York City fans must be wondering what next? A plague of frogs in the dressing room, perhaps. Yorkie the mascot struck down by mange?

The Minstermen have faced so many problems in the last few years it sometimes seems as if they have offended the gods of football. Even their kit upset the referee in their match against Scunthorpe on Saturday.

Twice over, the club has been rescued from the brink of extinction thanks to the fans. York City is now in the safe hands of the Supporters' Trust, but they still face eviction from Bootham Crescent at the end of the season.

Strenuous efforts are underway to ensure their new home, Huntington Stadium, is ready. But every time an obstacle is overcome, another takes its place. One potential bombshell emerged, quite literally, out of the blue.

Archaeologists flying over York spotted the outline of Roman remains close to Huntington Stadium. Subsequently another Roman site was found under the terracing.

These discoveries merit further investigation, which could delay the stadium's redevelopment. This is particularly worrying as the plans are already behind schedule.

City are well into what is expected to be their last season at Bootham Crescent, and the planning application for the Huntington improvements has yet to be lodged.

Ironically, the full extent of the York City success story was also revealed today. The Supporters' Trust raised an astonishing £500,000 in its first 18 months, and has operated with a deficit of only £5,000. These figures are testament to the fans' generosity and the stewardship skills of the new bosses.

It would be a terrible shame if all this were to be scuppered by a lost civilisation. The council should demand that any excavation is conducted quickly enough to ensure that York's past does not ruin City's future.

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, October 30, 2003