AS a Chesterfield FC supporter resident in York, I have read with pleasure about the active encouragement and advice that York City supporters are receiving in the current crisis from the present chairman of Chesterfield FC in the moves to rescue City through a Supporters' Trust.

I cannot help contrasting this with the situation a year ago, when Chesterfield were in deep trouble and Douglas Craig was using his position as chairman of York City to conduct a venomous campaign against Chesterfield, with the aim of getting the club expelled from the Football League.

The problems at Chesterfield arose because the club had been hi-jacked by a new chairman, whose business methods were (to put it mildly) dubious. They were not the fault of the club's employees, still less the supporters, whom Mr Craig was so viciously trying to penalise.

Now Chesterfield is safely in the hands of a Supporters' Trust, and the boot is on the other foot.

As a Spireite who enjoys going to Bootham Crescent and wishes York City well, I hope the club can be similarly rescued from a suspect management by a Supporters' Trust.

Peter Hollindale,

Grange Garth,

Fulford Road,

York

Updated: 12:54 Saturday, January 12, 2002