SUPPORTERS who bought season tickets for the 2003-04 campaign at half-price are to be asked to make a further contribution to the football club.

An Evening Press on-line question and answer session re-confirmed that the new board of directors intend to honour the half-price tickets issued to fans by former chairman John Batchelor last year.

However, those fans who took up the cut-price deal should next week receive letters asking to them to make a donation to help the new board off-set the possible loss of income over this summer, when full-price season tickets would usually have gone on sale.

Answering fans questions on our website, www.thisisyork.co.uk, club directors Mike Brown, Sophie and Jason McGill and chairman Steve Beck said: "On Monday, we will be sending out letters to season ticket holders and vice-presidents appealing to them to make a further contribution to assist the financial position of the club.

"Fans have already supported us fantastically but we do need extra income to strengthen the club's finances."

The appeal to the 2003-04 season ticket holders will be made despite it being revealed during the question and answer session that Batchelor has agreed to pay £85,000 to the old York City company, now in administration for the benefit of creditors.

Batchelor had previously stated publicly he was willing to repay fans sold 2003-2004 tickets should City go under or a new owner fail to honour his deal.

In the busiest on-line question and answer session ever hosted by the Evening Press, the new board of directors were inundated with questions from fans.

The board said they would 'strongly object' to the closure of the running track at Huntington Stadium should their proposed redevelopment of the site - earmarked as the Minstermen's new home from the 2004-05 season - go ahead.

However, they also said keeping the track could hinder their efforts to secure funding from the footballing authorities to upgrade the stadium and may also have a negative impact on the match-day atmosphere.

"The City of York Council are aware of these issues and we hope that they will take the lead in finding a new quality home for athletics in York through various grants and subsidies," stated the board.

The board also indicated their willingness to consult with the York City Knights and the athletics club over redevelopment at Huntington but insisted the football club would be 'leading the project'.

While admitting a redeveloped Huntington - dubbed the Monks Cross Stadium site - was now being viewed as the club's 'long-term home', the board said the Trust had yet to formally withdraw their objection to Persimmon's planning application to build on Bootham Crescent.

Significantly however, it was also revealed the board are currently in negotiations with the council to extend their proposed ten-year-lease for Huntington to 25 years.

It emerged that Jason McGill has provided a £300,000 'facility' enabling the club house on Grovesnor Terrace 'to release the bank overdraft and to ensure the youth trainees continue to be provided with a home'.

Having also donated more than £90,000 to stave off the threat of extinction, it was also revealed Jason McGill has been offered a 15 per cent minority share-holding in the club.

Updated: 11:36 Saturday, April 05, 2003