YORK City loan man Jon Newby says there will be no split allegiances when he lines up against his old club - despite his love for Bury.

The 25-year-old enjoyed two-and-a-half years as a Shaker before moving to Huddersfield Town and now supports his former club.

But the only result he will be yearning for tonight will be a City win - and if he can open his scoring tally for the Minstermen, so much the better.

He said: "It would be a strange situation if I got my first goal against Bury because I was there for two-and-a-half years and I loved every minute of it.

"When I went there, I was disillusioned with football at Liverpool, but I learnt to enjoy it again at Bury.

"I have got a great affinity with them and I regard them as the team I support.

"But football is football and if we can win and climb out of the relegation zone there will be nobody happier than me."

The Huddersfield Town loanee was City's only transfer deadline day acquisition and has yet to find the net since linking up with City, but tonight's game could create an ideal chance to change that.

"I'm looking forward to it, it should be a good game," he said. "It's a massive game for us and even though they really don't have much to play for, knowing the manager, he won't let them relax, so I imagine it will be pretty tough.

"He was the assistant when I was there and he's got a very strong work ethic which he will have instilled in the players, and like any other team, when a new manager takes over, players start to work hard to keep their place."

The parallels between York and their opponents are notable. Both teams started well then hit a trouble patch, and both are working on next-to-nothing budgets. But where York have continued to slip away, Bury found inspiration in a new management set up and a few choice loan signings and moved up the table to safety.

Newby said: "York had their bad patch at Christmas, but it's like the manager keeps telling us, it's still in our own hands. We've got games in hand over the teams around us and we have to make them count.

"Straight away when you come in, you notice that the confidence is very fragile, but that's to be expected. I've played in teams when we have gone on a ten-game losing streak and you think you are never going to be the same again.

"But I think all it needs is for us to get an early goal and the mood changes straight away. If we can get an early goal tomorrow it will really make a difference and will give us something to hold on to."

And Newby, who is aware of his presence in the proverbial shop window at York, believes he can be the man to help get them back on track.

"I am in a no-lose situation," he said. "I am not here as a permanent squad member yet so for me, I have just got to go out and enjoy the games. I am out to impress as many people as possible.

"Any striker wants to score goals no matter what team you're playing in and I'm no different.

"I would love to get a goal and if we win 1-0 and I score, I will be the happiest man in the world."

Match points:

Bury have made 13 past League trips to York and have won three times with five draws.

City's biggest win in the series was 3-0 in May 1984 when John Byrne, Derek Hood and Gary Ford were on target.

The biggest crowd in the series was in September 1957 when 10,943 saw City win 2-1 with Arthur Bottom and Billy Fenton the scorers. This was the first ever meeting between the clubs.

The clubs met in the Third Division promotion play-offs in 1992/93. After a goalless draw at Gigg Lane, City won the second leg 1-0 thanks to a Gray Swann goal.

The Shakers last visit on February 23, 2003 ended 1-1 with Jon Parkin netting from the penalty spot. City's side that day was: Ingham, Edmondson, Smith, Brass, Wise, Cowan (Wood), Potter, Cooper, Nogan (Mathie), Shandran, Parkin.

Players to have represented both clubs include: Paul Aimson, Billy Rudd, George Hamstead, Alan Whitehead, Craig Madden, Paul Atkin, Shaun Reid, Rob Matthews, Adrian Randall and Dean Kiely

Statistics by David Batters

Updated: 10:07 Tuesday, April 13, 2004