THE Friends of Bootham Crescent action group have hit out at City of York Council for 'moving the goalposts' regarding the proposed Huntington Stadium redevelopment.

The controversy surrounds the future of the running track at Huntington and who should be accountable for it, with FoBC accusing the council of trying to pass the buck.

York City intend to make the stadium their new home in time for the start of the 2004-05 season and have a team of experts working on a £3m blueprint.

However, the Evening Press understands plans must be submitted soon if the extensive work is to be completed in time, and with just weeks to go, the future of the track has still to be decided.

Athletes who use it fear they will be left homeless should City's planned relocation from Bootham Crescent go ahead, while City maintain they will not be able to bring the ground up to Football League standards nor claim the estimated £2m in redevelopment grants if the track is retained.

FoBC's blast came after the council said today it would prefer to keep the track and if this proved unfeasible would develop a 'joint approach' with City to provide a new track elsewhere. It also said it was awaiting a planning application for redevelopment before making any decisions about it.

FoBC spokesman David Allison said: "City of York Council have already made it clear that it's their responsibility to deal with the running track and it is not acceptable to keep the track at Huntington Stadium both in terms of atmosphere at the ground and logistics.

"York City FC do not have the financial means to deal with the track issue and if the council is thinking of passing the buck we will be prepared to fight them all the way."

A council spokesman had insisted the authority was working hard to find a solution but said it was awaiting City's planning application to take the process further.

"We have asked them to look seriously and at length to see if they can incorporate a running track at the existing site," he said. "If they feel it could not be feasible and exhaust all possibilities, we would look at developing a joint approach on how a new track could be provided."

He added: "We are committed to working with all the sporting organisations and are very serious about our support for the athletics club."

The council's position seems to have changed from that suggested by City's stadium development director, Ian McAndrew, when speaking at a Supporters' Trust forum last month. He explained then that in all negotiations the council had insisted it would take responsibility for relocating the track.

He also said the club was not ignoring the athletes' concerns in pressing for the facility to be moved.

Today he said: "Our architects and team of consultants are working busily to produce our proposed plans for the development of the Monks Cross site.

"We are working hand-in-hand with the council and the senior officers responsible for this project, who are also liaising with all other key parties involved.

"As a community football club we obviously fully encourage the continuation of athletics in York, and at present support the relocation of the running track to an alternative site."

Architects have been given a brief to design a stadium with a capacity of 6,000 to 7,000, which could be increased at a later date. The redevelopment will see the building of three new stands, all covered and including a terraced area, with the existing main stand upgraded.

Updated: 11:25 Friday, May 16, 2003