City honour feeder clubs

Representatives from New Earswick, Pocklington, Copmanthorpe and Stamford Bridge football clubs were presented with plaques during the half-time interval of last Saturday's Division Three clash between City and Southend at Bootham Crescent.

The shields, handed over by Supporters' Trust board member Graham Kilby and Garry Naylor, City's youth development officer, will be displayed at the clubs' grounds to mark the close link-up they have with the Minstermen.

The partnerships between local amateur clubs and North Yorkshire's only professional League club have been blossoming for a number of years now.

The agreements offer the prospect of teenage talent exchanges, with the local clubs recommending talented players to City, who offer resources and coaching expertise in return.

Taxing query for MPs

THE bewildering treatment of York City by the taxman has prompted club president John Greenway to seek answers from the Government.

Greenway, the shadow minister for sport and tourism, this week wrote to Dawn Primarolo MP, the Paymaster General at the Treasury, pleading for some common ground rules on how the Inland Revenue will deal with football clubs in administration in the future.

Last month's crunch meeting of creditors was adjourned no fewer than five times as the tax authorities pondered what was an acceptable return.

A deal had reportedly been thrashed out only for the taxman to have a sudden change of heart and throw the Supporters' Trust proposed take-over into turmoil.

With City and the Trust held to ransom, what followed was ten days of torture for the club's long-suffering fans before agreement was finally, thankfully reached.

However, the whole sorry episode has left a very sour taste, particularly when it emerged that as the Inland Revenue settled for 63p in the £1 from City it had also agreed to just 35p in the £1 with the administrators at Barnsley.

It has also been reported Port Vale settled with the Revenue at 32p in the £1 while Leicester City were required to pay only 10p in the £1.

In his letter to Primarolo, Ryedale MP Greenway wrote: "Bearing in mind that the rescue package for York City was mounted by the fans themselves with their own money, there is deep seated anger that York appears to have been far more harshly treated than bigger clubs such as Barnsley and Leicester.

"While I recognise that the Revenue have to make a balanced judgement about how much money they think they can obtain for the benefit of taxpayers, the wide discrepancy in settlements does not seem fair."

Greenway said the sense of unfairness is heightened by the recent change in the Revenue's status as preferential creditors, following the implementation of the Enterprise Act.

Had the act been enforced just a month earlier, City's recent tax troubles would have been avoided.

Sadly, Greenway admits his appeal to the Treasury has come too late to make changes to City's arrangement.

But he has called on Primarolo to make 'enquiries' as to the reasons for the discrepancies and provide an explanation 'which might prove useful to the people of York in understanding why their football club appears to have been more harshly treated than others'.

It may be a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, but given the very real sense of injustice felt an explanation from the powers that be is the very least that City and its fans deserve.

INTERESTING to hear former City boss Denis Smith complain about the state of the York Street pitch in the aftermath of Wrexham's midweek 3-3 draw with Boston.

"We shouldn't be expected to play at a professional level on pitches in that condition," railed Smith.

"I'm just hoping for the remaining away fixtures we get better pitches."

With games in hand on City, Wrexham arguably pose one of the biggest threats to City's automatic promotion ambitions.

City were also left fuming at the state of the York Street pitch following their 3-0 Boxing Day defeat at the hands of the Pilgrims.

Manager Terry Dolan described it at the time as an 'absolute disgrace'.

Smith has every right to complain, of course, and perhaps the state of the Boston pitch needs investigating by the powers that be.

But given City's Christmas woes it appears all visitors have encountered similar problems; a case of an unlevel level playing field.

CITY fans are being invited to put their best foot forward in aid of the Supporters' Trust ahead of next Saturday's Division Three clash with Rochdale.

A sponsored walk is being organised prior to the Bootham Crescent match to raise funds for the fans' group.

The walk will start from the car park at Huntington Stadium at around noon on Saturday and will finish at City's ground in good time for the crunch game with Dale.

Fans are being invited to take part in the walk and collect their own sponsors, or simply give their backing to the walkers by offering pledges.

Sponsorship forms are available from the club shop at Bootham Crescent.

For more details telephone organiser Val Duggan on 01904 698707 during usual working hours.

AFTER walking to City's aid next Saturday fans will also be able to beat a path to Huntington Working Men's Club where the Trust will be hosting a fundraising Race Night.

The event, organised by lifelong City fan Jim Dawes, will kick-off at 7.30pm and will feature six races and a late bar.

Tickets are also available from the club shop.

GONE but not forgotten, it was good to see striker Alex Mathie cheering on his former team-mates last Saturday in their 2-0 win over Southend United.

Just 48 hours earlier, the former Newcastle and Ipswich striker was released by the club but judging by his appearance last weekend it appears Mathie holds no grudges and is still backing his ex-colleagues to complete their promotion mission.

CITY boss Terry Dolan and his assistant, Adie Shaw, will be the special guests of the Harrogate Minstermen at the supporters' club's next meeting on Monday.

The meeting will be staged in the HM's usual haunt, the Board Inn, Knaresborough, starting at 8pm.

Members and non-members are welcome to attend.

THE City chief maybe enjoying a rare Saturday off today but Dolan is refusing to take his eye off the ball.

The City manager will be on scouting duties this weekend - although in unusually plush surroundings for a Division Three spying mission.

Dolan will be at the LDV Vans Trophy final clash between Carlisle and Bristol City tomorrow, taking advantage of United's Millennium Stadium visit to cast his eye over the Cumbrians ahead of the Minstermen's League clash with Roddy Collins' outfit later this month.

A REMINDER that the York City Social Club is hosting a programme fair tomorrow, from 11am to 2pm.

Admission is free and the bar will be open.

SKIPPER Chris Brass continues to lead the Evening Press player of the year rankings as the season enters it's most critical phase.

Following last Saturday's 2-0 win over Southend, the top of the table positions remain unchanged with all the points on offer being awarded to players vying for respectability rather than honours.

Lee Bullock picked up the man-of-the-match award against the Shrimpers, taking the City midfielder into double figures.

Richard Cooper received two points to move up a couple of places in the table, which has a newcomer after on-loan Sunderland striker Keith Graydon marked his Football League debut with a one-point display.

Both Cooper and Graydon were named in the Nationwide Football League Division Three team of the week for their efforts.

Standings: Brass 38pts, Smith 31, Parkin 24, Duffield 22, Fettis 22, Nogan 21, Edmondson 15, Cook 13, Cowan 11, Bullock 10, Cooper 8, Fox 7, Ingham 6, Potter 6, Reddy 6, Beresford, Brackstone 5, Jones 4, Wise 3, Hobson 2, Shandran 2, Graydon 1

Updated: 11:58 Saturday, April 05, 2003