RELEASED goalkeeper Mark Ovendale today spoke about life on football's scrapheap after being made a free agent at York City.

Ovendale, 30, has not yet been approached by a team despite a solid season at Bootham Crescent that saw him finish runner-up in the Evening Press Player of the Year contest behind midfield dynamo Darren Dunning.

But the former Luton Town and Bournemouth stopper, who signed for City last summer, is not expecting any interest until after the official released list is distributed to all Football League clubs next Tuesday.

Ovendale said: "I've not heard about any interest from any clubs at the minute. It's all quiet on the western front.

"May is always quite quiet and things usually pick up a bit during the second week in June when you just hope that there will be a club that will be interested. The list of released players gets distributed on June 1 and that's when the rat race begins."

Ovendale is contracted to City until the end of June -- and that is when his wages cease to be paid by the Minstermen.

He said: "I had the same scenario last year but was lucky enough that York came in for me and I have enjoyed it here as much as you can when you get relegated."

Ovendale was released by Luton at the end of the 2002/2003 season and City managed to persuade Barry Town to release him after he shone for the Welsh club in the European Champions League qualifiers last summer.

That was Ovendale's second spell at Barry where he started his career before becoming a professional at Northampton at the relatively late age of 21.

Having been released by relegated City, Ovendale is now keen to stay in the Football League.

He said: "I definitely want to stay in the League but obviously, the way football is going, there will be a lot of players that have been released so it becomes more and more difficult."

Third Division champions Doncaster have been rumoured to be interested in Ovendale but the Wisbech-born keeper is unaware of any approach, saying: "I have not heard anything personally but I would not be too disappointed if that was true."

Having had stints at far-flung destinations like Barry, Northampton, Luton, Bournemouth and York over the last decade, Ovendale is also looking for some stability for his young family.

"Moving around all the time gets on your nerves," he admitted. "It's easier for a player with a family than it is for the wife and kids and I have got a six-year-old son and another baby on the way next month.

"I can go flitting off and get put up for a month whereas your wife is left to sort out the removals so I get off lightly. We are looking for a base next and it would definitely be better if a Yorkshire club came in because the York area is a lovely part of the world that we want to try to stay in.

"We are still here and my boy's at school. When you are released it's disappointing that everything like that usually has to change."

Ovendale played in all but five of City's league and cup matches last season but was not offered a contract for next season as relegation signalled cost-cutting considerations.

It is a decision that disappoints him but he bears no grudges, saying: "I've got no hard feelings towards the club and I want to see them bounce straight back. It's just a shame that I'm one of the players that has taken the club down but players have to take responsibility and getting released is what happens when the job you have done is not good enough.

"I was disappointed to be released and if we had stayed in the League I would have been offered something. It's a bitter blow because the club made my family feel really welcome and looked after us.

"I liked everybody at the club and have not got a bad word to say about any of the players which you can't say at every football club. The gaffer and Lee Nogan are still really young for the managerial positions and are still on a learning curve but I think they have the right work ethics to succeed and the gaffer is very mature for his age."

Ovendale was one of the club's best-performing senior professionals last season but still demands high personal standards, saying: "Every player needs to take some responsibility for getting the club relegated and I like to be self-critical. I can remember a few mistakes but, overall, I had a consistent season without setting the world on fire.

"I was generally happy with my form but there were a few games I was disappointed with. Realistically though, nobody can go through a whole season without having a bad game, let alone Division Three players."

Updated: 11:04 Thursday, May 27, 2004