York City players contracted beyond the end of this season could still be dumped on the transfer list this summer.

Minstermen boss Billy McEwan will make decisions on the KitKat Crescent futures of City's out-of-contract players after Saturday's final game of the season at home to Farnborough.

But after last night's 4-0 defeat at Canvey Island McEwan also warned players with extended deals that their parts in his plans next season are far from certain.

Andy Bishop, Steve Davis, Darren Dunning, Chris Porter and Chris Brass are the only senior professionals contracted to the Minstermen beyond June but the City manager said: "Even if players have got contracts they will be put on the list if there's not an improvement in the last game of the season because I'm not putting up with these performances. I told them that at half-time before I slung them back out on the pitch five minutes early because my reputation is on the line and my future is at stake as well as theirs."

McEwan also questioned the players' commitment to the club on and off the pitch after last night's poor performance, saying: "Anybody who jumps out of tackles because they don't want to get hurt is not my type of player. York City will not be the club for them.

"I also asked them how many times they have practised one-on-one chances this season and, to my astonishment, the answer was hardly any. That's why they are where they deserve to be -- near the bottom of the Conference.

"They have not put the time, effort or commitment into York City Football Club. Tiger Woods does it to get where he is in golf so these players have got to practice even harder."

After challenging his strikers to prove they are worth new deals and then watching the Minstermen miss countless chances last night and fail to find the net for the fifth successive match, McEwan's mind would appear to be made up on certain players' futures.

He said: "We need to get some new strikers. It's as simple as that. We had seven or eight one-on-ones with only the goalkeeper to beat. You have got to have courage and conviction in your shooting because if you can't put the ball in the net you don't win matches."

McEwan also lamented his team's defending which has seen ten goals conceded in the last two away matches. He said: "We gave away soft goals and some of the defending was amateur and dire. I could not believe their third goal when he just ran into our box.

"It made me wonder why I have come back into management but I have done. I must be off my head to put myself through it again but it's what I want to do. I want to get things right at this club although it's a massive, massive challenge."

The City manager also apologised to the fans that made the 460-mile round trip to the Essex coast last night as well as explaining that his reason for a double substitution after just 30 minutes was not meant as a reflection on the performance of Graeme Law, who was replaced along with striker Paul D Robinson.

McEwan said: "That was a purely tactical decision."

Updated: 10:25 Wednesday, April 20, 2005