YORK City defender Richard Hope will not play again until after Christmas and could theoretically have played his last game for the Minstermen.

Unless City decide to appeal, Hope will serve a three-match ban following his sending-off against Swansea City on Saturday.

However, he is already due to sit-out next Saturday's trip to his former club, Darlington, after previously earning a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards this season.

Hope's three match suspension will kick-in immediately after next weekend's clash with the Quakers, meaning the former Northampton centre-back will not be available until City's trip to Rochdale on December 28.

The news is a major blow to City, who have developed a mean streak in defence since Hope teamed up at the back with Chris Smith and player-boss Chris Brass.

Significantly, it is also a personal blow for Hope, whose three-month contract with City is due to run out before Christmas.

City boss Brass has made clear he wants to extend Hope's deal and has opened preliminary talks with the player.

Hope was dismissed midway through the first-half on Saturday following a bout of wrestling with Swans' striker Lee Trundle, who was also red-carded.

Trundle lost control of the ball in the City area and ended up in a heap on the ground, grappling with Hope.

The clash sparked an 18-man melee and Hope and Trundle had to be separated again as they made their way towards the tunnel.

Hope's dismissal equals the club record of five red cards received in a season, with City still less than half-way into their league campaign.

Trundle's dismissal brings the total number of opposition players sent-off this season against the Minstermen to seven.

That suggests it is more a case of referees clamping down than indiscipline on the part of City.

Of Saturday's sendings-off, Brass said: "It looked like a little wrestle on the floor but I didn't really see enough to pass comment.

"The referee has decided to send them off and if they have had a go at each other then the letter of the law says they have to go.

"I will have a look at the video but it did seem a case of hand-bags at ten paces."

Swansea boss Brian Flynn also said he would be looking at the match video to determine what happened.

"They were tussling on the floor and I don't know if the referee had any other option," he said.

The blow of losing Hope for four games will be softened by the fact Saturday's game marked the last match in Jon Parkin's four-match suspension.

The versatile Parkin could even provide cover for Hope in defence at Darlington next Saturday. Defender Stuart Wise is also expected to step up his training this week after being sidelined with a knee injury in recent weeks and could also come into contention for the clash with the Quakers.

Brass praised Swansea ''keeper Roger Freestone after Saturday's game.

"He has pulled off two or three tremendous saves and we also had a couple of blocks too.

"Chances wise, I'm disappointed we didn't manage to turn one into a goal but performance wise I was pleased again.

"We are creating chances, which is pleasing, but we just lacked that little bit of quality.

"It's a disappointed dressing room but I think that is a measure of how far we have come."

Updated: 10:14 Monday, December 01, 2003