RICHARD Hope is ready to commit his future to York City despite continued uncertainty over whether the club will have a home ground to play in next season.

The 25-year-old defender's current three-month contract expires on Wednesday but he is ready to thrash out a new deal that would make him a City player until the summer of 2005.

Hope's attitude will be refreshing for player-manager Chris Brass who had envisaged problems over contract negotiations this season.

Brass was concerned that future planning could be effected while the City board wait to hear whether landlords Bootham Crescent Holdings will agree to a one-year extension to the club's lease of the ground, which expires in the summer.

If City are unable to stay at Bootham next season then their only viable option is to kick off the 2004/2005 campaign at a Huntington Stadium under development.

The club submitted a planning application to become joint tenants at Monks Cross with York City Knights last month but the building work required to meet Football League specifications, assuming permission is approved, would only be completed by April 2005 at the earliest.

That means City would have to play at a Huntington while the improvements are being made.

But Hope has been impressed enough by Brass, the team and the Supporters Trust during his brief spell as a City player that he is ready, if wanted, to stay for another 18 months.

He said: "I have talked to the manager about staying for the rest of the season and I would like to sign for an extra year beyond this one. I could have signed for other clubs in the summer but I have no regrets.

"We started the season by setting a club record of four wins which was amazing but you can't keep winning every match. We are still up there though and if we can beat Darlington today and other results go for us we could be one place off the play-offs again.

"I have spoken to my agent and a couple of people have shown some interest but I have settled at York. A lot of people watch you when you have only signed a short-term contract but I'm not thinking about anybody else, just York City.

"Hopefully we can sort something out before the Torquay match because my contract expires on the 10th."

Hope is now suspended until the December 28 trip to Rochdale after last weekend's red card against Swansea.

Both he and Swans striker Lee Trundle were ordered off together after a grappling match on the floor in the first half.

Hope was also missing for today's match against Darlington because of a ban picked up after receiving his fifth yellow card, forcing City boss Brass to change his back three for the first time in seven unbeaten league games.

City have not lost a division three fixture since Brass, Hope and Chris Smith teamed up in defence for the 1-1 home draw against Boston on October 18.

Hope added: "I am really disappointed to be out now. We have gone seven unbeaten and, while I always thought we had a good team, we have started playing with more confidence.

"Even if we have drawn a lot we are not getting beaten and have defended well. The manager has got a lot of experience and does a lot of talking and I think we have looked good as a three but the wing-backs and defensive midfielders have done their jobs as well."

Updated: 10:32 Saturday, December 06, 2003