THE theme tune has probably become one of the biggest clichs in football but I am sure the Great Escape would be the fastest-selling single in York if Chris Brass' men can achieve the almost impossible by avoiding relegation to the Nationwide Conference.

Brass urged his players to write a story this week that people would enjoy reading for years to come and, after previously warning them that their livelihoods were at stake, this has got to be the best motivational tool the City boss could have used ahead of the club's last three games.

Because if York City can escape relegation then certain players could save sorry seasons and achieve iconic status in this famous old city, as well as enjoying a degree of national exposure.

What greater incentive can there be for the likes of Liam George or Jon Newby than firing in the goals that save the Minstermen?

Imagine the scenes at the Vetchfield and the atmosphere enveloping the Fans Match at Bootham Crescent the next day, which threatens to be cruelly tarnished unless the Great Escape is completed.

The odds might be weighed heavily against it but if the players value hero worship - which even the most modest of human beings are partial to - then fighting for every ball and running for every possible minute of the 270 City have left to save their Football League status could see them hold their heads up high rather than hang them in shame come May 8.

It would certainly become the club's Greatest Great Escape, eclipsing the achievements of Tom Johnston's 1972-73 team that ensured survival in the old Third Division on the final day of the season.

Having failed to win any of their previous eight matches, that City side clinched a 2-1 victory at Rotherham in a do-or-die battle at Millmoor, which saw the Minstermen finish the campaign ahead of their hosts on goal average.

John Stone and Jimmy Seal were the visitors' marksmen on that day, with City also finishing the season on level points with Watford and Halifax.

City's team on the day was: Graeme Crawford, John Mackin, Phillip Burrows, Cliff Calvert, Barry Swallow, Chris Topping, Brian Pollard, Pat Lally, John Stone, Jimmy Seal, John Woodward. Sub: Edward Rowles.

On the flipside, City fans will also have painful memories of the terrible fortune the club suffered in their last relegation campaign when two clubs performed Great Escapes to condemn Alan Little's men in 1999.

Wycombe and Oldham both trailed the Minstermen by five points with two games to go but a 1-0 home defeat to Bournemouth and a 4-0 drubbing at Manchester City saw the Bootham Crescent club drop back into the Football League's basement division.

The reasons for their demise were back-to-back victories for Wycombe against Wigan and Lincoln and for Oldham against Stoke and Reading.

City's task in the next three games is simpler in comparison but whether the players can fulfil their manager's wishes and write an incredible story remains to be seen.

WHETHER it will be a case of celebrating the Great Escape or uniting together to drown sorrows, Minstermen supporters deserve their 90 minutes of fame in the Fans Match at Bootham Crescent on Sunday, May 9.

Continuing our look at the two teams on show, this week we profile the last two members of the home team and also put the spotlight on the away side.

Richard Middleton (home shirt number seven): Aged 48, Richard has supported the Minstermen since moving from Northern Ireland in 1972.

The first game he saw was a home match against Bolton and his favourite players during more than 30 years of watching City are Topping, Seal and Walwyn.

Richard lists Manchester United 0 York City 3 as his most memorable match but it almost saw him out of pocket.

"I told everyone on the bus I had put £20 on York to win which I hadn't," he explains. "So when we got back to the bus, a big cheer went up and someone suggested the drinks were on me - it took some getting out of!"

Pete Brandon (home shirt number four): Pete made his Crescent debut in 1975 for City's game with Fulham, which was coincidentally a game which featured England legend Bobby Moore - a player Pete has never ever been compared to!

He has always fancied himself as a ball-playing, tough tackling right-sided midfielder but, sadly, reality tells a different tale - he's a bald, over-weight, heavy drinking curry monster who will do well to last the first five minutes of the game.

Pete's greatest footballing claim to fame is that he was ejected from Wembley three times during City's play-off final with Crewe but don't expect the same level of 'flare' from him in the game.

His list of all-time City heroes include the famous names of Walywn, McCarthy, Byrne and Hall.

Dylan Hildreth (away shirt number one): Dylan, 24, has been a City supporter for 17 years and his first game was a 2-0 home victory against Chesterfield in 1986.

He lists Jon McCarthy, Paul Barnes and Nigel Pepper as the best players he has seen in that time but also labels the whole Wembley team as outstanding and feels Michael Proctor deserves a special mention, believing that if he had been at Bootham Crescent last season City would have been promoted.

Dylan's own playing career has been spent at Scunthorpe & District League outfit Barnetby United and Ripon and York St John's College, where he studied PE and drinking.

His nickname 'the Cat', however, is more related to his nocturnal habits in people's back gardens on the way home after a night out than any goalkeeping prowess.

Mick Davitt (away shirt number two): Mick - a City fan for 40 years - paid the most money for his place in the away team and will be playing if his wife has not killed him. He is 45 and still playing division five Sunday morning football in Burnholme.

He also played at Bootham Crescent 20 years ago in a York FA Cup final for Rowntree and was again in trouble with his other half after getting drunk and failing to get up the next day to see the birth of his new son Ben.

Darren dazzles to title

DARREN Dunning is this season's Evening Press Player of the Year.

The 23-year-old midfielder has an unassailable lead in the race to win the trophy, which was lifted by Chris Brass last season.

Dunning's latest point came in Tuesday night's 2-1 home defeat against Yeovil when he scored his third goal of the season.

Substitute Richard Cooper was the man of the match in that game with defender Stuart Wise also awarded two points.

On-loan Huddersfield striker Jon Newby took top honours in the 2-0 defeat against Cheltenham with Richard Hope moving joint third in the overall standings with two points and goalkeeper Mark Ovendale cementing his second-place position with a point despite being red-carded late in the game.

Latest standings: Dunning 38 points, Ovendale 27, Bullock 24, Hope 24, Nogan 22, Cooper 15, Wise 15, Brass 11, Edmondson 11, Merris 11, Ward 11, Smith 10, Wood 10, Newby 7, Bell 6, Davies 6, Parkin 5, Walker 5, George 4, Yalcin 2, Brackstone 1, Fox 1, Law 1, Offiong 1, Shaw 1, Wilford 1.

Legend guests

FORMER York City legends Denis Smith and Marco Gabbiadini (pictured right) are set to feature as special guests at the next branch meeting of Harrogate Minstermen.

The meeting will take place on Monday at the Knaresborough Working Men's Club, beginning at 8pm, with members and non-members both welcome.

Smith, who famously managed City to 1984 Championship glory, is currently in charge of Second Division Wrexham, while his former striker at both York and Sunderland, Gabbiadini, who had to retire this season through injury, will also be present after being forced to cancel a scheduled HM appearance earlier this month.

All the usual fun and entertainment will be on offer, including 'Open the Box', the 'Members Draw' and home and away travel bookings for the final games of the season.

Updated: 10:26 Saturday, April 24, 2004