CASH restraints have ended the illustrious York City career of youth development coach Paul Stancliffe.

The former defensive sentinel confirmed to the Evening Press that next month he will leave the club he has served for more than 14 years.

The post of head of youth development at City is to be scrapped and replaced by youth team manager for which Stancliffe was asked to re-apply.

That would not only mean a pay cut but necessitate Stancliffe leaving his Rotherham home as City wanted the new man in charge to be York-based.

Stancliffe said he could not subject his family to such upheaval and so reluctantly will bid farewell to the club he joined as captain in 1991 before serving as player-coach, assistant manager, youth team coach and then head of youth development since 1999.

The parting wish of the one-time 1993 Clubman of the year during which he led City to their historic promotion play-off triumph at Wembley was that the club continued to maintain its youth development programme.

Players to have come through the ranks -- in turn yielding vital transfer cash for City -- included Jonathan Greening, Richard Cresswell, Lee Bullock, Russ Howarth and Chris Hogg, while the current team boasts prospects like David Stockdale, Bryan Stewart and Lev Yalcin.

Said Stancliffe: "I'm sorry it's had to end because when you have started a job you want to see it through. But it's not just me. The club has a superb centre of excellence and a great staff who deserve a lot of the credit.

"I hope to God they can keep it going because there are some excellent young lads coming through -- as good as we've had in the past.

"The club are working to keep the youth programme and to be fair even under the previous regime the club have been so youth-orientated it's been untrue.

"They've been totally 100 percent behind everything we have done and I think that's because they have seen the results of the youth programme."

Stancliffe conceded that hard cash was at the heart of his departure from Bootham Crescent. Funding for the youth set-up had been halved after City's fall into the Conference with another cut due next term.

"Obviously it's been a difficult year for the club and to be honest finances have dictated what's happened, but I'm going to miss York City," said the man, whose Minstermen outings encompassed 91 games out of an overall 18-year playing career of 676 League matches.

"York has been such a big chunk of my life. You get to like the place and the people and you make friends. But this is professional football and you've got to be realistic."

Besides that unforgettable Wembley day in May 1993, Stancliffe said the youth programme had given him almost as big a thrill.

"You can never beat playing. But you get a great buzz when some of the lads you have been working with from 11 and 12-years-old come through and pull that first-team shirt over their heads.

PAUL STANCLIFFE FACT-FILE

Born: Sheffield, May 5, 1958

Previous clubs: Rotherham United 1976-1983; Sheffield United 1983-1990; Wolves 1990 (on loan).

York City: captain 1991-1993; player-coach 1993-1997 (retired as player in 1994); youth coach 1997; head of youth development 1999.

York City debut: v Rochdale (a) August 17, 1991; division four drew 1-1.

York City last game: v Rotherham (a) November 22, 1994 FA Cup round 1, lost 3-0.

York City appearances: 101 League and cup games (3 league goals); total League appearances and goals: 676 , 23.

Captained City in promotion play-off final in 1993 when he was also Clubman of the year.

Updated: 10:01 Saturday, April 23, 2005