A YORK Sunday league chief has urged leisure bosses to step in to sort out the "appalling" football pitches in the city.

Garry Carter, secretary of the John Smith's York Sunday Morning League, said he is concerned at the poor quality of playing surfaces for the city's sides.

Speaking after City of York Council announced it would be finding replacements for pitches lost should York Race Committee's up-coming planning application to extend the Knavesmire horse-racing track be approved, Carter said there was a general problem with pitch provision for teams in his league.

"There isn't enough of them and, of those, there isn't enough quality pitches in York," he said.

"When you travel around different areas and see the facilities, it is amazing that York is such a big city and has this problem."

Two or more pitches on the 30-pitch Knavesmire are expected to go when the loop at York Racecourse is extended next spring.

Work must be carried out to form a circle of turf at the racecourse, allowing two-mile races to be run when Royal Ascot comes to the city in 2005.

Carter added: "We have already lost pitches because the Civil Service Sports Ground has closed, and now this. You want a nice surface to play on. We just want to have the necessary facilities.

"The pitches at Knavesmire aren't the best in the world anyway, and when you are paying £180 a year and £65 for markings, it is not cheap.

"I think it's appalling, what we have got in York. I am not criticising the council, but they need to show a bit of willing."

Roy Templeman, the council's development chief, said: "The council will be looking to ensure that the works to the track make adequate provision for movement access across the Knavesmire and for the replacement of the football pitches that will be lost."

Updated: 12:06 Friday, December 05, 2003