York City boss Billy McEwan held the club's players responsible for the sorry 17th-placed finish in the Conference table after Saturday's 4-0 victory over relegated Farnborough brought the curtain down on a poor campaign.

McEwan was reluctant to celebrate the Minstermen's biggest home victory for more than ten years after goals from Andy Bishop, Bryan Stewart, Lev Yalcin and Paul D Robinson and remained in a sombre mood about the rest of the season.

The City manager, speaking in an address to a 300-strong crowd that spilled on to the pitch to give the team an unusually warm reception, thanked the fans for their support but added: "I had a chat with the players who are celebrating a 4-0 win but, for me, a club of this stature should never be down where we are and the players have got to be accountable for that because they are the ones who perform and they have not done that.

"I have told them it is not acceptable to celebrate now or wait until the end of the season to win 4-0 because this club has got to be battling at the top end of the table and not the bottom."

McEwan later added: "The players were expected to do well this season but they have underachieved and I am afraid that has cost two managers their jobs."

He went on to praise the supporters' continued commitment to the club, saying: "I was a bit embarrassed by that reception. I didn't want to come out but I had to because I needed to say thank you. There were over 2,000 fans to see what, let's be honest, has been a poor team."

McEwan will now decide in the coming days which players will form his retained list for next season.

He said: "I think most players know what their future will be and some might have played their last game for York City against Farnborough."

McEwan, who is understood to be working under a normal employment contract requiring a month's notice from both parties, continued to allay fears about his own City future, which he will discuss with the board this week.

He said: "I'd like to think I will be here next season. It's a great, little club but it's a tough job and I just want to decide with the board what's happening and where we are going."

Updated: 09:48 Monday, April 25, 2005