SUPPORTERS' pressure group the Friends of Bootham Crescent this week broke their silence on the club's proposed move to Huntington Stadium.

The organisation, which has vigorously opposed Persimmon's planning application to build 93 homes on Bootham Crescent, say they now accept the move to Huntington is the "only option" open to the club.

FoBC representatives, who recently met with City's new board of directors, said they had seriously considered campaigning to raise funds to buy the club's existing home from current owners Bootham Crescent Holdings.

However, spokesman David Allison explained: "The price tag of several million means raising the necessary funds would not, we thought, be possible in the tight timescale available.

"BCH could sell the club back to the fans at the price they paid, but I'm afraid pigs will fly before that happens, particularly as Persimmon now own shares in BCH and would also expect to be reimbursed.

"It is understood that BCH have already rejected sizeable offers out of hand."

Having accepted Huntington is now the only option "in the present situation", Allison and FoBC are now calling on all the parties involved in the process to "help work towards a brighter future for the club".

"There were many positive and exciting plans put forward for the redeveloped stadium," said Allison.

"The new board made it clear to us that they are confident of it being a success. We also received strong assurances from the board that the running track will be moved to a place that is acceptable to the athletics community, and that the new ground will have all the facilities expected of a modern football ground, including provision for terracing."

However, while looking to the future, FoBC insisted they are keeping to their original aims.

"We formed as a group to protect Bootham Crescent, which remains a viable stadium meeting Football League requirements.

"Friends of Bootham Crescent will remain committed to protecting our ground until fans are fully confident that a new stadium at Huntington is acceptable as an alternative."

He added: "Our work over recent months has shown that the proposed redevelopment will affect a wide range of people. Everyone should make sure that the planning authorities hear their views.

"We encourage all sections of the community to become involved in the proposed decisions and we remind York residents that the Persimmon application is still open for comment.

"We believe around 1,600 objections have been received. This remains an issue for the wider York community."

Updated: 10:40 Saturday, May 03, 2003