DOUGLAS Craig today joined the furore over the future of the running track at Huntington Stadium by insisting council chiefs had pledged to relocate the facility.

City of York Council have strongly denied back-tracking on an agreement that it would be responsible for relocating the track ahead of the football club's proposed move to a redeveloped Huntington.

The council maintains it never offered to relocate the track and insists in all negotiations with City it had been made clear the football club would be responsible for the facility's future.

However, speaking to the Evening Press, former City chairman Craig was adamant the council, in a meeting involving all the major players earlier this year, had made the relocation pledge.

He also insisted today the council was the only organisation capable of overseeing the move of the track and therefore ensuring City's move can go ahead.

Craig, chairman of Bootham Crescent Holdings, the owners of Bootham Crescent, said: "I understand a meeting was held between representatives of the council and the football club on Tuesday evening but I am unable to comment on what took place at that meeting.

"However, I did attend a meeting in March at which chief officers from the council and representatives of the administrator of the club, the Supporters' Trust, Persimmon and BCH were present.

"At that meeting, Persimmon and BCH indicated that they were prepared to make a substantial sum of money available to facilitate the move of the football club to Huntington Stadium.

"It was clearly stated by the officers of the council that responsibility for moving the running track would be the council's contribution to enable the football club to move.

"It is also my clear recollection that in previous meetings the council always maintained that they would not finance the refurbishment of Huntington Stadium up to Football League standards but their contribution would be the re-siting of the running track.

"The council, of course, are the only body who are capable of making this a realistic possibility."

In making his statement, Craig has become an unlikely bedfellow of independent supporters' pressure group the Friends of Bootham Crescent and the Socialist Alliance.

Both organisations have accused the council of betrayal and reneging on an agreement to move the track.

FoBC insist if the track is kept at Huntington the football club will not be able to bring the stadium up to the Football League standards. Left homeless, they warn the football club could die.

The football club confirmed today Tuesday's meeting with the City of York Council, including new council leader Steve Galloway, did take place.

City stadium development director Ian McAndrew said architects drawing up redevelopment plans for the site confirm the running track could not be included in their blueprint.

McAndrew, who attended Tuesday's meeting with fellow directors Jason and Sophie McGill, said: "We have now presented the council with the preliminary architect's plans which they have taken away with them to consider.

"Our architects', CAD, have been liaising closely with the Football League to ensure the plans for redevelopment comply with their regulations.

"The plans presented to the Council clearly show that in order to develop a Football League compliant stadium we are unable to accommodate the running track.

"This is nothing to do with atmosphere or restrictive viewing, it is a simple issue of space."

McAndrew described the meeting, in which the council made it clear their stance on the running track was not a change in council policy, as 'positive'.

It was clear from the meeting that funding remains the principal obstacle to overcome.

However, McAndrew added: "We now feel both parties are able to move forward to ensure a satisfactory solution is found.

"We maintain our position that we fully encourage the continuation of athletics in York, but wholly support the relocation of the running track to an alternative site in the city."

No one at the council was available to comment on Craig's views as this edition went to press.

Updated: 10:41 Thursday, May 22, 2003