AS York City unveiled their new dream team, ousted assistant manager Adie Shaw said the platform for success was in place.

Shaw told the Evening Press that the graft laid down over the last three years by former manager Terry Dolan and himself would be to the benefit of the new regime at Bootham Crescent.

Both Dolan and Shaw saw their respective reign at City ended last week when they were 'relieved of their duties' by the club's new board. Into their stead has come a player-manager in current City skipper Chris Brass, who will be assisted in his dual role by veteran marksman Lee Nogan.

Wishing the Brass-Nogan axis all the best in restoring glory to the Minstermen, Shaw added that of all the dismay at ending his five eventful years, the biggest hurt was missing out on the chance of 'seeing the job through'.

"Whatever anyone says last season was a successful season," declared the 37-year-old coach, who first arrived at City as head of youth development in 1988.

"But last season wasn't just based on one year's work. It was based on what Terry Dolan and myself have done over the last three years.

"After that hard work we were looking forward to next season because we believed it would have been even better. We believed we had started something good. And that's the biggest disappointment - the fact that the platform has been laid, but we are not going to see it through."

Of his own future Easington-born Shaw said he would start looking for a new job once he'd had a long-awaited holiday.

But he insisted he bore no ill-will to the club, explaining how he had been 'honoured' to serve it in so many areas from a trialist player in 1988 to the youth coaching post, his three-year-spell as first team coach and even serving as manager for one game on a caretaker basis.

"I have no grudges at all. I think I'm the only one to have worked at the club in so many ways and I'm proud to have done that because York City is a smashing club," said Shaw.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my five years there and I wish all the players and staff well.

"I have to say there's a lot of people who deserve credit, like the youth trainee lads. When you're a 16, 17 or 18-year-old just entering your career and then find it could be taken away from you, that's one heck of a thing to deal with.

"Also, the lads who played in the first team last season were absolutely fantastic and I think what they achieved was under-rated by many people. They deserve all the success they can get."

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, June 04, 2003