes the 20-year-old stopper should grasp his opportunity to continue being a professional footballer with the Minstermen.

The City boss said: "If the players don't want to sign, then it's up to them. They can go because I want players who want to play for York City Football Club.

"But David Stockdale is the biggest disappointment to me and I have told him that. He's a young apprentice getting his first professional contract and the last thing in his mind should be money. That should be of secondary importance and he should be grateful York City are offering him a contract.

"On the evidence of his last performance of the season, he has to do better if he wants to get into the team.

"At the moment, he has potential but so have a lot of players. Maybe he feels he can get an automatic number one spot but that's up for grabs this summer."

McEwan is also sceptical about the involvement of agents with young players in the modern game and added: "How players, especially apprentices, have agents in the Conference staggers me. I don't know how they can afford them or even need them.

"I never had one and played for five clubs. If you are a good young player at York people will come and see you anyway. You don't need an agent to tell managers about you.

"I'm working my socks off to make our youngsters better players but I don't know what their agents are telling them."

McEwan is also hoping to invite former Azerbaijan under-21 international keeper and KitKat Crescent trialist Farjan Afandiyev, who has left Rushden and Diamonds, to pre-season training.

Transfer-listed striker Paul Robinson is expected to return to training next Wednesday as well and may still start the season at KitKat Crescent if he cannot find employment elsewhere.

Robinson's wages remain a big stumbling-block as to whether the former Newcastle United front-man fulfils the next 12 months of his Minstermen contract but McEwan said: "I saw Paul Robinson quoted as saying the manager did not fancy him but that's not true. I never said that.

"I said we couldn't afford him but there's a chance he could still play for the club."

McEwan is currently in constant negotiations with several summer targets and has expressed his pleasure at recruiting ex-Scarborough vice-captain Mark Hotte.

He said: "Mark Hotte will do well for us. He has formed part of a good defensive unit at Scarborough and does not miss many games."

Updated: 10:24 Tuesday, June 21, 2005