York City's non-contract striker Andy Bell has signed a Minstermen deal until the end of the season.

Bell scored against Scunthorpe and made his full debut against Torquay on Saturday and has been playing for City on a week-to-week basis.

But now player-boss Chris Brass has given the former Wycombe striker the opportunity to win himself a long-term contract this summer.

Brass said: "We have offered Andy a deal until the end of the season and he signed it today. He deserves the opportunity.

"He's been hungry and worked hard in training. Then, when his chances have come in the first team he has taken them.

"He was somebody I knew from his Blackburn days and he's come here and proven he still has the quality he showed as a youngster in a senior first-team environment. Now, he has to earn a longer-term contract between now and the end of the season."

Meanwhile, Bell's fellow non-contract signing Kevin Donovan will have to wait at least another game for his full Minstermen debut.

The former Grimsby and West Brom midfielder is getting close to full fitness after a second week training with City but player-boss Chris Brass is set to select the same side that performed well against Torquay last weekend.

That means 32-year-old Donovan, who arrived at Bootham Crescent after being released by Rochdale, will be a substitute again but Brass has admitted that he would not be afraid to introduce him from the bench.

Brass said: "Kevin is probably cursing me because he's had to do extra training with me this week but it has benefited both of us and he's worked hard. He's looked sharper every day that he's been with us.

"We have got a reserve game next week and that will be an ideal chance for him to have a good, full run-out.

"He's not quite there for a first-team start but I have no qualms in giving him some kind of run-out from the bench.

"He's certainly got the quality. That's unmistakable.

"It's just a case of getting games into him and getting his fitness up to where it should be."

Donovan is a versatile player but Brass believes he will best serve City on the right flank, saying: "He can play in a number of positions, including up front, right-wing back or in central midfield, but he's played the majority of his career on the right-hand side and that's where we anticipate using him."

Brass has also welcomed the more positive atmosphere at the club this week.

He was pleased to prevent a record-equalling fifth successive home defeat with a 0-0 draw against Torquay and is now looking for his team to end a run of 11 games without a win against their west-country neighbours Yeovil.

Brass said: "The performance against Torquay has given everybody a lift.

"It's now a bit more positive around the place.

"We now need a win to relax everybody and then you would see another ten or 20 per cent from the team.

"Chris Porter (goalkeeper) and a few of the other lads have been ten foot tall on the training ground this week with smiles that are just as big on their faces.

"I think they will take that on to Saturday and I feel more positive than I have ahead of this game than I have ahead of others in recent weeks."

Brass is also calling on his players to prove their long-term worth to the club in the last nine games of the season as decisions on contracts are made.

He said: "Time is running out and contracts are there to be earned. Players have got to perform now in order to be here for next season to build on things. That should raise people's games as well."

York City's youngsters are away to Wrexham in the Northern section of the Football Youth Alliance (ko noon).

City fans buying their copy of Saturday's Evening Press at the club shop will also get a free 'School' fruit bar made by Stream Foods of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire.

Squads:

Probable: Porter, Wise, Smith, Hope, Wood, Cooper, Dunning, Merris, Bell, Nogan, Offiong. Subs: Ovendale, Donovan, Davies, Ward, Yalcin.

Probable: Collis, Terry, Skiverton, Lockwood, Pluck, Williams, Johnson, Way, El Kholti, Jackson, Gall. Subs: Sheffield, Weatherstone, Rodrigues, Stansfield, Lindegaard.

Match points:

- This is Yeovil's first visit to Bootham Crescent and they are the 101st club City have met in the Football League since their election in 1929.

- A total of 19 of the clubs City have played in the competition are no longer members of the League. They are: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot, Barnet, Barrow, Bradford Park Avenue, Chester, Exeter City, Gateshead, Halifax Town, Hereford, Maidstone, Nelson, New Brighton, Newport County, Scarborough, Shrewsbury, Southport, Wigan Borough, Workington.

- Of the current League clubs City have to still to meet the following nine: Arsenal, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United.

- City have met seven of these sides in cup football and the only two clubs they have not played in competitive senior football are Ipswich Town and West Ham.

Updated: 10:49 Friday, March 19, 2004