SHOULD York City advertise the first team manager's job former midfielder Malcolm Crosby has suggested he would be ready to throw his hat in the ring.

Crosby was a guest at Sunday's KitKat Cresent clash against Aldershot, having played for both clubs, and revealed afterwards that he would relish a return to management if the right job came along.

The 50-year-old is currently in charge of Middlesbrough reserves but made his name when he led Sunderland to the 1992 FA Cup final after taking over the Roker Park managerial reins on a caretaker basis from Denis Smith.

He also succeeded former City boss Smith at Oxford United in 1997 and now feels the time is right for a return to the manager's office.

Said Crosby: "I haven't managed for quite a while but a management job to me would still be very much in my mind. I am 50, which I think is a great age to be a manager.

"All the experience is there now and I believe I can get the best out of players. If a job came along and it was good for me I would take it."

With close friend Viv Busby still caretaker manager of the Minstermen, Crosby did not comment on the possibility of a return to York.

But the pair have worked together as coaches at Sunderland and Swindon and Crosby also recommended Busby to City officials earlier this season.

He said: "Myself and Viv still keep in touch. I helped get him a job at Swindon in 2000 as a youth coach because he had done a lot for me when I was a player.

"I also spoke to a few people and recommended that he came back to York. Whoever would have come in would have had a difficult job at this moment in time but Aldershot are a great example to follow.

"They had to start right at the bottom again to work their way back up into the Conference.

"You have got to have hope and keep believing you can pick the pieces up and have a bit of success again.

"I always enjoy coming back to York. I have a lot of fond memories of the club and still keep a look out for results and what's happening."

Crosby felt City's failure to create opportunities cost them the chances of a good result against Aldershot, adding: "I would say York had 75 per cent of possession but unfortunately conceded the second goal just before half-time.

"Despite all that play they did not really create enough either. The crosses into the box were disappointing and too many were just hung up for the 'keeper to come and collect.

"It's all right passing the ball around but you have to create chances and unfortunately they did not do enough of that."

But Crosby was impressed with the team's camaraderie and feels that is testament to their acting manager.

Busby's starting line-up contained five teenagers with substitutes Lev Yalcin and Graeme Law taking that tally to seven for the match and Crosby said afterwards: "Buzzer's got a very tough and difficult job because the Conference is now really on a par with the division above and he's got a lot of young players out there.

"But they kept going for 90 minutes and, although the result was disappointing, for such an inexperienced team I thought the commitment and spirit was very good, which I think is down to Buzzer because they gave the impression they wanted to keep going for him.

"I worked with him as a coach and would not know how he works as a manager but I know his training sessions will still be enjoyable."

Updated: 10:18 Tuesday, February 08, 2005