THE supporters' pressure group, the Friends of Bootham Crescent, described today's announcement as "a major, major blow".

It said the club's future now lay in the hands of the City of York Council, and called on the authority to undertake a compulsory purchase order of Bootham Crescent.

"It is now in the council's hands to save York City and the council's hands alone," said spokesman David Allison.

"It is not a question of 'can they do it?'. They must do it.

"It is now obvious a compulsory purchase order would end all the anxiety about the future home of the club."

Allison called on all supporters to be at the Guildhall tonight, from 5.30pm, to lobby councillors ahead of the full meeting of the City of York Council.

Earlier this month, the council said it was investigating the possibility of buying the football ground from owners Bootham Crescent Holdings through a compulsory purchase order.

BCH has entered into a conditional agreement to sell Bootham Crescent to developers Persimmon.

An agreement for City to leave the ground at the end of this season was agreed by chairman John Batchelor when he took over the club from BCH.

Updated: 14:24 Tuesday, January 14, 2003