CASH costs have KO'd York City's reserve team from playing in a competitive arena from next season, it was confirmed today.

The club announced to the Evening Press that they have submitted their resignation to the Central League and will not be playing competitive reserve team football next season.

Instead the club will feature in a series of friendlies against other clubs in the immediate area in the manner that Doncaster Rovers did when they found the running cost of keeping a reserve team in a recognised league too much to bear.

The decision to withdraw from the Central League, currently backed by Pontin's, was made by the football club's board of directors as part of an ongoing review by directors Terry Doyle and Steve Beck. Costs run at around £10,000 a year to keep the second-string in an organised league.

The key consideration has been the financial drain competitive reserve team football has on the club.

Declared City's finance director Terry Doyle: "The future of reserve team football was in question back in June. However, the board decided to support (the then manager) Chris Brass' desire to see its continuation."

Added Doyle: "Unfortunately, the review has shown that competitive reserve team football has not been as fruitful as we originally hoped. Taking into consideration away travel, fees for officials and the cost of staging the games, reserve team football in costing the club around £10,000 per annum."

City now intend to arrange games on an ad hoc basis with other local clubs in order to ensure there is a platform for players coming back from injury, trialists, or members of the youth squad.

City's youth development director Steve Beck said: "It is not unusual to withdraw from the reserve Central League.

"With so many financial pressures, a number of other clubs have done the same and now play practice games behind closed doors. The decision has been made in the best interests of York City Football Club and first-team demands."

Updated: 10:52 Wednesday, February 02, 2005