York City supporters were facing a dreaded sense of deja-vu today with the news the Trust still needs to raise another £60,000 by Monday.

An almost exact same figure was raised by fans over the weekend of the Bury match last month to keep the club in business.

However, this time around the money is urgently required to ensure the Supporters' Trust will be able to complete their take-over of the club.

The Trust needs £200,000 by Monday's crunch meeting of creditors, when their bid will be approved or rejected.

However, that vote will be academic if the Trust does not have the necessary funds in place. The total monies banked today stood at £142,000.

If it does not reach the target, York City will be forced into liquidation and the club will fold.

In a statement today, the Trust urged its members and fellow City fans for one last push in terms of fund-raising and donations.

In particular, the Trust is pleading with supporters to sign up to its loan note issue scheme, whereby for every £100 donated fans are given a loan note.

Supporters can buy their loan notes in instalments. For example £50 could be given immediately followed by two further payments of £25.

Outgoing club owner John Batchelor today confirmed he intends to cover the funding shortfall caused by his selling of 2003-04 season tickets at half-price - but not before Monday's deadline.

Batchelor said he is in negotiations with the Trust as to how best to make good his pledge, which could realise as much as £100,000.

"How it is to be done has still to be decided," said the motor-racing boss.

"But what I am saying is there will be funding available to ensure the club can satisfy the situation in relation to the 2003-2004 season ticket holders."

Batchelor sold next season's tickets at half-price last autumn when he claimed he had a sponsorship deal in place to cover the offer.

However, no sponsorship deal was ever announced and it later emerged Batchelor had sold the tickets having agreed the club would vacate Bootham Crescent at the end of this season.

Earlier this year, Batchelor said he sold the tickets hoping an extension to the lease could be obtained from ground owners Bootham Crescent Holdings.

He also promised, via the pages of the Evening Press, to refund in full any disgruntled season-ticket holders should the club fold or a new owner fail to honour his deal.

It is the Trust's intention should their proposed take-over be finally ratified next week to honour Batchelor's season ticket deal. But that left the Trust facing a near £200,000 shortfall in possible income at the start of next season - the sum they could have expected to bank had they been able to sell the tickets at full price over the summer.

The £94,298 City banked from the ticket offer has long since been spent as the club struggled to make ends meet and cover its running costs.

However, earlier this month the fans' body wrote to Batchelor asking him to come up with the remaining anticipated £100,000 shortfall.

"It is an incredibly complex situation and we just have to decide on the best way to make it work," Batchelor told the Evening Press.

"There are different ways of doing it and the administrator will have to have some sort of input. But the offer is there and we will do it."

Sophie McGill, of the Trust, confirmed a meeting had been held with Batchelor regarding the season-ticket issue.

Should the Trust's purchase of the club fail at the 11th hour, Batchelor also insisted his pledge to pay back 2003-2004 season ticket holders still stood.

To make a donation or purchase a loan note, a cheques payable to 'Munby & Scott - Save City Account' should be sent to the Trust c/o Bootham Crescent, York YO30 7AQ.

Payments can also be made by credit or debit payment via the Trust website - www.ycst.org.uk or by telephoning the donation hotline 01904 610783.

Supporters will also be able to make donations at tomorrow's game with Bournemouth via 'pledge points' situated in the club shop and between the David Longhurst and Popular Stands.

Updated: 10:42 Friday, March 14, 2003